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Now that Criterion has announced the upcoming release of the definitive home video edition of NIGHT of the LIVING DEAD, we can finally discuss the NIGHT of ANUBIS work print and put to rest rumors of "nine minutes" of missing footage" so that no one is disappointed once they receive the blu-ray in February. (And don't get all crazy over the image posted below, it's there purely for effect.)
First, what is the "Night of Anubis, never-before-presented work-print edit of the film" as advertised? While Night of the Living Dead was originally shot on 35mm, the Latent Image's editing equipment was 16mm, so a reduction print of all the raw footage was needed so that George Romero could edit the film. George's original edit of the film entitled "Night of Anubis" was said to contain additional scenes that were cut at the request of Continental. This mythical original cut of the film that everyone knows as "Night of the Living Dead" was also said to have been destroyed in the flooded basement of the former Latent Image offices, along with any chance to see those missing scenes.

Thanks to Gary Streiner's efforts at finding a proper home for Night of the Living Dead's original picture and sound elements at the Museum of Modern Art, the Night of Anubis 16mm work print was discovered among materials from the now-defunct WRS Motion Picture Labs. What comprises the "Anubis work print" are reels of 16mm silent picture along with 16mm magnetic track containing unmixed dialogue, music and sound effects. Examination of the reels showed that the work print had also been cut to match the theatrical version of NOTLD, which would have been required for those audio tracks to match the final edit of the picture. Remember, although NOTLD's primary picture element is a 35mm negative, the film's final sound mix would have come from those 16 mm magnetic tracks that were cut along with the work print. Unfortunately, this means that scenes such as the Cooper's additional bickering during the infamous basement jump cut had also been removed (and discarded) from the work print.

So what is different in the Night of Anubis work print? First, the original title still remains, and secondly, there is an alternate day-for-night view of the ghouls approaching the farmhouse. Since neither of these shots would have affected the soundtrack timing, both were left intact in the work print. But if a lack of missing scenes in the work print has got you down, then you'll be very pleased with this next item, "Never-before-seen 16 mm dailies reel." which is a discussion for another day.

swo17 wrote:Available now

dwk wrote:Night of the Living Beaver

EddieLarkin wrote:The Japanese Blu-ray uses the same transfer as the UK disc Beaver are using in their comparison. It has very slightly superior encoding but not enough to make any difference to the comparison. So in other words, the Criterion is now confirmed definitive PQ wise.

The zombie horror genre does not begin with George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, but it is an indisputable fact that this film has been the classic blueprint for other films whose goal has been to be part of it. Without Romero and his film the entire genre would have been something profoundly different.

MichaelB wrote:I know English isn't his first language, but holy Christ:

The zombie horror genre does not begin with George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, but it is an indisputable fact that this film has been the classic blueprint for other films whose goal has been to be part of it. Without Romero and his film the entire genre would have been something profoundly different.

The zombie horror genre does not begin with George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, but it is an indisputable fact that this film has been the classic blueprint for other films whose goal has been to be part of it. Without Romero and his film the entire genre would have been something profoundly different.

swo17 wrote:Available now