Night of the Living Dead (DVD, 1999, Multiple Languages)

Based on George A. Romero’s 1968 cult classic “Night of the Living Dead,” Savini’s version portrays Barbara (played by Patricia Tallman) as a strong heroine lead who conquers her fears (e.g., witnessing the death of her brother Johnnie and seeing zombies that just won’t die) and shows a resolve not usually seen in people facing seemingly insurmountable odds—such a being trapped inside a secluded farmhouse surrounded by mindless zombies, with no transportation in sight.

But looking beyond the zombie crisis (whose origins were unfortunately not fully explained during the course of the film), the personality dynamics of those trapped inside this Western Pennsylvania farmhouse are the true stars of the film as they tackles a number of issues such as: How people handle crisis situations, who among them comes forward and takes charge, who ends up being the followers, and who among the characters is able to “reach down deep” and go beyond expectations? Lastly, are there those who would be altruistic or just end up fending from themselves?

At least from this perspective, Night of the Living Dead (1990) seems to have all the answers.