Night of the Living Dead

Synopsis: Barbra and Johnny visit their father's grave in a remote cemetery when they are suddenly set upon by zombies. Barbra manages to get away and takes refuge in what seems to be an abandoned farm house. She is soon joined by Ben who stopped at the house in need of gas. Beset by the walking dead all around them Ben does his best to secure the doors and windows. The news reports are grim however with creatures returning to life everywhere. Barbra and Ben are surprised when they realize there are 5 people hiding out in the basement: Harry, Helen and Judy Cooper; and a young couple, Tom and Judy. Dissensions sets in almost immediately with Harry Cooper wanting to be in charge. As their situation deteriorates, their chances of surviving the night lessen minute by minute.
Genre: Horror
Director(s): George A. Romero
Production: Continental Distributing Inc.
  2 wins & 1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.9
Metacritic:
87
Rotten Tomatoes:
97%
NOT RATED
Year:
1968
96 min
Website
3,770 Views


They ought to make the day the time

changes the first day of summer.

What?

Well, it's eight o'clock

and it's still light.

A lot of good

the extra daylight does us.

Now we've still got

a three-hour drive back.

We're not going to be home

until after midnight.

Well, if it really bugged you,

Johnny, you wouldn't do it.

You think I wanna blow Sunday

on a scene like this?

You know, I figure we're either

gonna have to move mother out here,

or move the grave into Pittsburgh.

She can't make

a trip like this.

I don't know that she can't.

- Is there any candy left?

- No.

Look at this thing.

"We still remember. "

I don't. You know,

I don't even remember what the man I

Johnny, it takes you five minutes.

and 6 hours to drive back and forth.

Mother wants to remember,

so we trot 200 miles into the count

and she stays at home.

Well, we're here, John, all right?

Radio:
Testing... back on...

Ah, ladies and... We're coming back

on the air after an interruption

due to technical problem...

There's nothing wrong with the radio.

Must've been the station.

Which row is it in?

There's no one around.

Well, it's late.

If you'd gotten up earlier...

Oh, look, I already lost

an hour's sleep in the time change.

I think you complain

just to hear yourself talk.

There it is.

I wonder what happened

to the one from last year.

Each year we spend

good money on these things.

We come out here, and the

one from last year is gone.

Well, the flowers die,

And the caretaker

or somebody takes them away.

Yeah, a little spit and polish,

he can clean this up sell it next year.

Wonder how many times

we bought the same one?

Hey, come on, Barb,

church was this morning, huh?

Hey, I mean,

praying's for church, huh? Come on.

I haven't seen you

in church lately.

Well, there's not much

sense in my going to church.

Do you remember one time

when we were small, we were out here?

It was from right over there.

I jumped out at you

from behind the tree

And grandpa got all excited, and

he shook his fist at me, and he said,

"Boy, you'll be damned to hell. "

Remember that?

Right over there.

Well, you used

to really be scared here.

Johnny.

- Well, you're still afraid.

- Stop it now. I mean it.

They're coming to get you, Barbra.

Stop it. You're ignorant.

They're coming for you, Barbra.

Stop it. You're acting like a child.

They're coming for you.

Look! There comes one of them now.

- He'll hear you.

- Here he comes. I getting out of here.

Johnny!

Johnny!

Help me!

It's all right.

Don't worry about him.

I can handle him.

Probably be a lot more of them

as soon as they find out about us.

Truck is outta gas.

This pump out here is locked.

Is there a key?

We can try to get out of here

if we can get some gas. Is there a key?

I suppose you've tried this.

Do you live here?

We've gotta get out of here.

We have to get where there

are some other people.

Maybe we better take some food.

I'll see if I can find some food.

- What's happening?

- I'll be just a second.

What's happening?

Two of them.

There are two of them out there.

Have you seen any more around here?

I can take care of those two.

- I know you're afraid, but we have to...

- I don't know! I don't know!

What's happening?

They know we're in here now.

Don't look at it.

Get some more lights on in this house.

Why don't you see if you can find

some wood, some boards,

something there by the fireplace,

Something we can nail this place up?

Well, goddamn...

Look. I know you're afraid.

I'm afraid too.

But we have to try

to board the house up together.

Now, I'm going to board up the windows

and the doors. Do you understand?

We'll be all right here.

We'll be all right till someone comes to

rescue us. But we have to work together.

You'll have to help me.

Now I want you to go in and get

some wood so I can board the place up.

Ok?

Ok?

They're not that strong.

Here, I want you to pick out some nails.

Pick out the biggest ones you can find.

There, this room looks pretty secure.

If we have to, we can run in here

and board up the doors.

Won't be long before those things'll

be back, pounding their way in here.

They're afraid now.

They're afraid of fire.

I found that out.

You know a place back down the road

called Beekman's? Beekman's diner?

Anyhow, that's where I found

that truck I have out there.

There's a radio in the truck.

I had jumped in to listen to it,

When a big gasoline truck came

screaming right across the road.

Well, there must have been

Grabbing and holding on.

Now, I didn't see them at first.

I could just see that the truck

was moving in a funny way.

And those things

were catching up to it.

Truck went

right across the road.

Slammed on my brakes to keep

from hitting it myself.

It went right through

the guard rail.

I guess... I guess the driver

must have cut off the road,

into that gas station

by Beekman's diner.

It went right through the billboard.

Ripped over a gas pump,

and never stopped moving.

By now it's like a moving bonfire.

Didn't know if the truck

was going to explode or what.

I can still hear the man, screaming.

This thing is

just backing away from it.

I look back at the diner to see

If there was anyone there

who could help me.

That was when I noticed that

The entire place

had been encircled.

Wasn't a sign of life left, except...

by now, there were no more screams.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote

John A. Russo

John A. Russo (born February 2, 1939), sometimes credited as Jack Russo or John Russo, is an American screenwriter and film director most commonly associated with the 1968 horror classic film Night of the Living Dead. As a screenwriter, his credits include Night of the Living Dead, The Majorettes, Midnight, and Santa Claws. The latter two, he also directed. He has performed small roles as an actor, most notably the first ghoul who is stabbed in the head in Night of the Living Dead, as well as cameos in There's Always Vanilla and House of Frankenstein 1997. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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