Tag: Night of the Living Dead

Cult Movie Night at The Skyview Drive-In in Belleville, IL August 26th – BEETLEJUICE, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, MARS ATTACKS, and BLAZING SADDLES!

“We’re coming to get you, Barbara!”

The Skyview Drive-in in Belleville (5700 N Belt W, Belleville, IL 62226) will be hosting ‘Cult Movie Night’ Thursday, August 26th. Screen #1 will be showing BEETLEJUICE and MARS ATTACKS. Screen #2 will be showing SHAUN OF THE DEAD and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. To top things off, at midnight The Skyview will be showing Mel Brooks’ BLAZING SADDLES. The Box office opens at 6:30 pm and the movies will start at 8:30. tickets are cash only and only available in person. Cost is $10 per adult and that gets you entry to all 3 movies! A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Midnight Thursday July 16th at The Skyview Drive-in in Belleville

Rocky Horror Picture Show was so successful a few weeks ago at the Skyview Drive in Belleville (5700 N Belt W, Belleville, IL 62226), that they decided to have another midnight show. This one will be on Thursday, July 16th and it will be a black-and-white classic – Night of the Living Dead from 1968. Admission is $10.00 per Adult (cash only!), with free admission for those under 12. Flustered Mustard will host a Zombie Costume Contest with prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. It will take place about 1145 to give all participants time to get inside the theatre. The will start taking requests for reserved spots on Friday, July10th at 12:00 noon. The box office will open that night 15 11:00. The Skyview’s site is HERE/ A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

With 8-years olds watching The Walking Dead today with Mom and Dad today, it’s hard to convey just how grossed out and appalled people were when NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD started popping up on movie screens back in 1968. Variety wrote back then: “No brutalizing stone is left unturned: crowbars gash holes in the heads of the living dead, monsters are shown eating entrails, and – in a climax of unparalleled nausea – a little girl kills her mother by stabbing her a dozen times in the chest with a trowel.” Yep,  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD had it all: cannibalism, slow-moving zombies who always seem to be catching up, and women-in-danger tripping and falling for no reason. But it was one of the first horror films that refused to turn away from its own gruesomenesss and has become the barometer by which all Zombies Attack films are measured..

The minimalist plot of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD makes it all the more horrifying. Simply put, a group of strangers end up trapped in a farmhouse as slow-moving zombies, who were created by radiation from a Venus space probe (don’t ask), try to break in and eat them. Among the house’s occupants is a woman (Judith O’Dea) who saw her brother attacked by one of the “living dead” while they visited their father’s graveside, a black man (Duane Jones) who attempts to take charge of the situation, a middle class husband and wife (Karl Hardman and Marilyn Eastman) who are nursing a young daughter who was bitten by one of the ghouls, and the requisite terrified teenage couple (Keith Wayne and Judith Ridley).

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The first time I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was in 1974 at the Crown Theater in Florissant. The EXORCIST knock-off BEYOND THE DOOR was the main feature and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD played second. My friends and I were terrified and amazed (especially after that dull first feature) though most of director George Romero’s political and social commentary no doubt went way over our little 12-year old heads. This being years before DAWN OF THE DEAD or ZOMBIE, we had no idea how influential the film would be or the impact Romero’s little low budget black and white movie would have on the evolution of horror films. Thirty years later I interviewed eight cast members from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on stage at the Kitbuilders Monstrous Weekend Convention here in St. Louis including Judith O’Dea and the late Bill Hinzman, who played the first graveyard zombie. Several of these were older folk who had never acted before or since, yet were being flown to horror cons and treated to long lines of fans willing to pay for their signatures. Behold the power of the first ‘Living Dead’ movie!

night-of-the-living-dead-stacie

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is a masterpiece, still holding strong today, and you’ll have the opportunity to see it again in all of its big-screen glory when it plays next Thursday at The Skyview!

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Screening at Webster University February 28th – ‘Grave Tales’


The ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series continues at Webster University Thursday February 28th with a screening of George A. Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) . The screening will be at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood). The movie starts at 7:30 and a Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE. Look for more coverage of the  ‘Grave Tales’ Horror film series here at We Are Movie Geeks in the coming weeks.

