20 best badass women of horror movies
11. Barbara (1990 Night of the Living Dead)
Any horror fan worth their salt knows about Night of the Living Dead. This 1968 classic of the horror genre, directed by George Romero, is credited as the first in a long line of undead zombie films. Despite its tiny budget and serious criticism upon its first release (for gore, naturally enough), Night of the Living Dead has become a cult classic.
If you’re looking for strong female characters in the 1968 version, however, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Helen Cooper is a distraught mother and wife who meets a bad end at the hands of her zombified daughter. Young Judy is killed in a truck explosion, along with her boyfriend, Tom. And Barbra, who opens the film, is catatonic and useless for the vast majority of the running time.
Not so in the 1990 remake, directed by Tom Savini, a legendary makeup artist and frequent Romero collaborator. In this version, Barbara (played by Patricia Tallman) is a vastly different character. Yes, she’s traumatized by the death of her brother and a zombie attack. She also ends up at the same kind of isolated farmhouse seen in the 1968 film. Many of the original characters and dynamics remain, including the doomed Helen and Judy. Tony Todd, who also starred as the Candyman mentioned earlier, plays Ben, one of the few truly brave and admirable characters in the film.
However, Barbara soon realizes that she can’t simply sit around and wallow in her fear. She gets hold of a gun and proceeds to defend herself and the few remaining humans from the walking undead. It’s a refreshing change of pace and one that helps this Barbara survive.