This is the one that started it all. The entire Zombie craze that is such a part of mainstream popular culture today all started with this little independent film in 1968. There’s a reason it’s held up as a classic… it’s still really good. In fact, I might say it’s still the best of the entire series of Zombie films.
This film also has the distinction of being the first film ever with an African American as the lead. Duane Jones is so amazing in this, holds the camera, owns every scene, and plays completely against the stereotype of black men of the era. From reading his biography, it’s a shame that racism held him back from becoming one of the best actors of the 1970’s. He’s good enough that he could have been.
Although the budget for this film was super low for the time, they did so much for it. It rarely feels cheap and the story, make-up, creature effects, and drama keep things moving quite well. This is also the rare horror film that has an ending that will just astound you at how perfect it is. Highly recommended.