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Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World
“A stroke of genius! This is the definitive love letter to the film, written with such meticulous passion and demented glee that you feel yourself standing on the set during the shoot.”—Greg Nicotero
A New York Times bestselling author dives into a horror movie classic to examine his favorite film’s importance to our history, culture, and psychology, creating a perfect blend of research and memoir in the vein of Quentin Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation. Daniel Kraus first saw George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead when he was five years old. Through watching it approximately three hundred times since, Kraus discovered the many ways the film is tied to his childhood trauma and how its influence has carried into his adulthood. He couldn’t help but Are there other admirers of the film out there who feel the same?
Partially Devoured uses a frame-by-frame deep dive into Night of the Living Dead to produce a kaleidoscopic cultural investigation of the film’s importance and to examine the author’s early life of rural isolation and local violence.
Careening from film analysis to rabbit-hole tangents, Partially Devoured will take readers from screaming laughter to the depths of grief, all while illustrating how a beloved genre film has woven itself into so many facets of our lives.
A New York Times bestselling author dives into a horror movie classic to examine his favorite film’s importance to our history, culture, and psychology, creating a perfect blend of research and memoir in the vein of Quentin Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation. Daniel Kraus first saw George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead when he was five years old. Through watching it approximately three hundred times since, Kraus discovered the many ways the film is tied to his childhood trauma and how its influence has carried into his adulthood. He couldn’t help but Are there other admirers of the film out there who feel the same?
Partially Devoured uses a frame-by-frame deep dive into Night of the Living Dead to produce a kaleidoscopic cultural investigation of the film’s importance and to examine the author’s early life of rural isolation and local violence.
Careening from film analysis to rabbit-hole tangents, Partially Devoured will take readers from screaming laughter to the depths of grief, all while illustrating how a beloved genre film has woven itself into so many facets of our lives.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 10, 2026
About the author
Daniel Kraus
65 books1,563 followers“Kraus brings the rigor of a scientist and the sensibility of a poet.” – The New York Times
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025 ,and a national bestseller. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. He cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, and more.
Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. He lives with his partner in Chicago. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
DANIEL KRAUS is a New York Times bestselling writer of novels, TV, and film. His novel Angel Down was the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner, a New York Times Top 10 Book of 2025 ,and a national bestseller. His novel Whalefall received a front-cover review in the New York Times Book Review, won the Alex Award, was an L.A. Times Book Prize Finalist, and was a Best Book of 2023 from NPR, the New York Times, Amazon, Chicago Tribune, and more.
With Guillermo del Toro, he co-authored The Shape of Water, based on the same idea the two created for the Oscar-winning film. Also with del Toro, Kraus co-authored Trollhunters, which was adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. He cowrote The Living Dead and Pay the Piper with legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. Kraus’s The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch was named one of Entertainment Weekly‘s Top 10 Books of the Year. Kraus has won the Bram Stoker Award, Scribe Award, two Odyssey Awards (for both Rotters and Scowler), and has appeared multiple times as Library Guild selections, and more.
Kraus’s work has been translated into over 25 languages. He lives with his partner in Chicago. Visit him at danielkraus.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 2, 2026
Starred review in the February 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/02... (link live on 2/4/26 at 7am central)
Three Words That Describe This Book: conversational style, heartbreakingly beautiful, 360 degrees of detail
For all readers, whether they have heard of Romero or not, this is a book about America, about death, oozing with grief on every page, while simultaneously bursting with life.
What readers think begins as a film study, an argument for the greatness of Night of the Living Dead morphs over time into an intimate memoir, one that allows the author to process his grief, both personal and for what our country has become.
It all begins with a note on how to cue your version of the film to the book. And then everything is told under the headings of time stamps. Kraus explains what is going on in the scene, including details about the filming, actors, how the scene was created, mistakes in the film (but they are all endearing to Kraus), backstories about the business and all of the sequels inspired works etc.... so much.
This is ultimately a memoir about the author, but it also gives everyone who was a part of the movie, a small chance to live again as well. Kraus digs into
But it is all relayed in a conversational style, as if you are watching this movie alongside him and it is being paused in a scene and then he gives your every bit of minutia about that scene but gets sidetracked into so much more detail. It flows perfectly wether you have seen the movie 100x or like the average American you know the basic outline of the classic movie.
Along the way he is also meticulously leading readers to understand his argument for why this film is so important. I won't spoil it for you. Read the book.
But this is also billed as the story of how a movie about the dead coming back to life taught Kraus how to live, personally, and in this part he does not disappoint. Kraus shares his personal connection to the film (which he has done in other places before) but goes even further to share how it made him the man and artist he is today.
It is a film study, a social study of America through the lens of this film from the moment it came out until today, it is a memoir of a famous author, and it is a grief narrative-- of people lost and not just those Kraus knows personally, of a country lost, of a time lost, of bad luck, mistakes....so much grief. And yet, here Kraus stands, living and making sense of the world through art,
Jade Daniels (from My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones) would love this book. She would weep on the bench with Kraus as the book ends.
Also for those who loved Cassandra Peterson's memoir of her life as Elvira. But, and I am serious here, this is also for fans of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. Don't think that because this is about a zombie movie it is not worthy to be compared to that classic. If you have a reader who is not a snob and can just trust you that these two books have so much in common, they will thank you.
Kraus has had a lot of books that will never be forgotten from Rotters (still a YA classic) to The Shape of Water to Whalefall and now Angel Down, but this is a book that will be read long after he is gone. Fans of the movie will find it and will take the deep dive with him and then, they will find so much more about America, about people, about death, and most importantly, about life.
Three Words That Describe This Book: conversational style, heartbreakingly beautiful, 360 degrees of detail
For all readers, whether they have heard of Romero or not, this is a book about America, about death, oozing with grief on every page, while simultaneously bursting with life.
What readers think begins as a film study, an argument for the greatness of Night of the Living Dead morphs over time into an intimate memoir, one that allows the author to process his grief, both personal and for what our country has become.
It all begins with a note on how to cue your version of the film to the book. And then everything is told under the headings of time stamps. Kraus explains what is going on in the scene, including details about the filming, actors, how the scene was created, mistakes in the film (but they are all endearing to Kraus), backstories about the business and all of the sequels inspired works etc.... so much.
This is ultimately a memoir about the author, but it also gives everyone who was a part of the movie, a small chance to live again as well. Kraus digs into
But it is all relayed in a conversational style, as if you are watching this movie alongside him and it is being paused in a scene and then he gives your every bit of minutia about that scene but gets sidetracked into so much more detail. It flows perfectly wether you have seen the movie 100x or like the average American you know the basic outline of the classic movie.
Along the way he is also meticulously leading readers to understand his argument for why this film is so important. I won't spoil it for you. Read the book.
But this is also billed as the story of how a movie about the dead coming back to life taught Kraus how to live, personally, and in this part he does not disappoint. Kraus shares his personal connection to the film (which he has done in other places before) but goes even further to share how it made him the man and artist he is today.
It is a film study, a social study of America through the lens of this film from the moment it came out until today, it is a memoir of a famous author, and it is a grief narrative-- of people lost and not just those Kraus knows personally, of a country lost, of a time lost, of bad luck, mistakes....so much grief. And yet, here Kraus stands, living and making sense of the world through art,
Jade Daniels (from My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones) would love this book. She would weep on the bench with Kraus as the book ends.
Also for those who loved Cassandra Peterson's memoir of her life as Elvira. But, and I am serious here, this is also for fans of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. Don't think that because this is about a zombie movie it is not worthy to be compared to that classic. If you have a reader who is not a snob and can just trust you that these two books have so much in common, they will thank you.
Kraus has had a lot of books that will never be forgotten from Rotters (still a YA classic) to The Shape of Water to Whalefall and now Angel Down, but this is a book that will be read long after he is gone. Fans of the movie will find it and will take the deep dive with him and then, they will find so much more about America, about people, about death, and most importantly, about life.
February 15, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Counterpoint Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Night of the Living Dead is a movie I also saw as a small child, but one that didn’t leave a lasting impact on me as it had for Kraus (that was The Evil Dead for me). It was fascinating to read about someone else’s passion and why it had such an impact on them. I haven’t seen the movie in probably fifteen years, but I will be watching it tonight with more context than I ever thought possible. Kraus manages to talk about the most minute of details surrounding the film while somehow making it all seem exciting. He blends his relationship with the movie and his personal life, creating a bit of an autobiographical landscape at times in the book. I found those pieces of the book just as fascinating as all the small movie details. I think it is important to note that just because Kraus loves this movie does not mean he is hesitant to call out its flaws (of which there are plenty). He also does not shy away from explaining the movie’s lasting impact on audiences in regard to the political landscape at the time and the allegories behind both the zombies and the casting of a black male lead actor in the position of the hero. A fascinating, extremely detailed exploration of both a movie and a period of time that may not be so dissimilar to the one we are living in today.