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“If you have a gun, shoot ’em in the head. That’s a sure way to kill ’em. If you don’t, get yourself a club or a torch. Beat ’em or burn ’em. They go up pretty easy.”

night_of_the_living_dead_3
With 8-years olds watching The Walking Dead today with Mom and Dad today, it’s hard to convey just how grossed out and appalled people were when NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD started popping up on movie screens back in 1968. Variety wrote back then: “No brutalizing stone is left unturned: crowbars gash holes in the heads of the living dead, monsters are shown eating entrails, and – in a climax of unparalleled nausea – a little girl kills her mother by stabbing her a dozen times in the chest with a trowel.” Yep,  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD had it all: cannibalism, slow-moving zombies who always seem to be catching up, and women-in-danger tripping and falling for no reason. But it was one of the first horror films that refused to turn away from its own gruesomenesss and has become the barometer by which all Zombies Attack films are measured..

night-of-the-living-dead-stacie
The minimalist plot of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD makes it all the more horrifying. Simply put, a group of strangers end up trapped in a farmhouse as slow-moving zombies, who were created by radiation from a Venus space probe (don’t ask), try to break in and eat them. Among the house’s occupants is a woman (Judith O’Dea) who saw her brother attacked by one of the “living dead” while they visited their father’s graveside, a black man (Duane Jones) who attempts to take charge of the situation, a middle class husband and wife (Karl Hardman and Marilyn Eastman) who are nursing a young daughter who was bitten by one of the ghouls, and the requisite terrified teenage couple (Keith Wayne and Judith Ridley).


The first time I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was in 1974 at the Crown Theater in Florissant. The EXORCIST knock-off BEYOND THE DOOR was the main feature and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD played second. My friends and I were terrified and amazed (especially after that dull first feature) though most of director George Romero’s political and social commentary no doubt went way over our little 12-year old heads. This being years before DAWN OF THE DEAD or ZOMBIE, we had no idea how influential the film would be or the impact Romero’s little low budget black and white movie would have on the evolution of horror films. Thirty years later I interviewed eight cast members from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on stage at the Kitbuilders Monstrous Weekend Convention here in St. Louis including Judith O’Dea and the late Bill Hinzman, who played the first graveyard zombie. Several of these were older folk who had never acted before or since, yet were being flown to horror cons and treated to long lines of fans willing to pay for their signatures. Behold the power of the first ‘Living Dead’ movie!


NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is a masterpiece, still holding strong today, and you’ll have the opportunity to see it again in all of its big-screen glory when it Thursday night at Webster University.

Admission is:

$7 for the general public
$6 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$5 for Webster University staff and faculty

Free for Webster students with proper I.D.

Advance tickets are available from the cashier before each screening or contact the Film Series office (314-246-7525) for more options. The Film Series can only accept cash or check.

Restored NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Comes to Movie Theaters October 24th and 25th

A half-century ago, the living dead had their night, but for decades the inexorable dread of George A. Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” has been seen only in murky, fuzzy versions.

On Wednesday, October 24, and Thursday, October 25, only, “Night of the Living Dead” returns to nearly 600 movie theatres nationwide in a newly restored and remastered version presented by Fathom Events, Image Ten Inc. and Living Dead Media, in association with Janus Films and the Criterion Collection. “Night of the Living Dead” will play at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. (local time) both days, presented through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN).

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Commemorating its 50th anniversary, “Night of the Living Dead” will be accompanied by a new behind-the-scenes look at the making of this iconic film. Tickets for “Night of the Living Dead” are available beginning today at www.FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices. A complete list of theater locations can be found on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Prior to his death in 2017, Romero supervised the restoration of “Night of the Living Dead” in anticipation of the film’s 50th anniversary. He worked with the film’s sound engineer, Gary Streiner, to restore and remaster the movie in 4K Ultra HD from the original camera negative. The Museum of Modern Art, The Film Foundation, The George Lucas Family Foundation, and The Celeste Bartos Film Preservation Center supported the restoration project.

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The film tells the deceptively simple story of a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse and find themselves fending of a horde of recently dead flesh-eating ghouls. Romero’s claustrophobic vision of a late-1960s America literally tearing itself apart rewrote the rules of the horror genre, combining gruesome gore with acute social commentary, while quietly breaking ground by casting an African-American actor (Duane Jones) in its leading role.

