Night of the Animated Dead (Blu Ray)

[VideoGameCritic]

My friend gave me this Blu Ray knowing I was a fan of the original 1968 film. I was expecting Night of the Animated Dead to be "inspired" by the classic film, but it's practically a shot-for-shot remake. Night of the Living Dead pioneered the zombie horror genre. It's about a group of people who find themselves stuck in a house surrounded by zombies, often at each other's throats. This animated version tries to capture its tone but falls short.


Night of the Animated Dead does a good job of mimicking the behavior and mannerisms of the original actors. I enjoyed the soft painted backgrounds, although even the graveyard scenes failed to instill a sense of dread. Frankly I don't think a cartoon format could ever match the atmosphere or tension of a movie. This may be R rated for extreme gore, yet it comes off feeling like a "light" version of the film.


So why was this made? I suppose younger viewers might prefer viewing a colorful, razor-sharp version of the film over an old black and white movie. The director really ratcheted up the gore, extending each death and dismemberment scene to maximize the blood, broken bones, and torn flesh. That's fun I guess, but if you've never seen the Night of the Living Dead, there's really no substitute for the original.