February 18, 2026
Digging into a Daniel Kraus book is always magical. I know there’s going to adventure, brilliant writing, and always tears. This one was no exception. What an immersive reading experience this was. Watching Night of the Living Dead while Kraus does his best(and most incredibly detailed) commentary, some of it quite hilarious and some of it quite touching and downright heartbreaking. I love the way he interjects pieces of his life and the hardships he dealt with. All the tragedy and how deeply meaningful this movie is to him. We get to see a very personal look into his life and all the things that got him where he is today. I know i say this often but Daniel’s writing is just profound goddamn it. This is him on a level I have not yet experienced. In my opinion I dare say it may be his best yet. Another one of my favorites and probably will be for this year. Just so honest and heartfelt. Daniel you are amazing and every time I read one of your books I am blown away and I can’t stop thinking about any of your stuff it’s just incredible. This book, part memoir, part love letter is just everything. Pure perfection!! Thank you to Counterpoint books for the advance copy!
February 6, 2026
One of the best deep dives into both a classic film and the self. With each detailed layer of the film he uncovers, Kraus peels back a layer of himself revealing the seismic impact a movie can have both on a culture and a kid who will grow up to be a writer of tales that will similarly spotlight the delicate balance of things.
A moving and obsessive dive into one of the great primal scream films of our time.
A moving and obsessive dive into one of the great primal scream films of our time.
April 27, 2026
One of the best books about the making of a movie I've ever read.
January 30, 2026
I think it’s possible that Daniel Kraus has actually seen Night of the Living Dead TOO many times? While this was enjoyably an obsessive minute by minute recounting of the movie, packed with trivia, behind the scenes technical and script-writing tidbits, and biography, all drawn from fixation, research, and a long time in the archives, it had a few flaws that I found diminished the overall experience.
The good? Sitting down with someone who adores a movie and wants to chew on every second, appreciates its excellence and can peel back the layers of its messy history with vigor and—let’s say derangement (laudatory). It’s a quick read with the voice of conversation in the hallway at a con, which I think will be very appealing to big old nerds. It’s very interesting to read this back to back with one of his novels and see the range of his writing styles and get a bit more of his personal philosophy to match against the themes and perspectives I perceived in Angel Down.
But! I have some other things to say.
First and foremost, Kraus has clearly examined every scrap of the film and its makers from every angle. That’s great for a deep dive but there are many many many many instances in this book of Kraus making suppositions about everything from how often the movie has been screened in a given theater to the most intimate inner experiences of cast and crew who never indicated his hypothesized sentiments anywhere. He also shows great confidence in knowing how an audience will react, from assuming that it will take almost the whole movie for a newcomer to assume that Karen might be zombiefying to assuming that all of us [ethically and with disgust, to be clear] watch recordings of murders by police on repeat. I don’t have reason to agree with a lot of his confident guesses about others and I don’t align with any of his guesses about me. This undercuts his analysis. Too often he steps off the path of letting the research speak and tinhats. I’d expect that in a conversation with fans but in a book I want more restraint.
I also think he goes way too easy on the filmmakers in terms of the sexism of Barbra’s character. In general when Barbra is discussed there’s a lot of “she’s not so bad” or “she’s actually kind of…radical if you think about it” and Kraus writes about her as if she (without much say in the matter) is the natural result of patriarchy. Okay but regardless of the extent of social and legal oppression they’re constrained by, women have been people, not puppets, the whole time, you know? Personally I think that if Barbra is a political statement on the side of women she’s a poorly executed (RIP) one. And Kraus also has a kind of “whoops haha well it’s not GREAT” attitude towards a lot of the extraordinarily misogynistic projects that Russo, especially but not exclusively, took on later. Speaking of Angel Down - one of my few real complaints about that book was the unsettling sensation that a guy with benign intentions had not quite wrapped his head around women as people, and that was also my sense here.
I think he also goes way too easy on, within the text, the controlling violent spectre of Harry. It feels a little bad for him and I think that’s profoundly unnecessary. He sucks and he sucks in a societally relevant way. The book goes pretty in depth into Duane Jones’s experiences as a Black man in the role and yet still doesn’t go hard enough in on what a stark narrative this strikes up in terms of the two most antagonistic figures in the movie—not the dead, but Harry and the cops. I would have liked to step away from the factoids long enough to get into a deeper cultural analysis, but despite the subtitle re: changing the world, Kraus doesn’t often seem able to step past a narrow band of sometimes myopic insights. There is a lot about Vietnam soldiers but little about white supremacy. I don’t know—it seems pretty relevant.
I wish that the autobiographical sections had spent a little more energy on interweaving his story with the story of the movie—I think the subtitle massively oversells the “life saving” thread—and a little less time listing the memorabilia he owns.
And finally, per my part way through update, I want to know how a professional movie guy can call MOZART AND SALIERI “FRIENDS, BUT ALSO RIVALS.”
For buffs and people who like books about things and also those who have read his fiction, I think it’s worth a read. But were I Catapult I might have bullied him to handle a few things differently.
(I received an ARC from the publisher and gobbled it up with some notes for the chef.)
The good? Sitting down with someone who adores a movie and wants to chew on every second, appreciates its excellence and can peel back the layers of its messy history with vigor and—let’s say derangement (laudatory). It’s a quick read with the voice of conversation in the hallway at a con, which I think will be very appealing to big old nerds. It’s very interesting to read this back to back with one of his novels and see the range of his writing styles and get a bit more of his personal philosophy to match against the themes and perspectives I perceived in Angel Down.
But! I have some other things to say.
First and foremost, Kraus has clearly examined every scrap of the film and its makers from every angle. That’s great for a deep dive but there are many many many many instances in this book of Kraus making suppositions about everything from how often the movie has been screened in a given theater to the most intimate inner experiences of cast and crew who never indicated his hypothesized sentiments anywhere. He also shows great confidence in knowing how an audience will react, from assuming that it will take almost the whole movie for a newcomer to assume that Karen might be zombiefying to assuming that all of us [ethically and with disgust, to be clear] watch recordings of murders by police on repeat. I don’t have reason to agree with a lot of his confident guesses about others and I don’t align with any of his guesses about me. This undercuts his analysis. Too often he steps off the path of letting the research speak and tinhats. I’d expect that in a conversation with fans but in a book I want more restraint.
I also think he goes way too easy on the filmmakers in terms of the sexism of Barbra’s character. In general when Barbra is discussed there’s a lot of “she’s not so bad” or “she’s actually kind of…radical if you think about it” and Kraus writes about her as if she (without much say in the matter) is the natural result of patriarchy. Okay but regardless of the extent of social and legal oppression they’re constrained by, women have been people, not puppets, the whole time, you know? Personally I think that if Barbra is a political statement on the side of women she’s a poorly executed (RIP) one. And Kraus also has a kind of “whoops haha well it’s not GREAT” attitude towards a lot of the extraordinarily misogynistic projects that Russo, especially but not exclusively, took on later. Speaking of Angel Down - one of my few real complaints about that book was the unsettling sensation that a guy with benign intentions had not quite wrapped his head around women as people, and that was also my sense here.
I think he also goes way too easy on, within the text, the controlling violent spectre of Harry. It feels a little bad for him and I think that’s profoundly unnecessary. He sucks and he sucks in a societally relevant way. The book goes pretty in depth into Duane Jones’s experiences as a Black man in the role and yet still doesn’t go hard enough in on what a stark narrative this strikes up in terms of the two most antagonistic figures in the movie—not the dead, but Harry and the cops. I would have liked to step away from the factoids long enough to get into a deeper cultural analysis, but despite the subtitle re: changing the world, Kraus doesn’t often seem able to step past a narrow band of sometimes myopic insights. There is a lot about Vietnam soldiers but little about white supremacy. I don’t know—it seems pretty relevant.
I wish that the autobiographical sections had spent a little more energy on interweaving his story with the story of the movie—I think the subtitle massively oversells the “life saving” thread—and a little less time listing the memorabilia he owns.
And finally, per my part way through update, I want to know how a professional movie guy can call MOZART AND SALIERI “FRIENDS, BUT ALSO RIVALS.”
For buffs and people who like books about things and also those who have read his fiction, I think it’s worth a read. But were I Catapult I might have bullied him to handle a few things differently.
(I received an ARC from the publisher and gobbled it up with some notes for the chef.)
April 23, 2026
Night of the Living Dead is my favorite film of all time. I've watched it countless times, have watched numerous documentaries about it, and read plenty of books about it. At this point, I sort of engage with new NOTLD just out of habit, not really expecting to find anything new about it. But I actually learned a lot of stuff about the movie, its production, and the people behind it from this fantastic book. Not just a great NOTLD book, but honestly one of the best film books I've read, period. Just as NOTLD basically invented a new horror subgenre itself, I'd say this book might be the start of a new film book genre...or at least I hope so. The idea of going through a movie scene by scene, minute by minute, to break it down and use that template as the springboard for various info dumps, tangents, and moments of personal insight, is a great one. I'd love to see others do this with other movies, and I'd especially love Kraus to do it again with other Romero films. I have heard Kraus say he has more NOTLD material that he's working on including in a 2nd edition of this book. I'm a little torn about that - I generally hate having to buy a new edition of a book I already own just to get the expanded material. But at the same time, I have to admit that I did want MORE when I finished this, so I guess I'll probably if and when that new edition is released.
April 14, 2026
Ok, I had never seen Night of the Living Dead until about a week ago. I read the blurb for this book and thought, three hundred times? Daniel Kraus has seen this movie 300 times?! It must be really damn good, let’s check it out.
