The original producers of Night of the Living Dead have remade their own cult classic in a crass bit of cinematic grave-robbing. The only legitimate reason to remake the 1968 film would have been to improve its effects and sub-$200,000 budget, although the dimly shot black-&-white images were far creepier than any of its color progeny.
The story faithfully follows the original except for the bonehead decision to replace the ending with a ‘meaningful’ twist that reeks of pretentiousness.
The plot still involves seven people trapped in a farmhouse fending off hordes of walking corpses intent on devouring them. Never explained is what animated the bodies in the first place, although a solid bash to the brain deanimates them.
The hero still is Ben (Tony Wood), and the bad guy still is a middle-aged businessman named Harry (Tom Towles) who holes up in the basement with his wife and daughter. The one beefed-up role is that of the female lead (Patricia Tallman), who reveals a Rambo-esque bent.
