Title: Night Of The Living Dead:
Millennium Edition
Region: One
Genre: Horror
Stars: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl
Hardman, Bill Hinzman, Judy Ridley, and Keith Wayne
Writers: George A. Romero and John
Russo
Director: George A. Romero
Feature length: 96 minutes
Extras: Two Audio Commentary Tracks,
"Night Of The Living Bread" Short Film Parody, Theatrical Trailer and
Commercials, Still Gallery, The History Of George Romero’s company – The
Latent Image, Scenes From The Lost Romero Film “There’s Always Vanilla”,
Video Interview With Judy Ridley, Final Interview With Star Duane Jones, Foreign
and Domestic Posters and Collectibles, Original Props, The Entire Original
Shooting Script, Cast Members’ Personal Scrapbook, Full Color Insert Featuring
Liner Notes By Stephen King
Languages: English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Sound And English Monaural Sound
Subtitles: N/A
Packaging: Blood Red Keep Case
Chapter Stops: 12
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
and Monaural Sound
Year of Theatrical Release: 1968/DVD
Release: 2002
Home Video Distributor: Elite
Entertainment
Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera
When Elite Entertainment first released
their THX approved laserdisc of "Night Of The Living Dead" in the
early 90s, the company ushered in an era where horror films that previously were
not given their proper acknowledgement on home video were finally given the
deluxe treatment they deserved. I cannot say how many times I have told friends
new to DVD, but unfamiliar with laserdisc the impact Elite Entertainment has had
on all genre home video media.
“Night Of The Living Dead” is one
of the most successful independent films ever made and has not only become one
of the most important horror films ever produced and a genuine classic, but also
a popular subject among academic film historians, who deconstruct the film to
suggest various impressions regardless of whether they were conscious or
unconscious choices. “Night Of The Living Dead” was not only the right
horror film released at the right time, but it has also withstood the test of
time by providing genuine scares and shocks for those who never saw it. Even the
seasoned horror fan cannot deny that there is a disturbing if not creepy subtext
to the film that sticks with the viewer for long time after seeing it. Arguably
the Elite Entertainment presentation of George A. Romeo’s original “Night Of
The Living Dead” has been the definitive home video incarnation of the film
and it is still superior to even the 1990 remake, which is the only “Dead”
film outside of the ones directed by George A. Romero that I consider worth
seeing if only because Makeup Master Tom Savini cares as much about the series
as George Romero does and Romero was involved with the production and screenplay
for the remake.
So how does one improve on perfection?
The original “Special Collector’s Edition” was the best DVD version of the
film available. Now to celebrate a film that is over 33 years old, Elite
Entertainment has revisited “Night Of The Living Dead” and has improved on
the DVD presentation to take advantage of the breakthroughs in DVD technology
that previously were unavailable back when DVD first hit the streets in 1997.
Elite Entertainment has added the supplements that were previously only
available on the original laserdisc release while delivering a THX certified
transfer complete with the “THX Optimizer®” program for proper picture and
sound calibration as well as the inclusion of an English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Sound Mix as well as the original Two-Channel English Monaural
Soundtrack.
Elite Entertainment presents
"Night Of The Living Dead: Millennium Edition" in the film's original
(1.33:1) aspect ratio and the film looks fantastic. There is a fine grain and a
few imperfections that occur once in a while, but overall this is by far the
very best looking home video version available. The transfer was struck and
restored from the original 35mm negatives so “Night Of The Living Dead”
retains the stark black and white photography as it was originally meant to be
presented theatrically. On the back of the DVD packaging there are liner notes
from George Romero that were originally published on the 1993 laserdisc, which
states “Now that this
excellent copy has been made from the original 35mm negatives, I hope viewers
will be able to better appreciate the images and understand that their starkness
evokes, rather than undermines, the necessary sense of “presence” which, I
believe, gives the film its teeth (no pun intended).”
There are also liner
notes by Stephen King on the insert within a blood red Alpha keep case, which
also originally appeared on the long out of print laserdisc.
The new English Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Soundtrack does have a higher fidelity than the English Two-Channel
Monaural Soundtrack, which is also included. The new soundtrack uses the music
for the most part to evoke the surround feel, while the various spooky night
sounds and creepy sound effects are used on the right and left rear channel
speakers to immerse the viewer in a more realistic sound experience without
betraying the original soundtrack’s music and sound effects without new sounds
padded within the track. The dialogue is reserved for the center channel.
Unfortunately there are no closed captions or subtitles encoded on to this DVD.
Elite Entertainment’s “Night Of The
Living Dead: Millennium Edition” features two feature length audio commentary
tracks carried over from the previous DVD and laserdisc releases. The first
track includes commentary by George A. Romero, John Russo, Karl Hardman, and
Marilyn Eastman. The second commentary track features Bill Hinzman, Judith O'Dea,
Keith Wayne, Kyra Schon, Russell Streiner, and Vince Survivinski. Both tracks
are very informal and enjoyable because the commentators are clearly enjoying
themselves while watching the film, making the viewing and listening experience
better for the consumers.
There are a lot of extras from the
laserdisc that are finally available in this new DVD release. These exclusive
“Night Of The Living Dead: Millennium Edition” features include the complete
original screenplay as well as excerpts from the treatment and an article
entitled “The Monster Flick Splutters and Comes Alive” chapter of John A.
Russo’s book, “The Complete Night Of The Living Dead Filmbook.” Using the
“NEXT” and “Previous” chapter buttons on your remote control, viewers
can read the excerpts as well as the entire screenplay onscreen without the need
for a DVD-ROM drive and it is remarkably easy on the eyes too.
Other features exclusive to this new
DVD edition include “Personal Scrapbooks and Memorabilia,” which is an
extensive still gallery of various color and black and white still images of
notes, photos, advertisements, newspaper clippings, correspondence, lobby cards,
behind-the-scenes photographs, foreign advertising materials, props, caricatures
of cast members, novel adaptations, and other collector’s items.
Perhaps the gem of the DVD release of
the 16-minute audio interview Duane Jones gave before his death. To hear Mr.
Jones talk is to confirm that Duane Jones was truly an articulate and
well-educated man. It is a thoroughly engrossing interview that was also
previously available on home video only on Elite Entertainment’s laserdisc
from 1993. The audio interview features a still gallery of photographs that
change as one listens to the interview on the DVD.
The videotaped interview with Judith Ridley, which runs for approximately
11-minutes is also included on this DVD exclusively and is a great compliment to
the Duane Jones interview.
There are notes, which can be read on
screen about The Latent Image and Hardman Eastman Studios as well as
commercials, some silent and scratchy outtakes from “The Derelict” that was
produced by Hardman Eastman Studios as well as more on screen notes about
Romero’s move from commercials to “Night Of The Living Dead.” Scenes from
the lost George A. Romero Film “There’s Always Vanilla” that runs for
about 5-minutes and is presented in a color (1.33:1) aspect ratio. A short
gallery of theatrical posters and stills from “There’s Always Vanilla”
accompany the lost footage. The (1.33:1) theatrical trailer as well as a
TV spot is included on this DVD as well as a short parody film, "Night Of
The Living Bread."
The menus are standard interactive
still frames with sound bytes from the film and are easy to navigate as well and
are well rendered. The disc itself is a single sided dual layered disc.
Elite Entertainment's "Night Of The Living Dead: Millennium
Edition" is available on DVD-Video now and definitely worth the upgrade.
© Copyright 2002 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.