Named one of the 10 best horror films of all time by Rolling Stone, “Night of the Living Dead” continues to influence pop culture and remains loved by films and critics alike: The film holds a 97 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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“There are not many films that warrant the kind of attention ‘Night of the Living Dead’ has received from the Museum of Modern Art, but there are also not many films whose influence remains so strong in global popular culture 50 years after it was made. George A. Romero’s film has never looked better, and we are proud to present this dazzling new restoration to film lovers and horror fans,” said Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations Tom Lucas.

Steve Wolsh, CEO of Living Dead Media, added, “It’s been a two-year labor of love to bring this stunning version of ‘Night of the Living Dead’ into theaters for the 50th anniversary. This movie was intended to be seen in a dark theater with a live audience, and this restoration gives fans and newcomers alike a chance to see the film as they’ve never seen it before.” Please visit the film’s Facebook page for all things “Night of the Living Dead.”

Ten Classic Scary Movies For Halloween


I have known for years, many people will not watch black and white movies, of any kind. It has to be color and no older than 10 years, preferably movies made this year, or last year. I have had people look at me with astonishment when I tell them I not only watch black and white movies regularly but even silent movies. I’ve had people admit they didn’t know movies were being made in 1927, much less 1915.

So for this Hallowe’en, when movie geeks thoughts turn to scary movies here is my personal and eclectic list of great, old, scary movies, filmed in glorious black and white.


10. Nosferatu 1922

The Great Grand Daddy of all Dracula movies, and the template for every vampire movie ever made, the first, one of the best and still creepy, even if you’ve seen it repeatedly. A silent masterpiece by FW Murnau and with the incredible Max Schreck as Graf Orlock looking weasel faced and moving like a big rodent, this vampire is light years from Lugosi’s suave aristocrat or Christopher Lee’s super human woman magnet. Some of the camera tricks have not aged well, but there is nothing camp or silly about Nosferatu. Remade brilliantly by Werner Herzog with the incredible Klaus Kinski playing the Vampire King and the subject of Shadow of the Vampire, a movie about the making of Nosferatu that put forth the idea, what if Schreck was a real Vampire? But accept no substitutes. Radah and I got to see this at the Tampa Theater a few years ago for Hallowe’en, with live organ accompaniment, an unforgettable experience.


9. Haxan 1922

Another silent masterpiece Benjamin Christensen’s still controversial Haxan is deeply disturbing, still creepy and captured images unlike any other film made during the silent era, or any time later for the matter of that. Part documentary, part hallucinatory nightmare Haxan was recut and rereleased as Witchcraft Through the Ages with a music score and narration by the one and only William S Burroughs. Filled with nudity, demons, the very devil himself and horrifying scenes of accused witches on trial and being tortured into confessions, Haxan is one of a kind, and perfect for Hallowe’en.


8. Vampyr 1932

Only marginally a talking picture Vampyr is another one of a kind, deeply disturbing tale of Vampirism told in a hallucinatory, dream like way. Shot through gauze filters with a non actor in the lead role, Vampyr, directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer, is disorienting, creepy and leaves the viewer with a serious feeling of uneasiness. There are no jump out of your seat scares and yet, we are never really sure what in hell is going on; shadows dance on the walls without people being present, living person’s shadows get up and move on their own, point of view changes constantly, characters enter and exit without explanation. Most unsettling, we get an entire sequence of what it would feel like to be buried alive, the view from inside a coffin, while still alive, and being carried to a grave site, in the hypnotic thrall of a vampire. Be forewarned, some people don’t get it. Forest J Ackerman, editor of Famous Monsters of Film land, hated this movie, didn’t think it scary at all, or entertaining. It is referenced constantly throughout Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula, good enough recommendation for me.


