Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film

  1. Purpose. Based on the “Safe House” scene, what is your take on Romero and Russo’s story about zombies and humans? Why might they have chosen to set their horror story in rural Pennsylvania, rather than in, say, New York City? How do the house and landscape function in the story?

    Question

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    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Purpose. Based on the “Safe House” scene, what is your take on Romero and Russo’s story about zombies and humans? Why might they have chosen to set their horror story in rural Pennsylvania, rather than in, say, New York City? How do the house and landscape function in the story?
  2. Audience. How does the film portray human responses to fear? In the “Safe House” scene, what details pull you in as a viewer? Why?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Audience. How does the film portray human responses to fear? In the “Safe House” scene, what details pull you in as a viewer? Why?
  3. Rhetorical appeals. How do Romero and Russo establish their ethos in the “Safe House” scene (in addition to the suggestions included in the annotations)? And how do they connect with viewers’ pathos? What specific choices contribute most to conveying horror? Why do you think so?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Rhetorical appeals. How do Romero and Russo establish their ethos in the “Safe House” scene (in addition to the suggestions included in the annotations)? And how do they connect with viewers’ pathos? What specific choices contribute most to conveying horror? Why do you think so?
  4. Modes & media. In the “Safe House” scene, what are some moments where the audio and visuals come together to make the viewer root for (or perhaps disconnect from) Barbara? Ben? The ghouls?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Modes & media. In the “Safe House” scene, what are some moments where the audio and visuals come together to make the viewer root for (or perhaps disconnect from) Barbara? Ben? The ghouls?
  5. Elements of the genre. Based on this scene, how much dimension does Barbara have as a character? What are the challenges that actor Judith O’Dea faced in performing the character, especially in a horror movie? How does she handle these challenges? If you were directing this scene, what, if anything, would you change about the portrayal and actions of Barbara?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Elements of the genre. Based on this scene, how much dimension does Barbara have as a character? What are the challenges that actor Judith O’Dea faced in performing the character, especially in a horror movie? How does she handle these challenges? If you were directing this scene, what, if anything, would you change about the portrayal and actions of Barbara?
  6. Elements of the genre. What happens, plot-wise, in the “Safe House” scene? How do the filmmakers use it to move the story forward? Is the scene effective in this regard? Why or why not?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Elements of the genre. What happens, plot-wise, in the “Safe House” scene? How do the filmmakers use it to move the story forward? Is the scene effective in this regard? Why or why not?
  7. Style. How do the action, camera angles, and lack of dialogue (or monologue) contribute to the “Safe House” scene? Compare the clip to the shooting script. How closely does the final clip follow the script? Why might the filmmakers have gone “off script”? Do you agree with their choices? Why or why not?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Style. How do the action, camera angles, and lack of dialogue (or monologue) contribute to the “Safe House” scene? Compare the clip to the shooting script. How closely does the final clip follow the script? Why might the filmmakers have gone “off script”? Do you agree with their choices? Why or why not?
  8. Design. How do the sound effects and music contribute to the suspense of the scene? How effective is the presentation of the outside world (the yard) versus the inside world (the house)? Of the dead versus the living? What props did you notice? How important are they to the scene?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Design. How do the sound effects and music contribute to the suspense of the scene? How effective is the presentation of the outside world (the yard) versus the inside world (the house)? Of the dead versus the living? What props did you notice? How important are they to the scene?
  9. Source. Romero and Russo cite another horror story and movie, I Am Legend (1954), as an inspiration for Night of the Living Dead (1968). Based on what you may know of the horror genre, are there other films that can be seen as forerunners to Night of the Living Dead? Do you see Night of the Living Dead an original and/or groundbreaking work? Why or why not?

    Question

    uZxg83qH9uNZ3NUqyV8wT7hdxc9/5MQeJeZaOsQNhvI0w6Xk3EOeDQ1B873FE1s7
    Chapter 2 - Questions: Analyzing Romero & Russo’s film: Source. Romero and Russo cite another horror story and movie, I Am Legend (1954), as an inspiration for Night of the Living Dead (1968). Based on what you may know of the horror genre, are there other films that can be seen as forerunners to Night of the Living Dead? Do you see Night of the Living Dead an original and/or groundbreaking work? Why or why not?