Get Your Eerie On at Fort East Martello with “Night of the Living Dead” Outdoor Film Showing
What’s better than a good horror film at Halloween than a nighttime, outdoor viewing of a classic at a haunted fort? Pack your lawn chairs, blankets, and courage and head over to Fort East Martello on Wednesday October 19 from 6pm – 8pm for Key West Art & Historical Society’s Fort Fright Night, featuring “Night of the Living Dead,” the enduring 1968 classic that helped define the zombie film genre.
Director George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” was an instant monster hit nearly fifty years ago, garnering the critical acclaim of hardcore horror fans and new-guard film critics alike. It has a thematic weight not often found in a horror film, casting African American Duane Jones as the film’s protagonist and the only character with a strong moral center, trying to keep everyone working together towards their mutual survival against the zombies. The film is also drips with political commentary, exposing the discontent over American involvement in the Vietnam War. Though true to zombie movies, there are some flesh-eating scenes, but overall, it is a movie with a message, focusing more heavily on atmospheric horror than shock or gore.
Offered as part of The Society’s Film Series and selected to help kick off the upcoming Zombie Bike Ride that gathers at the Fort on Sunday, October 23, from 2pm to 10pm, the film will be shown on the big screen inside the courtyard, with a beer and wine bar and free popcorn for everyone.
The Key West Art & Historical Society film series is curated by Society Board member and cineaste Michael Shields. Tickets are $8 for KWAHS members, $12 for non-members. For more information or to purchase your tickets online, visit kwahs.org/education/filmseries or contact Operations Manager Shawn Cowles at [email protected] or 305.295.6616 x111. Your Museums. Your Community. It takes an Island.