I’ll just say that I don’t think Mr. Kraus and I share the same enthusiasm for that movie, or cinema in general. But I do respect his devotion and love of the craft. Granted, we are about a generation apart, so this was not a film I grew up with; I’m sure that has something to do with it as well.
Nevertheless, I listened to him detail each and every scene, and learned more about this movie than I ever thought possible. Along with that, he tells anecdotes and tales from his life, going off on tangents when the moment arises. It was a really interesting way to blend memoir and film appreciation.
Daniel Kraus narrates the audiobook himself, which is how I prefer to listen to memoirs. He does a great job and makes for an intriguing listen!
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.
I’ll just say that I don’t think Mr. Kraus and I share the same enthusiasm for that movie, or cinema in general. But I do respect his devotion and love of the craft. Granted, we are about a generation apart, so this was not a film I grew up with; I’m sure that has something to do with it as well.
Nevertheless, I listened to him detail each and every scene, and learned more about this movie than I ever thought possible. Along with that, he tells anecdotes and tales from his life, going off on tangents when the moment arises. It was a really interesting way to blend memoir and film appreciation.
Daniel Kraus narrates the audiobook himself, which is how I prefer to listen to memoirs. He does a great job and makes for an intriguing listen!
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Many thanks to Catapult Counterpoint Press, Soft Skull Press and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of Daniel Kraus’s wildly fun and inventive deep dive into the world of Night of the Living Dead titled Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World. Kraus, who estimates he’s seen NOTLD over 300 times since his first viewing at age 5, took the title for this book from a line that is repeated a few times in the film. Newscasters, who appeared so realistic to me when I also first viewed this film at a young age (closer to 8-9), repeatedly describe the victims of the reanimated ghouls of the film as being partially devoured. While I love the film reference in the title, I feel like Fully Consumed might be a more fitting title since this book is so comprehensive in exploring every nook and cranny of the farmhouse, the characters, actors and extras, and the production company, as well as the various offshoots, remakes, comics, novelizations, board games, and all other ancillary and tangential products related to NOTLD that I am in awe of Kraus’s fandom and knowledge related to this film. It’s amazing and the book is truly a wealth of resources for anyone who wants to learn what seems like everything they possibly can know about this film.
While the book’s educational impact is incredible, I most enjoyed Kraus’s narration of the film. It’s a little hard to explain, but he takes readers through the film as if we are watching it with him; however, he occasionally hits the pause button to let us know about the careers of the actors involved in each scene, how they interacted with Romero or further contributed to the production of NOTLD or even how they participate in the zombie-cons that have arisen since the premiere and celebration of this iconic film. I can’t say that there’s another book that takes such a deep dive with so many fascinating digressions that still remain relevant and on topic about the film and its scenes. Jonathan Lethem did shorter, but similar approach to John Carpenter’s They Live, but didn’t really go too much into the production or legacy of the film. Rather, Lethem’s book is a scene by scene analysis and is fun, but not in the same way that Kraus’s book fully consumes all there is to know about NOTLD and Romero’s legacy in horror and film. There’s so much to love about this book, and for me it’s Kraus’s genuine enthusiasm and joy in discussing his love for this film (and horror in general).
Maybe it’s because I could relate to Kraus’s experience. We are about the same age, and like Kraus, my first encounter with NOTLD was at a young age when I caught it on TV. As Kraus notes, the lack of a copyright due to a production error caused significant issues for NOTLD and its production company, where it instantly became part of the public domain. As a result, it’s one of those films that was constantly on television in the 1980s, even though it is about possible space radiation that resurrects the dead to become flesh-devouring ghouls (not zombies). And like Kraus, this movie imprinted itself on me for some time. It was one of the most terrifying films I had ever seen, and I was not one who was easily scared by films (I begged my parents to let me watch Alien and American Werewolf in London when I was like 5—I was always seeking out scary films). However, something about this film completely frightened me, and it wasn’t until later that I realized it was the production and how un-film-like it was. When I first watched this film, I don’t remember much about the soundtrack. It’s a point that Kraus brings up a lot throughout his analysis, and I appreciated learning more about this library soundtrack. It’s also exciting to learn that it is available on vinyl. However, when I first encountered this film, so much of the film seemed so realistic; even the newscast seemed to be so real, that the film really terrified me. I think also that this was one of the first survival films that I saw where the threat from outside is almost as bad as the threat from inside. That is, the struggle between Ben and Harry was also really terrifying for my younger self. We see that people are not working together, but are working against one another. I also think that seeing young Karen transform into a flesh-eater, and then kill her mother and eat her father was also a shocking revelation to 8 year old me. The idea of revolting against parents seemed shocking at the time. However, what was most upsetting to me is the ending of NOTLD, where we see the good guys don’t win. I’m glad that some of Kraus’s most impassioned writing about the film are focused on the end of the film, and its continued relevance to today. I won’t reveal the ending here, but it’s definitely something that shocked, angered, and left me so distraught when I first watched it. Kraus’s description and analysis gave me an even greater appreciation, and yet it still moved me to be so angry and sad about it at the same time. It’s some great writing, but it’s hard for me to say whether it’s the best part of the book. I couldn’t put this book down and just kept reading and reading to learn more about the film’s production and understand its importance to Kraus.
Other experiences Kraus describes resonated with me as well, from spending so much time in the horror section of video stores, seeking out the most disturbing, banned films to really engage my love of horror, to watching Terror in the Aisles around the same time as NOTLD and wanting to watch all of the films that were featured in this incredible documentary. A few years ago, I watched Ms 45 and was taken back to being 9 or so and seeing a gun-toting nun mow down some creeps from Terror in the Aisles. I loved the references to other Romero films as well, especially some of the lesser known films like The Crazies and Martin. Strangely enough, my dad once rented the Crazies and I still remember the dad in that film trying to kill his kids and a grandma who used knitting needles to kill a solider. I also remember watching Martin in college and being blown-away by the inventive take on the vampire film. Kraus provides some in-depth analysis and research into Romero’s career, but also takes us through the variations of NOTLD scripts that are in the Romero archives in Pittsburgh. It allows us to better understand the changes that were made during production possibly because of cost, time, or other issues. Nevertheless, Kraus, due to his astute and innumerable viewings of NOTLD is able to identify all the flaws and continuity issues in the film that only adds to its greatness. However, what I most enjoyed was Kraus’s development of backstories for each of the characters in the film. It’s both hilarious and creative and highlights the ways that he thinks about people and situations. It also made me want to read more of his books, since I could see how detailed and precise he takes the development of these characters from their hairstyles to their clothes, and mannerisms. While most of the cast were not professional actors, Kraus notes some of the bolder choices that the actors employ, whether purposeful or not, that also lend to the film’s enduring legacy. I also loved learning more about the actors and crew involved in this film. I was particularly interested in learning more about Duane Jones, who plays the lead character Ben. I took an African American film class in college, and one of the films that was out of print but constantly discussed was Ganja and Hess. I don’t remember reading about Duane Jones or putting together that Ben from NOTLD was Hess in the film, and I didn’t get to see the film until a few years after graduating, but I noticed Ben right away, a little older and wearier, but still commanding the scene. Although Duane Jones passed away nearly 40 years ago, Kraus provides some insight and hypothesizes about Jones since he was a private man who only has a few film credits to his name. It was also fascinating and sad to read about Keith Wayne, who plays Tom, a young man who seeks refuge in the farmhouse. He had a fascinating post-NOTLD career that ultimately ended in tragedy, and Kraus’s keen insight and observations provide a tragic spotlight on Wayne’s life. Despite being about one of the most terrifying and transgressive horror films ever, this book is full of joy—it’s celebratory and so much fun to read along as Kraus takes us through the film. It’s a book I will definitely revisit, especially as I will rewatch NOTLD very soon. This is a great book for those who are fans of horror films, and especially if you are a fan of Romero’s work or NOTLD in general. I highly recommend this book! It was so much fun to read.
A few random thoughts that I encountered during my reading: One was the Danny Pintauro reference from the Horror Hall of Fame show. Kraus referenced that NOTLD received a Horror Oscar during this broadcast that either Pintauro hosted or presented to Romero. While Kraus referenced Who’s the Boss?, Pintauro also played Thad in Cujo before Who’s the Boss? I’m wondering if he was included because of Cujo. Weirdly enough, the local skating rink I went to had a picture of Danny Pintauro hanging up because he skated there at one point. This rink was in Blue Bell, PA, and Kraus also referenced a possibly racially driven murder that occurred in Blue Bell in 2022, which I didn’t even realize happened. Apparently a man was found hanging on the monkey bars of a park where I’ve gone running and taken my kids to play. It was a strange coincidence and haunting reminder of the power of this film.
While the book’s educational impact is incredible, I most enjoyed Kraus’s narration of the film. It’s a little hard to explain, but he takes readers through the film as if we are watching it with him; however, he occasionally hits the pause button to let us know about the careers of the actors involved in each scene, how they interacted with Romero or further contributed to the production of NOTLD or even how they participate in the zombie-cons that have arisen since the premiere and celebration of this iconic film. I can’t say that there’s another book that takes such a deep dive with so many fascinating digressions that still remain relevant and on topic about the film and its scenes. Jonathan Lethem did shorter, but similar approach to John Carpenter’s They Live, but didn’t really go too much into the production or legacy of the film. Rather, Lethem’s book is a scene by scene analysis and is fun, but not in the same way that Kraus’s book fully consumes all there is to know about NOTLD and Romero’s legacy in horror and film. There’s so much to love about this book, and for me it’s Kraus’s genuine enthusiasm and joy in discussing his love for this film (and horror in general).
