10 Greatest Directorial Debut Horror Movies
6. George A. Romero - Night Of The Living Dead
It would not be unwarranted to call George A. Romero the father of the modern zombie on-screen. Romero, in his directorial debut no less, all but created what we know as the modern zombie in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead. Before shaking the cinema landscape with his directorial debut, Romero was an industrial filmmaker, often creating TV commercials and training films. With Night of the Living Dead, Romero delivered something that was genuinely culturally and historically significant.
An independent film with a simple plot, it was made with a microbudget of just over $100,000 and went on to gross an incredible $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. The film is looked back on as a true classic of cinema and a staple of the horror genre. The slow-walking, groaning monster was instantly unsettling and has become the iconic style of the monster.
'Night' is one of six zombie films in the franchise that Romero eventually ended up directing, all with varying degrees of success. A particular highlight included Dawn of the Dead which arrived in 1978 and in many ways transcended the first film in terms of cultural relevance and production value. Romero was rightfully elevated to legend status among horror fans and his impact to the genre will never be forgotten.