Ever since I first caught the final half of the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead, I’ve been obsessed with zombie movies and the work of the late George A. Romero. But unlike the 1968 black-and-white original that ushered in a new era and launched one of the best horror franchises of all time, Tom Savini’s reimagining was released in color and with an R-rating.
Well, there’s a new 35th anniversary 4K steelbook of Night of the Living Dead that includes a never-before-seen “uncut” version of the great horror remake. Not only is there a new director commentary track with a wonderful Tony Todd story, but this version brings back the gnarly gore, as well as something that’s even better than zombie heads exploding in the night..
I Can't Get Enough Of The Uncut Version Starting In Black And White
As much as I love the restored footage of violence, gore, and grotesque visuals not shown in the 1990 theatrical release of the Night of the Living Dead remake, there’s something I like more: the black-and-white opening. Though the movie does eventually shift to color like the regular version, the first couple of minutes look and feel a whole like like Romero’s all-time great horror classic from 22 years earlier.
From the opening shot of siblings Barbara (Patricia Tallman) and Johnny Todd (Bill Moseley) driving to a cemetery to put flowers on their mother’s grave up until they are attacked by the first zombie in the cemetery, it’s in black and white. It’s not until the zombie grabs Johnny that the color takes over the screen, similar to Dorothy walking through the door in The Wizard of Oz. It’s such a radical and jarring change that both messes with the viewer and pays homage to one of the greats.
I'm Not Going To Lie, I First Thought My TV Was Glitching Out
I’ve watched the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead countless times over the years, and so I didn’t know what to think when I pressed play and the movie was presented in black and white. I’m not going to lie, I thought my TV was glitching out and turned it off and on to see if anything was wrong with it. The regular release was in color from start to finish, and I seriously thought my TV was acting up. Once I realized this was an intentional choice by director Tom Savini, I had a good laugh and enjoyed the ride.
Don't Get Me Wrong, There's Some Gnarly Gore, Including A Meaty Head Explosion
Don’t get the impression that I didn’t like the restored gory visuals missing from the R-rated release of Night of the Living Dead, because I couldn’t get enough of it. Instead of cutting away from the action or removing the exit wounds whenever a ghoul is shot in the head, this restored version pulls no punches. Sure, it’s nothing as extreme as what Savini, Greg Nicotero, and the rest of the effects team pulled off while making Day of the Dead five years earlier, but it’s a nice touch.
There’s one scene in particular where Tom Bitner (William Butler) shoots a zombie in the head with a shotgun, resulting in one of the meatiest headshots I’ve ever seen. The footage has been floating around the internet for years in an unofficial capacity, but that doesn’t compare to the scene in 4K.