Maybe it’s because I could relate to Kraus’s experience. We are about the same age, and like Kraus, my first encounter with NOTLD was at a young age when I caught it on TV. As Kraus notes, the lack of a copyright due to a production error caused significant issues for NOTLD and its production company, where it instantly became part of the public domain. As a result, it’s one of those films that was constantly on television in the 1980s, even though it is about possible space radiation that resurrects the dead to become flesh-devouring ghouls (not zombies). And like Kraus, this movie imprinted itself on me for some time. It was one of the most terrifying films I had ever seen, and I was not one who was easily scared by films (I begged my parents to let me watch Alien and American Werewolf in London when I was like 5—I was always seeking out scary films). However, something about this film completely frightened me, and it wasn’t until later that I realized it was the production and how un-film-like it was. When I first watched this film, I don’t remember much about the soundtrack. It’s a point that Kraus brings up a lot throughout his analysis, and I appreciated learning more about this library soundtrack. It’s also exciting to learn that it is available on vinyl. However, when I first encountered this film, so much of the film seemed so realistic; even the newscast seemed to be so real, that the film really terrified me. I think also that this was one of the first survival films that I saw where the threat from outside is almost as bad as the threat from inside. That is, the struggle between Ben and Harry was also really terrifying for my younger self. We see that people are not working together, but are working against one another. I also think that seeing young Karen transform into a flesh-eater, and then kill her mother and eat her father was also a shocking revelation to 8 year old me. The idea of revolting against parents seemed shocking at the time. However, what was most upsetting to me is the ending of NOTLD, where we see the good guys don’t win. I’m glad that some of Kraus’s most impassioned writing about the film are focused on the end of the film, and its continued relevance to today. I won’t reveal the ending here, but it’s definitely something that shocked, angered, and left me so distraught when I first watched it. Kraus’s description and analysis gave me an even greater appreciation, and yet it still moved me to be so angry and sad about it at the same time. It’s some great writing, but it’s hard for me to say whether it’s the best part of the book. I couldn’t put this book down and just kept reading and reading to learn more about the film’s production and understand its importance to Kraus.
Other experiences Kraus describes resonated with me as well, from spending so much time in the horror section of video stores, seeking out the most disturbing, banned films to really engage my love of horror, to watching Terror in the Aisles around the same time as NOTLD and wanting to watch all of the films that were featured in this incredible documentary. A few years ago, I watched Ms 45 and was taken back to being 9 or so and seeing a gun-toting nun mow down some creeps from Terror in the Aisles. I loved the references to other Romero films as well, especially some of the lesser known films like The Crazies and Martin. Strangely enough, my dad once rented the Crazies and I still remember the dad in that film trying to kill his kids and a grandma who used knitting needles to kill a solider. I also remember watching Martin in college and being blown-away by the inventive take on the vampire film. Kraus provides some in-depth analysis and research into Romero’s career, but also takes us through the variations of NOTLD scripts that are in the Romero archives in Pittsburgh. It allows us to better understand the changes that were made during production possibly because of cost, time, or other issues. Nevertheless, Kraus, due to his astute and innumerable viewings of NOTLD is able to identify all the flaws and continuity issues in the film that only adds to its greatness. However, what I most enjoyed was Kraus’s development of backstories for each of the characters in the film. It’s both hilarious and creative and highlights the ways that he thinks about people and situations. It also made me want to read more of his books, since I could see how detailed and precise he takes the development of these characters from their hairstyles to their clothes, and mannerisms. While most of the cast were not professional actors, Kraus notes some of the bolder choices that the actors employ, whether purposeful or not, that also lend to the film’s enduring legacy. I also loved learning more about the actors and crew involved in this film. I was particularly interested in learning more about Duane Jones, who plays the lead character Ben. I took an African American film class in college, and one of the films that was out of print but constantly discussed was Ganja and Hess. I don’t remember reading about Duane Jones or putting together that Ben from NOTLD was Hess in the film, and I didn’t get to see the film until a few years after graduating, but I noticed Ben right away, a little older and wearier, but still commanding the scene. Although Duane Jones passed away nearly 40 years ago, Kraus provides some insight and hypothesizes about Jones since he was a private man who only has a few film credits to his name. It was also fascinating and sad to read about Keith Wayne, who plays Tom, a young man who seeks refuge in the farmhouse. He had a fascinating post-NOTLD career that ultimately ended in tragedy, and Kraus’s keen insight and observations provide a tragic spotlight on Wayne’s life. Despite being about one of the most terrifying and transgressive horror films ever, this book is full of joy—it’s celebratory and so much fun to read along as Kraus takes us through the film. It’s a book I will definitely revisit, especially as I will rewatch NOTLD very soon. This is a great book for those who are fans of horror films, and especially if you are a fan of Romero’s work or NOTLD in general. I highly recommend this book! It was so much fun to read.
A few random thoughts that I encountered during my reading: One was the Danny Pintauro reference from the Horror Hall of Fame show. Kraus referenced that NOTLD received a Horror Oscar during this broadcast that either Pintauro hosted or presented to Romero. While Kraus referenced Who’s the Boss?, Pintauro also played Thad in Cujo before Who’s the Boss? I’m wondering if he was included because of Cujo. Weirdly enough, the local skating rink I went to had a picture of Danny Pintauro hanging up because he skated there at one point. This rink was in Blue Bell, PA, and Kraus also referenced a possibly racially driven murder that occurred in Blue Bell in 2022, which I didn’t even realize happened. Apparently a man was found hanging on the monkey bars of a park where I’ve gone running and taken my kids to play. It was a strange coincidence and haunting reminder of the power of this film.
March 28, 2026
4.5/5
Partially Devoured is a long recounting of Night of the Living Dead by super fan Daniel Kraus. My review is for the audiobook provided by NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
To really have the full effect of the book I read along to a digital copy of the book and also watched along with the film so my review will be tied to the entire experience.
I found the audiobook to be extremely helpful to tonally set the book. It gives strength to the narrative hearing it directly from Kraus especially when he dives into narratives about his own life and experiences. Several comments on this book mention the conversational aspect of the writing so I think it is only relevant to hear the story.
The book is also a huge advantage as it helps cue up the movie. Given I had an advanced copy, I don’t know if the released version chapters will be noted by the timestamps or the chapter names or something more generic (my version only had numbers) but I do know there are time stamps nestled within chapters too anyway. I remedied any issues of trying to use the audiobook to match up the film by relying on the book. I also feel like reading along helped me parse our facts that may have been glossed over listening to. I was able to pause the audiobook and look up things I found really interesting and having the book to see the details made it so much easier to look into vs trying to get it right form the audio.
The film - I’ve only watched the film once before at least 15-20 years ago. I went through a horror movie and zombie phase the end of high school and into college but this particular film just hurt my soul. I thought it was so unfair in such a poignant and social commentary way and only watched it that once time as a result, but it felt like a good time to revisit the film and see it now that I’m older.
Note this part my review will not reflect the star rating but I hope it serves as an aid to anyone else attempting to following along with the movie. I used streaming services to get a copy of the film. I had started with the Criterion Collection version and the image and sound were so well remastered. Even as Kraus starts to talk about some of the sound issues I found this version definitely fixed it. However. There is an unnecessarily long note about the film being remastered and saved which throws off the timestamps by over two minutes. If you are wanting to sync up to this version it’s a huge pain.
I found just a HD version on another streaming service (an old standard ratio vs wide screen and with the really old grainy film and poor quality sound( I opted to finish the film - only making it about 5 Minutes into the criterion version and wanting to rip out my hair trying to sync everything up- with the lower quality version.) I didn’t find the quality affected my experience and I managed pause many of the scenes to the book timestamp exactly, much to my satisfaction.
Even though the film doesn’t have a ton of dialogue I couldn’t figure out how to actually watch the film and when to listen to the book. (continue through to see how I made it work well)
The audiobook is an overwhelming 14 hr 31 min behemoth. The book is listed at 320 pages which means the audiobook is insufferably slow. I Am used to listening to audiobooks at 1.75x speed and found 2x pretty slow still but I didn’t want to max at 2.5x (the highest speed on the advanced copy). Maybe 2x is too fast rushing through the book and missing the slow paced connected to our slow paced zombies but I just could not fathom sitting around for 14.5 hours waiting to finally get it watch a snippet of the film. Which clocks in around 90 minutes. I found 2x speed worked fine for me personally.
This is my bigger problem with the book - it really isn’t conversational at all and loathe the times I saw that, thinking this would feel like sitting around with a friend. No it’s not at all. It’s way too verbose for that. I expected it to be more like “look the gun Ben find in the closet is a Winchester”. But the reality, the book has an entire side history of the Winchesters and their creepy house.
For every frame we achingly crawl through, it’s 20-30 minutes of tangents. Some tied to the entire life and credits of an actor. Some to stories about the film itself a choices made. Some are reflections of Kraus and his life. And even some are symbolism and social / political connections the film showcases.
