The destruction of humanity by a deadly virus is a common idea in science fi ction, and even if some of imagery has horrifi c connotations, Night Of The Living Dead’s central conceit places it in the sci-fi bracket. Romero shies away from shocks and chooses to build a sense of dread, deconstructing Sixties America through the microcosm of a small band of survivors. Society’s darker side is revealed at the end when the fi nal survivor, an African-American sheriff, is gunned down by triggerhappy rednecks as he approaches them looking for help.