After sitting through almost everything produced in the 70's -- and far too much that came after -- two scenes from this film are unforgettable:
Joy Bang being slowly surrounded, then attacked by patient, bloodthirsty ghouls. Original, comic, theatrical, unnerving. An entire series of 80's horror -- Bava's "Demons", was inspired by this single scene.
Anitra Ford following a stranger in the wee hours of Point Dune's eerily quiet streets into a Ralph's supermarket only to find a cadre of well-dressed carnivores busily tearing into packaged red meat. But then, of course, fresh is so much better. This is, unequivocally, one of the most effective horror scenes ever. Artfully filmed, atmospheric, extremely creepy. Phillan Bishop's score is a minimalist's gem.
Unfortunately, it's clear this scene as it appears in all known releases is bowlderized, as evidenced by jump cuts appearing after the zombies start to tear open lovely Anitra's insides. As George Romero knows too well, the MPAA does not allow more than a few frames of disembowelment to achieve an R rating, and that's all we get here. Perhaps no great loss, that.
Joy Bang being slowly surrounded, then attacked by patient, bloodthirsty ghouls. Original, comic, theatrical, unnerving. An entire series of 80's horror -- Bava's "Demons", was inspired by this single scene.
Anitra Ford following a stranger in the wee hours of Point Dune's eerily quiet streets into a Ralph's supermarket only to find a cadre of well-dressed carnivores busily tearing into packaged red meat. But then, of course, fresh is so much better. This is, unequivocally, one of the most effective horror scenes ever. Artfully filmed, atmospheric, extremely creepy. Phillan Bishop's score is a minimalist's gem.
Unfortunately, it's clear this scene as it appears in all known releases is bowlderized, as evidenced by jump cuts appearing after the zombies start to tear open lovely Anitra's insides. As George Romero knows too well, the MPAA does not allow more than a few frames of disembowelment to achieve an R rating, and that's all we get here. Perhaps no great loss, that.