And let me honest there is no way I would handle trying to watch a 90 minute film where my friend takes 14.5 hours to talk through it. Nope. But if you take it as a deep dive analysis akin to a college course (I mean even a hour at a time means 14 lectures) I think this is a better comparison of the books format.
If you don’t mind a snail pace watching of the film where you watch maybe 2 minutes then pause to listen to 20-30 minutes of random topics that segue back to the film itself. Then this is a book fo you. And listen - I enjoyed the whole experience. My critique isn’t knocking anything which is why I am giving it a high rating. I love Radom facts and Trivia. I actually found myself getting wrapped up in the book I would actually wait a couple timestamps to live in the book before watching the scenes. I ma just conveying that it’s a little awkward to sync them up with the pacing.
I wish I had watch the movie again before starting the audiobook just to experience the film with my own viewpoints and to absorb the whole film in one shot then went back to watch it parsed out like the book offers. The fragmented view doesn’t help the experience of the film. And I would have loved to see how my view points vs how Kraus explains it compare . I just didn’t have time in my week to do both once I saw the audiobook length and wanting to finish my arc before it gets archived.
I found listening to the audiobook (and reading along) then once I hit a time stamp pausing the book to watch what Kraus explains unfold works the best. You can’t watch the film and try to let the audiobook play in certain parts. You could watch the section then go and listen to the audiobook but I didn’t want to flip around to find the time stamps to stop at then flip back to the part of the book I haven’t gotten through.
I really don’t know any other way to sync up the experience. So for me it was listen to the book while reading along. Pause. Watch the film til the timestamp. pause. Back to the the book. It worked well and I had a good rhythm to pausing on time. And I didn’t minute if the book “spoils” the scene. And it will if you listen to it before watch the scenes
The struggle with steaming was my tv kept turning off and my adorable snoopy screensaver was an odd juxtaposition to the grayscale an dark film. I kept having to wake it up to not turn off my tv. I even adjusted my tv settings to stay on for 10 minutes when the screensaver was active and i still had it turn off a few times). If you have ads in your streaming services it’s just another annoyance. So I would say having a physical copy or a paid copy digital copy is the best way to watch but you can make steaming work and not get mad if you have to load it all backup because it turned off.
The content of the book is so detailed and because it’s all over the place in topics it really kept my interest despite how long it was That’s why an uninterrupted viewing makes sense before the 2 min watching 20-30 min pausing viewing. And that’s 20 minutes on 2x speed.
Anyway I found the whole experience quite fun. I broke it out into 2 days and really enjoyed the book. It really shines lot onto the movie and while the analogies Kraus comes up with work I don’t think lot of it as intentional in the film. But it makes you really think about symbolism and the connection filming has with social concepts if unintentional were they subconsciously made? I found the content accessible and its left leaning political statements didn’t bother me but I’m sure some people will hate that. The writing syle clean and professional but not overly formal giving it like a cool professor vibe lecture. I wish my brain could count even a quarter of all the new facts I learned there just so much Kraus shares in so many different genes of knowledge.
Overall the book is some of the best in depth research and analysis I have read period let alone for a film. Worth the read and if you can make it work, add the film to the experience.
This is a book you can revisit too which isn’t always the case with nonfiction.
Definitely such a unique experience I really enjoyed! Huge thank you again to NetGalley a Brilliance audio for providing an Advanced copy of the audiobook.
Partially Devoured is a long recounting of Night of the Living Dead by super fan Daniel Kraus. My review is for the audiobook provided by NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
To really have the full effect of the book I read along to a digital copy of the book and also watched along with the film so my review will be tied to the entire experience.
I found the audiobook to be extremely helpful to tonally set the book. It gives strength to the narrative hearing it directly from Kraus especially when he dives into narratives about his own life and experiences. Several comments on this book mention the conversational aspect of the writing so I think it is only relevant to hear the story.
The book is also a huge advantage as it helps cue up the movie. Given I had an advanced copy, I don’t know if the released version chapters will be noted by the timestamps or the chapter names or something more generic (my version only had numbers) but I do know there are time stamps nestled within chapters too anyway. I remedied any issues of trying to use the audiobook to match up the film by relying on the book. I also feel like reading along helped me parse our facts that may have been glossed over listening to. I was able to pause the audiobook and look up things I found really interesting and having the book to see the details made it so much easier to look into vs trying to get it right form the audio.
The film - I’ve only watched the film once before at least 15-20 years ago. I went through a horror movie and zombie phase the end of high school and into college but this particular film just hurt my soul. I thought it was so unfair in such a poignant and social commentary way and only watched it that once time as a result, but it felt like a good time to revisit the film and see it now that I’m older.
Note this part my review will not reflect the star rating but I hope it serves as an aid to anyone else attempting to following along with the movie. I used streaming services to get a copy of the film. I had started with the Criterion Collection version and the image and sound were so well remastered. Even as Kraus starts to talk about some of the sound issues I found this version definitely fixed it. However. There is an unnecessarily long note about the film being remastered and saved which throws off the timestamps by over two minutes. If you are wanting to sync up to this version it’s a huge pain.
I found just a HD version on another streaming service (an old standard ratio vs wide screen and with the really old grainy film and poor quality sound( I opted to finish the film - only making it about 5 Minutes into the criterion version and wanting to rip out my hair trying to sync everything up- with the lower quality version.) I didn’t find the quality affected my experience and I managed pause many of the scenes to the book timestamp exactly, much to my satisfaction.
Even though the film doesn’t have a ton of dialogue I couldn’t figure out how to actually watch the film and when to listen to the book. (continue through to see how I made it work well)
The audiobook is an overwhelming 14 hr 31 min behemoth. The book is listed at 320 pages which means the audiobook is insufferably slow. I Am used to listening to audiobooks at 1.75x speed and found 2x pretty slow still but I didn’t want to max at 2.5x (the highest speed on the advanced copy). Maybe 2x is too fast rushing through the book and missing the slow paced connected to our slow paced zombies but I just could not fathom sitting around for 14.5 hours waiting to finally get it watch a snippet of the film. Which clocks in around 90 minutes. I found 2x speed worked fine for me personally.
This is my bigger problem with the book - it really isn’t conversational at all and loathe the times I saw that, thinking this would feel like sitting around with a friend. No it’s not at all. It’s way too verbose for that. I expected it to be more like “look the gun Ben find in the closet is a Winchester”. But the reality, the book has an entire side history of the Winchesters and their creepy house.
For every frame we achingly crawl through, it’s 20-30 minutes of tangents. Some tied to the entire life and credits of an actor. Some to stories about the film itself a choices made. Some are reflections of Kraus and his life. And even some are symbolism and social / political connections the film showcases.
And let me honest there is no way I would handle trying to watch a 90 minute film where my friend takes 14.5 hours to talk through it. Nope. But if you take it as a deep dive analysis akin to a college course (I mean even a hour at a time means 14 lectures) I think this is a better comparison of the books format.
If you don’t mind a snail pace watching of the film where you watch maybe 2 minutes then pause to listen to 20-30 minutes of random topics that segue back to the film itself. Then this is a book fo you. And listen - I enjoyed the whole experience. My critique isn’t knocking anything which is why I am giving it a high rating. I love Radom facts and Trivia. I actually found myself getting wrapped up in the book I would actually wait a couple timestamps to live in the book before watching the scenes. I ma just conveying that it’s a little awkward to sync them up with the pacing.
I wish I had watch the movie again before starting the audiobook just to experience the film with my own viewpoints and to absorb the whole film in one shot then went back to watch it parsed out like the book offers. The fragmented view doesn’t help the experience of the film. And I would have loved to see how my view points vs how Kraus explains it compare . I just didn’t have time in my week to do both once I saw the audiobook length and wanting to finish my arc before it gets archived.
I found listening to the audiobook (and reading along) then once I hit a time stamp pausing the book to watch what Kraus explains unfold works the best. You can’t watch the film and try to let the audiobook play in certain parts. You could watch the section then go and listen to the audiobook but I didn’t want to flip around to find the time stamps to stop at then flip back to the part of the book I haven’t gotten through.
I really don’t know any other way to sync up the experience. So for me it was listen to the book while reading along. Pause. Watch the film til the timestamp. pause. Back to the the book. It worked well and I had a good rhythm to pausing on time. And I didn’t minute if the book “spoils” the scene. And it will if you listen to it before watch the scenes
The struggle with steaming was my tv kept turning off and my adorable snoopy screensaver was an odd juxtaposition to the grayscale an dark film. I kept having to wake it up to not turn off my tv. I even adjusted my tv settings to stay on for 10 minutes when the screensaver was active and i still had it turn off a few times). If you have ads in your streaming services it’s just another annoyance. So I would say having a physical copy or a paid copy digital copy is the best way to watch but you can make steaming work and not get mad if you have to load it all backup because it turned off.
The content of the book is so detailed and because it’s all over the place in topics it really kept my interest despite how long it was That’s why an uninterrupted viewing makes sense before the 2 min watching 20-30 min pausing viewing. And that’s 20 minutes on 2x speed.
Anyway I found the whole experience quite fun. I broke it out into 2 days and really enjoyed the book. It really shines lot onto the movie and while the analogies Kraus comes up with work I don’t think lot of it as intentional in the film. But it makes you really think about symbolism and the connection filming has with social concepts if unintentional were they subconsciously made? I found the content accessible and its left leaning political statements didn’t bother me but I’m sure some people will hate that. The writing syle clean and professional but not overly formal giving it like a cool professor vibe lecture. I wish my brain could count even a quarter of all the new facts I learned there just so much Kraus shares in so many different genes of knowledge.
