Page "Night of the Living Dead" Paragraph 35

Night of the Living Dead was the first feature-length film directed by George A. Romero.

His initial work involved filming shorts for Pittsburgh public broadcaster WQED's children's series Mister Rogers ' Neighborhood.

Romero's decision to direct Night of the Living Dead essentially launched his career as a horror director.

He took the helm of the sequels as well as Season of the Witch ( 1972 ), The Crazies ( 1973 ), Martin ( 1977 ), Creepshow ( 1982 ) and The Dark Half ( 1993 ).

Critics saw the influence of the horror and science-fiction films of the 1950s in Romero's directorial style.

Stephen Paul Miller, for instance, witnessed " a revival of fifties schlock shock ... and the army general's television discussion of military operations in the film echoes the often inevitable calling-in of the army in fifties horror films ".

Miller admits, however, that " Night of the Living Dead takes greater relish in mocking these military operations through the general's pompous demeanor " and the government's inability to source the zombie epidemic or protect the citizenry.

Romero describes the mood he wished to establish: " The film opens with a situation that has already disintegrated to a point of little hope, and it moves progressively toward absolute despair and ultimate tragedy ".

According to film historian Carl Royer, Romero " employs chiaroscuro ( film noir style ) lighting to emphasize humanity's nightmare alienation from itself ".