NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990): Tom Savini’s Remake Reimagined | Romero & Savini: Splatter Kings

2020-11-05

In the final episode of our Romero/Savini series, we come full circle—back to the film that started it all. After years of legal battles trying to reclaim the rights to the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), George Romero and his Image Ten partners decided the best way to protect their creation—and maybe finally make some money from it—was to remake it. In 1990, they did just that. Romero wrote the screenplay, updating key elements of the original while preserving its structure, and handed directing duties to his longtime collaborator Tom Savini. For Savini, best known for his work behind the makeup chair, it was a chance to prove himself as a director on a film that carried enormous legacy and expectation. In this episode, we explore the making of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990), the creative choices behind the r...

In the final episode of our Romero/Savini series, we come full circle—back to the film that started it all.

After years of legal battles trying to reclaim the rights to the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968), George Romero and his Image Ten partners decided the best way to protect their creation—and maybe finally make some money from it—was to remake it.

In 1990, they did just that. Romero wrote the screenplay, updating key elements of the original while preserving its structure, and handed directing duties to his longtime collaborator Tom Savini. For Savini, best known for his work behind the makeup chair, it was a chance to prove himself as a director on a film that carried enormous legacy and expectation.

In this episode, we explore the making of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990), the creative choices behind the remake, the challenges Savini faced behind the camera, and how the film has been reappraised over time.

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