Overall the book is some of the best in depth research and analysis I have read period let alone for a film. Worth the read and if you can make it work, add the film to the experience.
This is a book you can revisit too which isn’t always the case with nonfiction.
Definitely such a unique experience I really enjoyed! Huge thank you again to NetGalley a Brilliance audio for providing an Advanced copy of the audiobook.
March 21, 2026
Is it weird to call a book like this "life-affirming"? I'm not sure what other term would fit. Kraus says he's seen this movie 300 times, and I believe him. From that devotion he's produced a Borgesian forking-paths gem that runs down every angle, it seems--there's a little disquisition on the youngest zombie on the production, a 15-year-old who has musters only a second of screen time but has wrangled an entire career from that. Or there's the bit about all the other movies that interpolate this one, which of course are collected in a meta-doc that is just people in other films watching NOLD inside theirs. But perhaps the cake is taken, or the entrails eaten, by the time he tells you about the cassette tape he listened to, a limited release from the 90s, on which all of the movie's sound effects are collected. Even he, Kraus notes, will not be revisiting that artifact.
The portrait that emerges from this is honestly kind of overwhelming. I of course knew, because how could you not, about all the sequels and near-sequels and parodies and subsequent zombie flicks, many of which contain single-shot allusions to bits here. But, my god, the para-culture creations--the conventions and documentaries and fan films and pursuits of everyone who shambled onto the screen. The plushies and games and plays and musicals. The name allusions in other genres. The books. The political connections (he finds an episode where someone dismissively compares the zombies' entry into the house to the Klan's moves in Birth of a Nation, which he actually thinks makes a ton of sense). The short acting and long academic career of star Duane Jones, the hero of the movie and of this book, his links to Black pride, his significance at the time, the later meta-versions where he's linked to MLK, who was assassinated literally as the filmmakers were driving to NY to cut a deal. It's somehow all in here--and I'm not even doing justice to all the other things he digs into.
This is a project for which the phrases "labor of love" or "love letter" feel entirely inadequate. Kraus has chased down old local-TV bits, and obscure late-60s commercials, featuring someone who was in the cast, including local mini-celebs who played themselves, or sometimes three to five roles in the legendarily low-budgeted production. Commendably, though, it doesn't become the key to all mythologies in his hands; it's a quickie production full of locals (there are endlessly entertaining stories following the subsequent life trajectories of literally everyone in the film, including the singing career of one actor, and of course Krauss has found and listened to, and evaluated, a recording of his band, as well as traced his later powerlifting [!] career) all briefly intersecting and then bouncing off elsewhere.
Does this mean Night of the Living Dead has become one of the key texts of modern America? Krauss doesn't make the case directly, but it's actually shocking to me how much cultural production/collation/celebration it has occasioned. If you like this kind of thing, this is absolutely the kind of thing you like.
The portrait that emerges from this is honestly kind of overwhelming. I of course knew, because how could you not, about all the sequels and near-sequels and parodies and subsequent zombie flicks, many of which contain single-shot allusions to bits here. But, my god, the para-culture creations--the conventions and documentaries and fan films and pursuits of everyone who shambled onto the screen. The plushies and games and plays and musicals. The name allusions in other genres. The books. The political connections (he finds an episode where someone dismissively compares the zombies' entry into the house to the Klan's moves in Birth of a Nation, which he actually thinks makes a ton of sense). The short acting and long academic career of star Duane Jones, the hero of the movie and of this book, his links to Black pride, his significance at the time, the later meta-versions where he's linked to MLK, who was assassinated literally as the filmmakers were driving to NY to cut a deal. It's somehow all in here--and I'm not even doing justice to all the other things he digs into.
This is a project for which the phrases "labor of love" or "love letter" feel entirely inadequate. Kraus has chased down old local-TV bits, and obscure late-60s commercials, featuring someone who was in the cast, including local mini-celebs who played themselves, or sometimes three to five roles in the legendarily low-budgeted production. Commendably, though, it doesn't become the key to all mythologies in his hands; it's a quickie production full of locals (there are endlessly entertaining stories following the subsequent life trajectories of literally everyone in the film, including the singing career of one actor, and of course Krauss has found and listened to, and evaluated, a recording of his band, as well as traced his later powerlifting [!] career) all briefly intersecting and then bouncing off elsewhere.
Does this mean Night of the Living Dead has become one of the key texts of modern America? Krauss doesn't make the case directly, but it's actually shocking to me how much cultural production/collation/celebration it has occasioned. If you like this kind of thing, this is absolutely the kind of thing you like.
March 29, 2026
Image Ten began production on Night of the Living Dead in 1967. The filming took place in and around Evans City, Pennsylvania, located half an hour from Pittsburgh. Funding had been secured through the production team’s money, along with borrowed dollars here and there.
The $114,000 budget rendered it a B-movie, yet the men and women who worked around the clock to finish the film --- from director George A. Romero to actors Duane Jones and Judith O’Dea --- never gave it much thought. Their focus was on portraying a tumultuous world in which the dead were alive and attacking the living.
Daniel Kraus was five years old when he first experienced this black-and-white world, where ghouls feasted on the bodies of the living. It began a love/hate relationship with the horror genre, yet Night of the Living Dead became a perennial favorite. By his own admission, Kraus has seen the movie hundreds of times, and he has a room that is awash in memorabilia. The film resonated with him on a level that other motion pictures haven't. Perhaps it was because viewings of it became a fun and bonding moment with his mother, or that the theme of survival paralleled his attempts to endure often brutal days at school in Iowa.
In the 58 years since its release, there have been sequels, books and documentaries about Night of the Living Dead --- but nothing quite so personal as Kraus’ latest effort.
Layers of plywood separated the seven survivors from the horrors that lurked outside the farmhouse. Barbara, nearly catatonic after watching her brother Johnny get attacked, sits on the couch while Ben boards up every opening. The marauding assailants continue to congregate outside the home, sensing fresh prey to feast on. Harry Cooper and his wife barely escaped a rampaging horde and now attend to their daughter, who was bitten by one of the attackers. The Coopers are hiding in the cellar with a young couple, Tom and Judy. Once Harry and Ben meet, a battle for control is waged while a certain doom threatens to barge its way in.
Night of the Living Dead scored big at the box office. However, it proved bittersweet for some as it marked the height of their acting careers, while Romero was often pigeonholed as a zombie movie director. Still, its staying power is undeniable as its influence on filmmakers and writers continues to this day.
PARTIALLY DEVOURED is an expression of love and appreciation for a film that broke boundaries and transcended the horror genre. Daniel Kraus breaks down the movie scene by scene and infuses his work with significant insights. The profound nature of the story arises not only from the oftentimes poignant elements of Kraus’ life, but from the unrealized potential of a few of its stars and a rift in the production team that eventually developed. Its success also was overshadowed by a copyright error that cost Image Ten millions of dollars.
While labeled a horror flick, Night of the Living Dead explored themes about society and human nature that proved equally as compelling. Kraus continues to shine as a brilliant writer in fiction and (now) nonfiction.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
The $114,000 budget rendered it a B-movie, yet the men and women who worked around the clock to finish the film --- from director George A. Romero to actors Duane Jones and Judith O’Dea --- never gave it much thought. Their focus was on portraying a tumultuous world in which the dead were alive and attacking the living.
Daniel Kraus was five years old when he first experienced this black-and-white world, where ghouls feasted on the bodies of the living. It began a love/hate relationship with the horror genre, yet Night of the Living Dead became a perennial favorite. By his own admission, Kraus has seen the movie hundreds of times, and he has a room that is awash in memorabilia. The film resonated with him on a level that other motion pictures haven't. Perhaps it was because viewings of it became a fun and bonding moment with his mother, or that the theme of survival paralleled his attempts to endure often brutal days at school in Iowa.
In the 58 years since its release, there have been sequels, books and documentaries about Night of the Living Dead --- but nothing quite so personal as Kraus’ latest effort.
Layers of plywood separated the seven survivors from the horrors that lurked outside the farmhouse. Barbara, nearly catatonic after watching her brother Johnny get attacked, sits on the couch while Ben boards up every opening. The marauding assailants continue to congregate outside the home, sensing fresh prey to feast on. Harry Cooper and his wife barely escaped a rampaging horde and now attend to their daughter, who was bitten by one of the attackers. The Coopers are hiding in the cellar with a young couple, Tom and Judy. Once Harry and Ben meet, a battle for control is waged while a certain doom threatens to barge its way in.
Night of the Living Dead scored big at the box office. However, it proved bittersweet for some as it marked the height of their acting careers, while Romero was often pigeonholed as a zombie movie director. Still, its staying power is undeniable as its influence on filmmakers and writers continues to this day.
PARTIALLY DEVOURED is an expression of love and appreciation for a film that broke boundaries and transcended the horror genre. Daniel Kraus breaks down the movie scene by scene and infuses his work with significant insights. The profound nature of the story arises not only from the oftentimes poignant elements of Kraus’ life, but from the unrealized potential of a few of its stars and a rift in the production team that eventually developed. Its success also was overshadowed by a copyright error that cost Image Ten millions of dollars.