7. Island of Lost Souls 1932

In the 1930s Universal Studios was considered the major producer of horror films. Their movies, if you are a serious movie geek like me, are so familiar they are probably not scary at all anymore. Despite Universal’s dominance of the genre other studios put out some great productions. Paramount Pictures, known for classy musicals produced one of the most disturbing horror movies of the 1930s, Island of Lost Souls, a movie that packed such a punch on its original release it was banned in England and other countries for years. And it still has a powerful, painful effect. Directed by Earl C Kenton and the first film version of HG Well’s Island of Dr. Moreau (Wells hated the film) Island of Lost Souls features an incredible performance by Charles Laughton, obsessed with creating men out of animals and operating on them without using anesthetic. His island is populated with these half man half animal hybrids, among them, most unforgettably Bela Lugosi as Sayer of the Law “What is the Law? Are we not men?” and someone named Hans Steinke as Ouran, another unforgettable character. It is not just the horror in the house of pain or the monstrousness of the animal men, there is a queasy, oppressive atmosphere in the whole film, the jungle itself seems to be alive, even more so than in King Kong. Criterion’s blu ray is incredible, bringing out details, especially in the makeup I had never noticed before.


6. The Black Cat 1934

Another one of a kind horror movie, although made by Universal, the Black Cat is unlike any other film in their various franchises, or any other movie ever made for that matter. Rather than a gothic castle The Black Cat is set in a futuristic house,(it even has digital clocks, in 1934!) built on a fortress from WWI, in the Bauhaus style, and that house is inhabited by Boris Karloff playing a thinly disguised version of Aleister Crowley. Bela Lugosi arrives with a young couple in tow(David Manners and Julie Bishop) who get sucked into the vortex of Karloff and Lugosi’s poisoned history. Lugosi and Karloff were in eight movies together, usually with Karloff in the lead role, once, in The Raven, it was Lugosi’s movie. Here they stand as co equal characters, both of them dangerous, both actors at the top of their form. And masterfully directed by Edgar G Ulmer, who somehow made a movie that deals with necrophilia, cannibalism, Satan worship and God knows what else in 1934! I have watched The Black several times, usually around Hallowe’en and it never fails to make me feel very ill at ease. This is seriously creepy stuff, especially when Lugosi decides it would be a swell idea to skin Karloff alive.


4. Black Sunday 1960

The official first movie directed by Mario Bava (he had a hand in several other films, without credit) Black Sunday still has the power to horrify and frighten. A witch (Barbara Steele) is tortured and put to death in a blasted looking landscape, where the sun never seems to shine. She vows revenge and comes back years later, along with her walking dead servant and proceeds to wreck all manner of carnage and mayhem. Her main concern is taking over the life of her look alike descendant (also Steele). Bava has several masterpieces on his resume, this is one of them. Drenched in gothic atmosphere, as only Bava could produce, Black Sunday is still genuinely scary stuff. The servant Javutich crawling up out of his grave is still the stuff of nightmares.


3. Psycho 1960

A game changer is ever there was, Hitchcock’s film was not just the template for every psychotic slasher movie that came out over the years it changed the way we see movies. If it’s a scary movie we expect that no one is safe. No one had ever killed off the major character in any movie previously, certainly not from a major film maker. And Hitchcock’s genius shines in every frame, no matter how many times it is seen the shower scene still is shocking, the entire movie has an uneasiness, even the mundane scenes at the beginning have an edge. And the famous all strings music by Bernard Herrmann can still put you in a nervous frame of mind. A classic and still scary after all these years.


2. Carnival of Souls 1962

A one of a kind regional movie, made by people who made classroom and training films, on a very low budget with non actors, except for the lead actress Candice Hilligoss, (who is brilliant.) Carnival of Souls is not terrifying, but again, it will put you in an uneasy frame mind that can last for days. A major influence on George Romero Carnival is yet another movie, even if you know the ending, is worth revisiting many times. All of the scenes at the old Salt Air Pavilion in Utah are literally haunting. A text book example of what can be done on a low budget, if you have some talent. I first saw Carnival of Souls on Zone 2 in 1965, a local St. Louis tv show with a Horror Host played by Jack Murdock , scared me half to death.


1. Night of the Living Dead

The other game changer on this list. We have George Romero and his underpaid crew to thank for all the zombie movies that have come out since 1968, including the Walking Dead. And yet another regional film made by people who made industrial and corporate training films, as well as sports documentaries, Night of the Living Dead may shock you, it may horrify you, so if you are the least bit faint hearted, well, we warned you!

And, as I said this is a very personal list, I have to give honorable mentions to the original The Haunting, The Thing From Another World, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Brain that Wouldn’t Die, all of the Val Lewton series made at RKO in the 1940s, The Mummy’s Hand, Bride of Frankenstein and, what the hell, I love them all, whether they are still scary of not!

