Night of the Living Dead: Why Cooper Was Right (And Ben Was Wrong)

Night of the Living Dead presents Ben as the hero and the standoffish Cooper as the villain, but the latter proves to be right in the end. Directed by the legendary George A. Romero, 1968’s Night of the Living Dead is the granddaddy of all zombie movies ad TV shows. Shot in black and white and made on a tiny budget, it’s kind of amazing just how great the film is, especially since none of its cast were known quantities.

Every zombie movie made since owes a creative debt to Night of the Living Dead, and that includes the character roles, as it’s basically a requirement for every zombie story to have a human antagonist or two, serving to stir the pot among the survivors of the apocalypse. That makes sense, as zombies, at least the standard variety, can’t talk, and what they can do as actual characters is highly limited. They exist to be a threat and a lurking horror, but humans are usually done in by their own inability to unite.

Much has been made of Romero casting Duane Jones, a Black man, in 1968 as Night of the Living Dead‘s hero, although he always insisted Jones was just the best actor who auditioned. Either way it creates a racially-charged  dynamic between Ben and Cooper, and it’s natural to root for Ben. Yet, Ben was wrong. Dead wrong.

Night of the Living Dead: Why Cooper Was Right (And Ben Was Wrong)

One of the driving conflicts among Night of the Living Dead‘s characters, most specifically Ben and Cooper, is where’s the safest place to hide and try to hopefully ride out the zombie menace. Ben believes they should board up all the doors and windows and stay upstairs at the farmhouse they’ve all gathered at. Conversely, Cooper thinks everyone would be safer holing up in the cellar, where there’s only one door to protect and no windows. No doubt spurred on by their fast dislike for one another, Ben and Cooper argue that point repeatedly and harshly.

Because Ben is clearly the nicer, more caring person, the audience naturally sides with him. But he’s completely wrong. When zombies finally invade the house, after various incidents have led the rest of the cast to die, Ben survives the night by holing up in the cellar. Cooper was right and Ben was wrong, and if Ben had just listened to Cooper to begin with, they may have all survived to the next morning, when a band of gun-toting rescuers arrived. Thanks a lot, Ben.

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