There’s a Film Beginning With N to Satisfy Your Cravings!
The letter ‘N’ is home to some of cinema’s most iconic films, from the comedic classic The Naked Gun to Tim Burton’s stop-motion animated masterpiece Nightmare Before Christmas. No matter what type of movie you’re in the mood for, there’s a film beginning with n to satisfy your cravings. Just make sure to vote up your favorite!
Night of the Living Dead (1990)
Like all good remakes, 1990’s Night of the Living Dead reworks certain elements of the original narrative to suit its contemporary audience without cheapening the inherent terror of George Romero’s influential classic. The biggest change that garners a resounding round of applause is the transformation of catatonic Barbara from Judith O’Dea to a woman who fights for survival every second she’s dropped into this apocalyptic situation.
The rest of the story follows closely to its 1968 predecessor, as a ragtag group of people barricade themselves in an old farmhouse against a horde of flesh-eating zombies. The characters display recognizable patterns of antagonism, infighting, and panic as they struggle to overcome the horror and desperation of their situation.
Tom Savini, in his feature directorial debut, makes some minor changes to the story that serve to ratchet up tension and the effectiveness of certain scenes, such as when the survivors attempt to frantically board over windows but are continually pushed back by a horde of zombies. In doing so, he breaks from horror conventions to add a dimension of social commentary that elevates the film.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1995)
The Naked Gun media franchise consists of one television series and three theatrical films. It is a police procedural comedy that parodies various crime dramas and James Bond movies with the protagonist portrayed by Leslie Nielsen. The film is widely regarded as one of the classic comedy films and it has influenced a generation of comedy filmmakers.
In this film, Detective Frank Drebin uncovers a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Los Angeles. The clues lead him to Vincent Ludwig, a business tycoon who has a device that can turn people into assassins through hypnotic suggestion.
As in previous Zucker, Abrahams & Zucker spoof comedies, much of the film’s script was taken word-for-word from another more serious movie (in this case, Telefon). Leslie Nielsen is great as always, staying deadpan throughout and displaying his clumsy policeman character to perfection. The Naked Gun is an attention seeker but it will have you laughing from start to finish.
Nosferatu (1922)
An early film noir, this horror classic is considered the first vampire movie. Its tight narrative, German Expressionism visual style and acting performances by Werner Schreck set the formal vocabulary for vampire movies that would follow.
Hutter arrives at the castle in a state of mental collapse. The innkeeper tells him that a wolf-like creature has been stalking the nearby forest at night, scaring the horses into running free. Hutter reads a book on Nosferatu, terrible creatures who hunt by moonlight and are known to leave behind their own shambling corpses.
Murnau relies on visual distortion to heighten the sense of dread throughout Nosferatu, most notably in the eerily bleached white forest sequence and a simple pov shot of Hutter gazing out at the town from his window. He also uses cross cutting to develop the narrative and create suspense. In addition, he hired architect and amateur occultist Albin Grau to design the sets and costumes for Nosferatu.
Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
A tangled tale from the twisted mind of Tim Burton and Henry Selick, Nightmare Before Christmas is an entertainingly warped holiday fable. It follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town who becomes bored with his ghoulish existence and stumbles upon a portal to Christmas Town, where he is awed by the concept of joy and gift-giving.
He tries to bring this magical holiday back to his own land, enlisting his rag doll Sally in the process. Unfortunately, his well-meaning plans go horribly awry, and it’s up to Sally to stitch him (literally) back together.
By changing the perspective of familiar holiday icons, this animation teaches us that each holiday comes from the towns and villages that bear its name. It also illustrates the power of selflessness and compassion. And the voices of Glenn Close, Christopher Lee, and Ken Page are absolutely spot-on. The Disney+ version doesn’t include all of the supplemental material that has been on previous home video releases, but it does contain several deleted scenes and storyboards.