Hmm, I think Jason from the Friday the 13th series was the first to give me nightmares, but those movies are mindless slashers (which I still love). However, Romero kept a sense of morality in his movies that helped to elevate them beyond mindless gore, and I think that is what helps to separate his "zombie" movies from the rest. It will be interesting to see how present day Hollywood will effect his movie. After all some stupid producers did try to make him call this movie "Night of the Dead Reckoning", (LotD was originally going to be called "Dead Reckoning")
So lets keep our fingers crossed and hope that he manages to keep his art in tact.