Black & White in COLOR #3

They're coming to get you Bar-ba-ra!

Hoo-Boy! It's pretty apropo that my first post in over a month is one that concerns the dead returning to life. I guess the only thing worse than being busy around Halloween is NOT being busy around Halloween...(especially if you're a full-time freelancer) Naturally since I've had my hands tied with work for the past few weeks I have a list of several posts in mind by now --including some original "you tube" videos and several more Halloween-oriented kind of posts that I'll just have to grandfather in during the next few weeks. I hoped to get this entry finished during the day on Halloween, but I held out, and then I spent another 10 days looking for some pix that never quite materialized...then another 10 just being otherwise sidetracked.
Ah well, I'm not gonna dwell on it (...color zombie pix woulda sure kicked ass though).
Anyway here's a nifty assortment of color candid publicity photos from one of the world's most popular and influential black & white movies, Night of the Living Dead" (1968) Enjoy!

Here's an on location shot near Pittsburgh of nearly the entire production crew for NTLD.

Judith O'Dea as the plucky Barbara. (note the "fingerprint" ghoul bruises on her arm)

The lovely Judith Riley as Judy, even more lovely in color. (The Atlanta PBS station that ran NTLD in the 70's would tout during their commercial breaks "Now back to Night of the Living Dead...starring Sharon Tate!" Well sure...I guess...who else would they think she was?
... that woulda been a way different movie though.)

It's really a shame the folks that colorization folks didn't have these photos to go by when they colorized NTLD (was it twice?) Ah, they didn't care...it still would've sucked zombies.

Keith Wayne as "ol' zombie chow" Tom.

Marilyn Eastman as Helen Cooper (in a Tomato-red dress) sits at the picnic table outside the farmhouse locale next to one of the cameras used on the picture.

A diffrent angle shows Judith at the same table... Smile, ladies!


Actually shooting the film in black & white left for a lot of allowances that would've been problematic in a color production. Karl's head bruising in color photographs bright purple.
They also used chocalate Bosco right from the can for blood, so tha'd look --like chocolate sauce. Ah, maybe it's a mixed blessing I couldn't find any color zombie pix...they probably wouldn't have looked much like you imagine they would.
Mmmm...smells like...cookies?.......no! moider!

Tension on the farmhouse location set...but it's just acting!

See? They all really loves each other! Photos copyright Hardman/Eastman Studios inc.

Well b & w or not, I couldn't do a NTLD post without at least a couple of obligatory shots of
the ghouls now could I? The top shot must be for publicity or a rehersal for the house seige
(since it's daylight). The center ghoul clutches one of the many, ever-present tablelegs that see several uses during the course of the film. The photo below is a ,more familiar one (though, this scene almost looks like one from "One flew over the Cuckoo's nest" as much as NTLD. Today's hi-octane Romero zombies would mop up the floor with this sleepy-lookin' group. Aw, I'm still just ticked I couldn't find 'em in color)

Trick or Treat!
My thanks to George Romero, Hardman Eastman Studios, Dave Newton, John Russo, Russell Streiner, and the cast and crew of the original NTLD.