While labeled a horror flick, Night of the Living Dead explored themes about society and human nature that proved equally as compelling. Kraus continues to shine as a brilliant writer in fiction and (now) nonfiction.
Reviewed by Philip Zozzaro
May 2, 2026
The author uses a frame-by-frame deep dive to analyze the 1968 horror classic "Night of the Living Dead". The importance of the movie to the author and to the wider culture is explored.
The first work of nonfiction that I have read from Daniel Kraus. His passion for the titular movie is readily apparent from the opening pages. Claiming to have seen the movie hundreds of times, the author delves deep into the making and legacy of "Night of the Living Dead". It goes without saying that I learned a great deal about not just the movie but the people who worked on it, both in front of and behind the cameras. The history of the movie and its continued stature within the zeitgeist of pop culture is undeniable.
Kraus dissects the movie down to its very studs. While this bears interesting fruit, there are many instances were the author's all encompassing fandom leads to less interesting, if not outright boring, asides. If I had the read the title of one more piece of licensed library music that was used in the movie, I felt like I was going to scream.
Periodically Kraus will leave the exploration of the movie to delve into his own life. Time is spent with Kraus during his Iowa childhood, his forays into filmmaking and his writing career. I was far less invested in these discourses than I was in the analysis of the film.
Kraus verges on melodrama when he compares the death of Duane Jones' character in the movie to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. I have been personally affected by many movies and the demise of certain characters, but I don't think I've ever believed the death of a fictional character is on par with the death of a real person, much less one the stature of King. The author also goes out of his way to denigrate organized religion when he states multiple times that being a dedicated fan of a piece of pop culture is more sensical than being a devoted follower of religion and a house of worship.
All of the usual liberal hobby horses are here in spades. George Floyd, Kyle Rittenhouse, people who don't properly mask up and social distance, January 6th, and of course Trump. The zombie hoard that stalks the characters in "Night of the Living Dead" are stand-ins for the unintelligent, conservatives skulking through the American heartland, whether that be in the author's small Iowa hometown or the rural Pennsylvania setting of the movie.
The first work of nonfiction that I have read from Daniel Kraus. His passion for the titular movie is readily apparent from the opening pages. Claiming to have seen the movie hundreds of times, the author delves deep into the making and legacy of "Night of the Living Dead". It goes without saying that I learned a great deal about not just the movie but the people who worked on it, both in front of and behind the cameras. The history of the movie and its continued stature within the zeitgeist of pop culture is undeniable.
Kraus dissects the movie down to its very studs. While this bears interesting fruit, there are many instances were the author's all encompassing fandom leads to less interesting, if not outright boring, asides. If I had the read the title of one more piece of licensed library music that was used in the movie, I felt like I was going to scream.
Periodically Kraus will leave the exploration of the movie to delve into his own life. Time is spent with Kraus during his Iowa childhood, his forays into filmmaking and his writing career. I was far less invested in these discourses than I was in the analysis of the film.
Kraus verges on melodrama when he compares the death of Duane Jones' character in the movie to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. I have been personally affected by many movies and the demise of certain characters, but I don't think I've ever believed the death of a fictional character is on par with the death of a real person, much less one the stature of King. The author also goes out of his way to denigrate organized religion when he states multiple times that being a dedicated fan of a piece of pop culture is more sensical than being a devoted follower of religion and a house of worship.
All of the usual liberal hobby horses are here in spades. George Floyd, Kyle Rittenhouse, people who don't properly mask up and social distance, January 6th, and of course Trump. The zombie hoard that stalks the characters in "Night of the Living Dead" are stand-ins for the unintelligent, conservatives skulking through the American heartland, whether that be in the author's small Iowa hometown or the rural Pennsylvania setting of the movie.
March 30, 2026
Night of the Living Dead super fan and horror author, and George A Romero posthumous collaborator, Daniel Kraus treats the reader to his own personal commentary of the film in Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World. Kraus delves in to all the nitty-gritty behind the scenes development and making of, biographies of the cast and crew and the films ongoing legacy.
Aside from a brief introduction wher Kraus details how he has likely seen the movie more than 300 times, each section starts from a film time stamp. Much like a book, Kraus argues each time reengaging with the film has led him to notice something new or different, the whole you can't enter the same river twice ideal as something has always changed.
A key piece ofNight's legacy is that an error, by whom it has never been determined, led to it not being copyrighted. In the short term this was highly problematic for the production company as they lost out on the proceeds of the films distribution and performance. But it also greatly helped the spread of the film as it could be played with minimal costs in theaters, on tv and later streaming. Kraus notes that at many points in his life, it was always on TV.
Throughout the narrative Kraus takes a select scene as the starting point discussing a wide range of topics. He biographies the cast and crew, especially the leads Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The inclusion of Jones was lauded then (and still) for having a Black actor as a capable strong lead. As the film was also released in 1968 there are political commentary and allusions, especially to Civil Rights and the Vietnam war. A film centered on the idea of survival through the metaphor of zombies constantly restates the theme that the greatest danger to humanity is itself.
Recommended to readers or fans of zombie horror, behind the scenes/ making of or micro histories.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
Aside from a brief introduction wher Kraus details how he has likely seen the movie more than 300 times, each section starts from a film time stamp. Much like a book, Kraus argues each time reengaging with the film has led him to notice something new or different, the whole you can't enter the same river twice ideal as something has always changed.
A key piece ofNight's legacy is that an error, by whom it has never been determined, led to it not being copyrighted. In the short term this was highly problematic for the production company as they lost out on the proceeds of the films distribution and performance. But it also greatly helped the spread of the film as it could be played with minimal costs in theaters, on tv and later streaming. Kraus notes that at many points in his life, it was always on TV.
Throughout the narrative Kraus takes a select scene as the starting point discussing a wide range of topics. He biographies the cast and crew, especially the leads Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The inclusion of Jones was lauded then (and still) for having a Black actor as a capable strong lead. As the film was also released in 1968 there are political commentary and allusions, especially to Civil Rights and the Vietnam war. A film centered on the idea of survival through the metaphor of zombies constantly restates the theme that the greatest danger to humanity is itself.
Recommended to readers or fans of zombie horror, behind the scenes/ making of or micro histories.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
March 26, 2026
Partially Devoured by Daniel Kraus is both memoir and cinematic analysis of one of the most famous horror films in existence and I enjoyed it cover to cover.
The book breaks down the film scene by scene, giving a detailed history of the actors and the behind the scenes moments occurring and that directly impacted the way the film came out. In addition to that, this analysis is peppered with real life moments from Kraus's personal history and how it connected to the film.
As a self-proclaimed horror aficionado, avid reader, and sometimes writer - this book scratched an itch that I didn't know I needed scratching. I was briefly worried that the extreme breakdown of a film that I haven't seen in a while might feel tedious but it never felt that way. Like with the rest of Kraus's work, each sentence was thoughtfully crafted for maximum impact and tied in beautifully to a narrative that kept me interested every page turn.
I also listened to this book on audio, the narrator was Kraus himself, and I think that added a lot of depth to this getting to hear it from the author. The pacing of the narration was good, it didn't feel too slow or too fast like it sometimes can when read by the author, and instead I felt even more connected to the work because of it.
I can't recommend this book enough in any format with which you'd like to consume it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Daniel Kraus, and Brilliance Publishing / Brilliance Audio for sharing this with me.
The book breaks down the film scene by scene, giving a detailed history of the actors and the behind the scenes moments occurring and that directly impacted the way the film came out. In addition to that, this analysis is peppered with real life moments from Kraus's personal history and how it connected to the film.
As a self-proclaimed horror aficionado, avid reader, and sometimes writer - this book scratched an itch that I didn't know I needed scratching. I was briefly worried that the extreme breakdown of a film that I haven't seen in a while might feel tedious but it never felt that way. Like with the rest of Kraus's work, each sentence was thoughtfully crafted for maximum impact and tied in beautifully to a narrative that kept me interested every page turn.
I also listened to this book on audio, the narrator was Kraus himself, and I think that added a lot of depth to this getting to hear it from the author. The pacing of the narration was good, it didn't feel too slow or too fast like it sometimes can when read by the author, and instead I felt even more connected to the work because of it.
I can't recommend this book enough in any format with which you'd like to consume it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Daniel Kraus, and Brilliance Publishing / Brilliance Audio for sharing this with me.
March 25, 2026
There’s an idea that a book teaches you how to read it. I’ve heard the phrase many times, though I haven’t tracked down its original source. The thought came to mind while reading Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World because anyone who considers Night of the Living Dead essential viewing likely has firm ideas about how to approach the film and what details matter most, what trivia we’ve collected over years of rewatching, and what theories we’ve built around it.
So, when Daniel Kraus opens the book by breaking the film down scene by scene, you might feel your hackles rise. Surely there are other ways to tackle a movie this famous.
But stick with it. Kraus’s structure gradually won me over.
You can read Stephen's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
So, when Daniel Kraus opens the book by breaking the film down scene by scene, you might feel your hackles rise. Surely there are other ways to tackle a movie this famous.
But stick with it. Kraus’s structure gradually won me over.
