From the opening zombie encounter, Night of the Living Dead sets itself up as a horror film the likes of which had not been seen before. Beginning innocently enough with a brother and sister visiting their father’s grave, turns to terror when they’re attacked by a strange figure.

The scene goes from chilling to harrowing in a few perfectly executed beats. The stumbling movements of Bill Hinzman, the stark black and white cinematography, the panicked performance of Judith O’Dea, flawless editing and plenty of near misses and close calls make for an intense and memorable opening.

But the greatness of Night of the Living Dead is that, following the scene, the film slows, almost to a crawl, as the frightened Barbra finds herself at the farmhouse encountering the group of strangers. The rest takes place over the course of a single night as the party decides how to best proceed. The finale is a shocking and disturbing gore fest as the zombie hoard can’t be held back any longer. As much about the characters as the threat facing them, Night of the Living Dead perfectly maintains a tense atmosphere throughout and certainly deserves its place as a classic of the genre.