Okay, let's talk about Night of the Living Dead. The 1990 version, that is. Not the OG, black and white one. Though, that one's a classic, obviously.
But have you ever truly *looked* at the 1990 cast? I'm here to say something controversial. And maybe a little bit...blasphemous to horror purists.
The Underrated Squad of '90
Let's start with Tony Todd as Ben. Who can forget Candyman? His deep voice alone is nightmare fuel. Here, he’s the strong, level-headed dude we desperately want on our zombie apocalypse team.
Seriously, imagine trying to reason with a horde of the undead. You’d want Tony Todd by your side, right?
Patricia Tallman: Barb, the Badass
Then there's Barbara. Played by Patricia Tallman. Now, here's where I might lose some people.
Original Barbara? Kinda...useless, right? (Don't @ me!). 1990 Barbara? Total turnaround! She's proactive. She fights back. She's actually… useful!
I said what I said. Fight me.
Plus, Tallman gives an amazing performance. She truly embodies the trauma and the fight to survive. The 1990 version gives Barb agency.
Tom Towles: A Punchable Villain
Let’s not forget Tom Towles as Henry Cooper. Ugh, this guy. You just want to punch him in the face, right?
That's good acting! He's the ultimate selfish jerk. The kind of person who'd hoard all the toilet paper during a pandemic. Which, given the zombie apocalypse, I guess makes sense. Still punchable.
He brings such unlikeable energy to the role. A character you love to hate. It's truly brilliant villainy.
McKee Anderson: Sarah's Sacrifice
Then there is little Sarah, played by McKee Anderson. A crucial part of the plot, especially because of the gruesome zombie bite.
Granted, she doesn't have a ton of screentime. She brings a very sympathetic dynamic to the plot.
Her fate fuels a lot of the conflict between Cooper and the other survivors.
A Remake Done (Relatively) Right?
Okay, okay, I know. Remakes are often sacrilege. Especially when it comes to horror classics.
But hear me out. This one...isn't *terrible*. I might even say… (whispers) …it’s good! (Ducks for cover).
The casting of Tony Todd, in itself, was a stroke of genius. He elevated the entire film.
It takes the original's themes of societal breakdown and ramps them up. It makes you think.
And Patricia Tallman gives the character of Barbara the grit and agency she deserved all along.
Unpopular Opinion Time
So, here’s my controversial take: The 1990 Night of the Living Dead has one of the most underrated horror casts of all time.
They brought intensity, believability, and, dare I say, even a little bit of… nuance to a zombie flick. Fight me. Or, you know, just leave a comment below.
But seriously, go back and watch it. Look at the performances. You might just find yourself agreeing with me. Maybe.
Or maybe not. But at least you'll have spent some time with some pretty awesome zombies… and Tony Todd.
And that's never a bad thing, is it?