You can read Stephen's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
April 19, 2026
Partially Devoured is one of the most original and genuinely fascinating books I've read in a long time. Daniel Kraus takes what could have been a straightforward film analysis and turns it into something altogether more ambitious a kaleidoscopic blend of cultural criticism, personal memoir, and flat-out obsessive love letter to a movie that shaped him.The frame-by-frame deep dive into Night of the Living Dead is meticulous and endlessly interesting. But it's the memoir threads rural isolation, childhood trauma, the way a horror film became a lifeline that give the whole thing its emotional gut punch. Kraus writes with wit, vulnerability, and genuine brilliance throughout.This is a book about how art saves us. How the things that terrify us can also be the things that make us feel least alone. For horror fans, film lovers, and anyone who has ever found unexpected refuge in the darkest of places — this one is something special. 🧟📽️🖤
March 21, 2026
There is a certain inevitability about this book: an in-depth, moment by moment look at one of the touchstone horror films of all time. If you know any of the wild history of Night of the Living Dead - particularly its making and how it fell into public domain - you will appreciate how the author blends that history into his recounting of the film.
But...
There seems to be something about the authors of some of these books where they think, "You know, I'll bet you want to know about me just as much as you want to know about this movie."
The constant references to the author's life here just distract from the story he's trying to tell. Daniel Kraus may be an interesting person, but I didn't buy this book to read about him... so there are good-sized chunks that just were ignored. Your experience might vary.
But...
There seems to be something about the authors of some of these books where they think, "You know, I'll bet you want to know about me just as much as you want to know about this movie."
The constant references to the author's life here just distract from the story he's trying to tell. Daniel Kraus may be an interesting person, but I didn't buy this book to read about him... so there are good-sized chunks that just were ignored. Your experience might vary.
April 5, 2026
Exceptional. I love books about movies and movie making, and it's rare to get such an insightful, enthusiastic, and remarkably deep dive into one film. Kraus is one of my favourite writers and once again I find myself drawn into a story I didn't expect to love so much by the sheer fact that he is an incredible storyteller.
If you're a fan of Romero and Night of the Living Dead, this is a must read. If you're a casual horror movie fan, I'd encourage you to pick this up too. As someone who absolutely loves talking movies with people and adores falling down the rabbit hole of weird facts, interesting asides, and gut-punchingly raw feelings, this book is hands down one of my favourite explorations of art and moviemaking.
If you're a fan of Romero and Night of the Living Dead, this is a must read. If you're a casual horror movie fan, I'd encourage you to pick this up too. As someone who absolutely loves talking movies with people and adores falling down the rabbit hole of weird facts, interesting asides, and gut-punchingly raw feelings, this book is hands down one of my favourite explorations of art and moviemaking.
April 14, 2026
If you watched and loved Night of the Living Dead, then this love letter in a book is for you. I love love love this book. The arcane knowledge that Kraus puts forth in this gem is legion. And he's not only a fan. He worked with Romero (RIP) on a book called The Living Dead. And he has worked with Guillermo del toro on one of my favorite films: The Shape of Water. I was around five years old when my family piled into our station wagon (with the way way back seat that faced the back) and headed to the drive-in (with a grocery-sized paper bag of popcorn, natch) to witness this film that SCARED me! But I loved it. If you've not seen Night of the Living Dead, watch it and try not to be changed by the closing scene. I dare you. Then read this book...or listen to it cuz the author reads it!
April 3, 2026
I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an audio ARC.
This is an interesting look at Night of the Living Dead. This book delves really deep into the film itself as well as is a look into the author's own life and how this film impacted him. At times I did feel a bit overwhelmed by this book, but I can definitely tell how much Kraus loves this film. I can't say it's my favorite film, but I always love seeing a film though another person's eyes who can give me a new perspective on it. Overall I eneded up enjoying this book. I also think the narrator did a fantastic job with this book.
This is an interesting look at Night of the Living Dead. This book delves really deep into the film itself as well as is a look into the author's own life and how this film impacted him. At times I did feel a bit overwhelmed by this book, but I can definitely tell how much Kraus loves this film. I can't say it's my favorite film, but I always love seeing a film though another person's eyes who can give me a new perspective on it. Overall I eneded up enjoying this book. I also think the narrator did a fantastic job with this book.
May 3, 2026
As a native Pittsburgher, I have the softest of spots for anything related to George Romero and his works, but most especially his zombie works.
This book didn't disappoint. A very, very deep dive into NotLD, much of which I wasn't aware of. Kraus's love for the movie is second to none. I enjoyed how he analyzed the movie frame by frame, interspersing details on Romero & company's troubles with the copyright and subsequent problems as well as some of his own personal life. I never realized there was so much N0tLD material out there!
Kraus really had his facts straight and his heart in the right place.
This book didn't disappoint. A very, very deep dive into NotLD, much of which I wasn't aware of. Kraus's love for the movie is second to none. I enjoyed how he analyzed the movie frame by frame, interspersing details on Romero & company's troubles with the copyright and subsequent problems as well as some of his own personal life. I never realized there was so much N0tLD material out there!
Kraus really had his facts straight and his heart in the right place.
May 17, 2026
A frame-by-frame analysis, a deep dive into the Image Ten production team who both acted in, and created, Night of the Living Dead, and a trip into the author’s devoted (and more than a little obsessed) psyche, Partially Devoured will likely be best enjoyed by an audience who have seen the film a few times. However, the book is a deeper than expected meditation on race, society, and mortality than I expected at the outset, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the intersection between trash culture and the human condition. The vulnerable pathos that Kraus reveals about the film and himself are striking.
March 26, 2026
Portrait of an obsession. The result is one fabulously entertaining read, best enjoyed while watching the actual film, "Night of the Living Dead," scene by scene. Kraus provides incredible minutiae about every moment, some noticed long ago by legions of fans and some unearthed by himself. I had a blast going frame-by-frame at certain moments to relish the sense of discovery. Probably the greatest aspect of the book is the deep dives into all the participating players' histories and idiosyncrasies, adding up to a wonderful capture of a uniquely passionate indie-filmmaking team.
March 27, 2026
Partially Devoured is an excellent combination of personal anecdotes, film history, and the time period in which Night of the Living Dead was written and filmed. I especially enjoyed the deep dives into the actors and their sometimes tumultuous relationships with the film. Daniel Kraus proves yet again to be an excellent steward of Romero’s legacy.
The audiobook version, graciously provided to me by Brilliance Audio and NetGalley, is narrated by Kraus himself. He did an excellent job conveying just how much this film meant to him.
The audiobook version, graciously provided to me by Brilliance Audio and NetGalley, is narrated by Kraus himself. He did an excellent job conveying just how much this film meant to him.
April 13, 2026
I have my own special relationship with this movie because it scared the bejeesus out of me when I was watching it at a drive in when I was 4, which was way too young. I made myself watch it and face the horrors, and it's become a standard I judge other movies by.
This is so fascinating-- I've read a lot of books about films but this way of breaking down every minute is wild. Kraus really pulls a lot out and it's an intriguing and amazing story.
Thanks to NetGalley I got to listen to the audiobook, and the narration is perfect for this
This is a review of the audiobook.
This is so fascinating-- I've read a lot of books about films but this way of breaking down every minute is wild. Kraus really pulls a lot out and it's an intriguing and amazing story.
Thanks to NetGalley I got to listen to the audiobook, and the narration is perfect for this
This is a review of the audiobook.
April 16, 2026
It's like when you snag a chair at the bonfire, strike up small talk with an affable stranger, sense that cloud of boring doom when they immediately launch into a monologue about their latest hyperfixation.
Hours later they are starting to get fidgety with all of your follow-up questions and they are checking the time. You had no idea this thing that was always just another chunk of media in the background could be such a unique relic of its era, that there is so many ways to see the legacy of what you considered to be camp.
Hours later they are starting to get fidgety with all of your follow-up questions and they are checking the time. You had no idea this thing that was always just another chunk of media in the background could be such a unique relic of its era, that there is so many ways to see the legacy of what you considered to be camp.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In Partially Devoured author Daniel Kraus does a bang-up job of illustrating how a piece of pop culture can be life changing. His memoiristic plunge into Night of the Living Dead is an atomic level dissection of that B-movie horror classic's aesthetic and sociological impact, but better yet it's also a personal excavation of his marrow deep emotional connection to the little zombie film that spawned a thousand more. 8/10
February 24, 2026
Daniel Kraus' Partially Devoured is sooooo much more than a passion project. Every masterstroke, happy accident & glaring blunder of Night of the Living Dead is subject to forensic scrutiny.
Fans, newcomers (& even those who've never really clicked with the pic) will be itching to (re)visit it & its many (re)iterations, poring over every frame, desperate to spot everything Kraus points out with his mind-melting knowledge of the film.
Fans, newcomers (& even those who've never really clicked with the pic) will be itching to (re)visit it & its many (re)iterations, poring over every frame, desperate to spot everything Kraus points out with his mind-melting knowledge of the film.
April 8, 2026
You don’t have to love Night of the Living Dead; you don’t even have to have seen NOTLD to enjoy this book. It is a master class on research and paying attention to detail that could apply to any subject. It’s the kind of conversation we wish we were always having. It’s a love of subject so beautiful that it makes us ache when most of our days pass with necessary, polite, but banal and passionless small talk. It will, arguably, be one of the best conversations you have this year.
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