Pittsburgh Professor Uses 'Night of the Living Dead' to Reflect on Deadliest US Antisemitic Attack

The Halloween season evokes deep reflections on death and horror, serving both as a cultural touchstone and a lens to explore real-world anxieties. Celebrations like Halloween, with origins in ancient festivals such as Samhain, invite a symbolic dance with death, blending tradition with modern customs like pumpkin carving. Horror films, exemplified recently by Zach Cregger's 2025 film "Weapons," provoke public debate about societal issues, particularly gun violence, illustrating how horror serves as a mirror to collective fears and political discourse. Meanwhile, personal and communal trauma, such as the 2018 Tree of Life synagogue attack in Pittsburgh, has given new meaning to horror studies, highlighting that the real horrors often lie in human beliefs and social divisions rather than fictional monsters. George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," a Pittsburgh classic, underscores this message by portraying internal human conflicts as the true danger amidst external threats. Together, these cultural and real-life narratives demonstrate how horror and remembrance intertwine to help society confront and process both imaginary and very real fears.