Tony Todd Pumped Life into ‘Night of the Living Dead’ Remake

The recent passing of character actor Tony Todd brings to mind just how fully he established himself in the horror genre.

Despite roles in films like “Platoon” (1986) and “Colors,” Todd became a household name after he played the title role in Bernard Rose’s “Candyman” (1992) and its sequels, as well as the cryptic, commanding Bludworth in the “Final Destination” films.

That includes the upcoming “Final Destination: Bloodlines,” which marks Todd’s final film role.

Despite this horror pedigree, a big one that is oddly overlooked is the 1990 Tom Savini-directed remake of “Night of the Living Dead.” The film marked the first time the classic George A. Romero film was officially remade.

“Dead’ gave Todd his first lead film role, taking over the part of Ben, made iconic by Duane Jones in the 1968 original.

The ’90 “Night of the Living Dead” is a controversial topic for genre fans, as the film was dismissed outright upon release 35 years ago but has grown in appreciation over the years, particularly for the crucial changes it makes to the classic formula.

The set up remains the same: the graveyard, Barbara (Patricia Tallman) and her brother Johnnie (Bill Moseley), enter a cemetery. The exchange is almost identical to the original (“They’re coming to get you, Barbara!”).

So is the way in which the undead suddenly stumble and lurch into the frame and we’re thrust into a world where the dead rise from the grave to stalk and feast on the living. Barbara makes her way to an abandoned house, where she works with Ben, played by Todd, to keep the house secure and the cannibal zombies out.

We eventually learn the house isn’t as deserted as it seemed, and more humans come out from hiding. After a while, it’s a toss-up what’s worse – the hordes of zombies trying to get in or some of the truly awful humans Barbara and Ben are struck with.

Savini’s hit-and-miss remake mostly remains faithful to the original screenplay by John Russo and Romero’s original screenplay (at least at first), is now in color and has the involvement of many of the original filmmakers. A cynical reason why so many alumni of the ’68 film are involved is because the original became public domain and, therefore, no one was making a profit off the obvious, lingering popularity of the classic original.

Yet, while there were obvious financial gains to be made in creating an official remake (after decades of rip-offs and Romero’s own spinoffs), Savini has also made a film that somehow stands on its own, both a replication of the ideas of the original and also an extension of it.

For starters, Barbara isn’t down for the count after the first act. I’ve always admired the honesty in Judith O’Dea’s portrayal of Barbara in the ’68 version, as her fear and remorse causes her to shut down.

I always wondered if I’d do the same thing in her position. On the other hand, Tallman plays Barbara as a traumatized soul and victim who become a warrior, the Ellen Ripley of this film.

It’s an inspired update.

The upside is Todd’s superb performance, the reimagining of Barbara, the impact of the best scenes and the beefed up, unsettling finish.

The bad news is that Savini doesn’t shake up the formula like Romero’s prior “Dawn of the Dead” (1978) and “Day of the Dead” (1985), nor the subsequent “Land of the Dead” (2005). In mostly keeping things faithful to the original, Savini, the horror make-up artist maestro, makes his directorial debut in the horror genre, in a film that isn’t as scary as needed.

Key scenes from the original are duplicated but somehow don’t hit hard enough. A key example is the horrifying basement reveal in the original, truly the stuff of nightmares, which doesn’t land the same way here.
The biggest flaw is the awful score by Paul McCollough, which sounds like a keyboard temp track and not fitting a theatrical release.

While Savini’s film is not an improvement and will never be remotely definitive, it manages to stand on its own where is counts. The final reveal of Ben is haunting – rather than utilized as a shock to conclude the film on, Savini, Tallman and Todd create a truly haunting moment.

Savini stages the action well but, strangely, the make-up isn’t as stunning as the prior Romero films.

Having Barbara provide last minute, on-the-nose commentary is unnecessary, though the wrap-up scenes succeed at worldbuilding and maintaining an unease that follows audiences out of the theater.

Savini’s “Night of the Living Dead” is inconsistent but often powerful, as it has a compassion for its two central characters but is otherwise as fed up with humankind as the zombies.

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