And a very Happy Hallowe’en to you all!

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD Screens Thursday January 7th at Schlafly Bottleworks

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“If you have a gun, shoot ’em in the head. That’s a sure way to kill ’em. If you don’t, get yourself a club or a torch. Beat ’em or burn ’em. They go up pretty easy.”

George Romero’s NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD screens Thursday January 7th at 7:00pm at Schlafly Bottleworks

With 8-years olds watching The Walking Dead today with Mom and Dad today, it’s hard to convey just how grossed out and appalled people were when NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD started popping up on movie screens back in 1968. Variety wrote back then: “No brutalizing stone is left unturned: crowbars gash holes in the heads of the living dead, monsters are shown eating entrails, and – in a climax of unparalleled nausea – a little girl kills her mother by stabbing her a dozen times in the chest with a trowel.” Yep,  NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD had it all: cannibalism, slow-moving zombies who always seem to be catching up, and women-in-danger tripping and falling for no reason. But it was one of the first horror films that refused to turn away from its own gruesomenesss and has become the barometer by which all Zombies Attack films are measured..

night-of-the-living-dead-2

The minimalist plot of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD makes it all the more horrifying. Simply put, a group of strangers end up trapped in a farmhouse as slow-moving zombies, who were created by radiation from a Venus space probe (don’t ask), try to break in and eat them. Among the house’s occupants is a woman (Judith O’Dea) who saw her brother attacked by one of the “living dead” while they visited their father’s graveside, a black man (Duane Jones) who attempts to take charge of the situation, a middle class husband and wife (Karl Hardman and Marilyn Eastman) who are nursing a young daughter who was bitten by one of the ghouls, and the requisite terrified teenage couple (Keith Wayne and Judith Ridley).

night_of_the_living_dead_3

The first time I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD was in 1974 at the Crown Theater in Florissant. The EXORCIST knock-off BEYOND THE DOOR was the main feature and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD played second. My friends and I were terrified and amazed (especially after that dull first feature) though most of director George Romero’s political and social commentary no doubt went way over our little 12-year old heads. This being years before DAWN OF THE DEAD or ZOMBIE, we had no idea how influential the film would be or the impact Romero’s little low budget black and white movie would have on the evolution of horror films. Thirty years later I interviewed eight cast members from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD on stage at the Kitbuilders Monstrous Weekend Convention here in St. Louis including Judith O’Dea and the late Bill Hinzman, who played the first graveyard zombie. Several of these were older folk who had never acted before or since, yet were being flown to horror cons and treated to long lines of fans willing to pay for their signatures. Behold the power of the first ‘Living Dead’ movie!

night-of-the-living-dead-stacie

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is a masterpiece, still holding strong today, and you’ll have the opportunity to see it again in all of its big-screen glory when it plays this Thursdau night at Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood (7260 Southwest Avenue Maplewood, MO 63143). The show begins at 7:00pm.

A Facebook invite for the event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/164879570542540/

Brought to you by A Film Series, Schlafly Bottleworks, AUDP and Real Living Gateway Real Estate.

Doors open at 6:30pm.

$6 for the screening. A yummy variety of food from Schlafly’s kitchen is available as are plenty of pints of their famous home-brewed suds.

“Culture Shock” is the name of a film series here in St. Louis that is the cornerstone project of a social enterprise that is an ongoing source of support for Helping Kids Together(http://www.helpingkidstogether.com/) a St. Louis based social enterprise dedicated to building cultural diversity and social awareness among young people through the arts and active living.

The films featured for “Culture Shock” demonstrate an artistic representation of culture shock materialized through mixed genre and budgets spanning music, film and theater. Through ‘A Film Series’ working relationship with Schlafly Bottleworks, they seek to provide film lovers with an offbeat mix of dinner and a movie opportunities.

The Ten Best Horror Movies to Watch on NETFLIX STREAMING

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Look at those monsters! Look familiar? It’s the We Are Movie Geeks gang getting ready for Halloween courtesy of Geek/Artist Jim Batts!

Speaking of our favorite holiday, it’s that time of year to dust off the horror DVDs and watch your favorite horror films. But what if you don’t have a big DVD collection? Well, there’s always Netflix – watch them now! I went through the Netflix streaming list of horror flicks and here’s what I came up with for the ten best horror movies that you can watch tonight…without leaving the house!

