‘A Night of the Undead’ Review
Stars: Mason Johnson, Denny Kidd, Mckenzie Clay, Brianna Phipps, Madison Bennett, Eliot Slavik, Nancy Anne Ridder, Brandon Ludwig, David Daring | Written by Tyler Aucoin | Directed by Kenny Scott Guffey, Jake C. Young
A Night of the Undead posits that in 1968 the world was shaken by an outbreak known today as the “Night of the Living Dead.” However, debate has raged over the years about whether the event was real or an urban legend. Now, on the anniversary of the event a group of [arrogant] podcasters – Adam (Mason Johnson), Judy (Mckenzie Clay), Piper (Brianna Phipps) and Brady (Denny Kidd) – head out to the farmhouse where the events allegedly took place to see for themselves whether the dead ever really did rise from their graves to feast on the flesh of the living…
Guess what? Turns out that they did and yes, zombies are real! That had to be the case here though really didn’t it? It would make for a really boring movie if we just followed a group of characters walking around a farmhouse for 80 minutes arguing with each other. Though that is very nearly what we get from this film – the super-low-budget nature of the film means that zombies have to be used sparingly! Though the lack of budget doesn’t stop the filmmakers from using practical effects, something I really appreciated!
That’s not to say the film isn’t without other issues. Given that this is technically what you could call a “fan film”, the performances of the cast vary wildly – one minute it all seems to be going great with everyone capturing the terror of the situation they’re in; then in the next scene the actors seem to be stumbling over their words, seemingly focusing on getting their lines out rather than “acting”.
And whilst it mixes filmmaking styles – from traditional camera work, to YouTube-style video and portrait-mode mobile phone footage – A Night of the Undead also, at times, looks like it has been recoloured from black and white (there’s a segment in particular, early on in the film, set inside a store that REALLY stands out). It’s actually reminiscent of the re-colour jobs that the original Night of the Living Dead underwent in various VHS incarnations back in the day! Given that the same look occurs on numerous occasions I have to think this was a stylistic choice on a part of directors Kenny Scott Guffey and Jake C. Young and wasn’t instead used to compensate for lighting issues.
To be fair, because Duffey and Young, along with writer Tyler Aucoin, are working with a minuscule budget of $1500 means issues like that can be forgiven – when funds are tight you’ve got to get what you can in the can; and besides the team have actually crafted a decent “sequel” to Romero’s original. It might be a film that ignores all of the Romero ‘Dead’ movies that followed but as a direct years-later sequel (set post-pandemic, with the cast wearing masks when they think the first signs of zombie infection is just that, an infection) A Night of the Undead is actually an interesting idea, even if it will probably piss off a myriad of Romero purists in the same way the Day of the Dead remake did.
Despite its issues, throughout A Night of the Undead there’s one constant that helps elevate the movie above its low-budget nature – the sheer sense of dread that the film generates. Whilst the bleak visuals help: the autumnal hues, the claustrophobic framing of the camera, what really gives the film its rich atmosphere is the score by debuting composer Brian Labuda. The pounding synth beat feels like it’s echoing a heartbeat at times, pumping faster as the tension rises and then dulling to a hum in the film’s quieter moments; honestly, the soundtrack really does make this film!
Seemingly running out of steam 65 minutes into its 80-minute run time, A Night of the Undead is still a decent low-budget entry into the overcrowded zombie sub-genre, even if the multiple endings muddy the waters somewhat… OK, muddies them a LOT.