10. “The Legend of Hell House” (1973): An effectively spooky thriller from 1973 about a team of paranormal experts confronting ghosts in a haunted mansion is a prime example of how what you don’t see is often much more unnerving than what you do.

9. “Nosferatu” (1922): If you think a movie over 90-years-old can’t be scary, think again. Max Schreck’s Count Orlock, with his rat-like demeanor and long, bony fingers ending in talon-like nails, still sends chills down the spine.

8. “The Human Centipede” (2009): The “ick” factor went to eleven in the 2009 shocker about a mad scientist and his greatest medical achievement; the three-in-one human centipede! It’s a sick, twisted, repulsive joke but a scary one.

7. “Evil Dead 2” (1987): Scary, gory and hilarious at the same time, director Sam Raimi must have loved to torment star Bruce Campbell, putting him through the most grueling, blood-splattered experience an actor should ever go through. Who’s laughing now?

6. “Shivers” (1975): Venturing far into dark and unsettling horror territory, this early film from director David Cronenberg was a nightmare of zombie outbreak, promiscuous sex, and venereal disease.

5. “Re-Animator” (1985): An over-the-top, tongue-in-cheek splatter classic from 1987. Highlights include a brain removal, a bone saw through the torso, a decapitation with a spade, a crushed head thrown at a wall, and an exploding stomach with writhing intestines.

4. “Black Sunday” (1960): Fabulous Gothic horror epic in glorious black and white from the great Italian director Mario Bava who brought so much style and atmosphere to this 1960 film. Star Barbara Steele was the ultimate European Scream Queen.

3. “Henry, Portrait of a Serial Killer” (1990): Loosely based upon the exploits of notorious serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, this is a dark film about a deranged and demented soul. Michael Rooker as Henry is almost too believable.

2. “Carrie” (1976): A horror classic that has haunted prom nights ever since it was back in 1976, Brian De Palma’s film was the first adaptations of a Stephen King novel and is still the best.

1. “Night of the Living Dead” (1968): Almost 50 years later, and despite a zillion tries, George Romero’s original walking dead gut-munching classic has never been topped. Low-budget horror that redefined the genre.

This list first appeared this morning at www.ksdk.com

Check out our list of the Best Halloween movies to watch HERE

Cameron Romero Announces ORIGINS – Prequel to NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

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The Romero families directorial legacy continues with son following in his father’s footsteps. G. Cameron Romero (“Staunton Hill”), son of George A. Romero (“Night of the Living Dead”) announced today that he has launched his campaign on Indiegogo, for ORIGINS, the genesis story of the first Romero zombie in his father’s iconic masterpiece NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, with a goal of $150,000 for pre-production costs.

Set in the turbulent late sixties, the film tells the story of a brilliant scientist – Dr. Alan Cartwright – who strikes a deal with the military that will give him all the resources he needs to finalize his work in exchange for what he later learns is a price all mankind will have to pay.

“I feel carrying on my dad’s legacy is something that I not only want to do, but it’s something I HAVE to do,” says Cameron Romero. “because I, like all my dad’s fans, was raised on his creation.”  Producer Darrin Reed (“Lila and Eve”) said “The origin story deserves to be told by someone who passionately loves and has a unique insight into the original movie and nobody has that more than George’s own son.”

Fans can contribute to the ORIGINS campaign by visiting helptelltheorigin.com

Through rewards for contributing to the campaign, legions of fans will have the unique opportunity to participate in the making of the film by being part of a ‘brain trust’ that will be polled to help answer questions during the pre-production of the film. Other perks include items such as signed ‘legs’ and ‘arms’, the ability to visit the set, and perhaps most enticing of all – being in the film as a zombie and killed on camera.

Bloody Disgusting is featuring ORIGINS through its partnership with Indiegogo. This historical relationship marks the first time that a horror site has partnered with a crowdfunding platform.

The beginning of the ORIGIN campaign was launched with event in Los Angeles on Oct. 15 and will run for thirty days.

The campaign is already gaining support from companies such as Cold Steel, the Zombie Apocalypse Store, Dogfish Head Brewery and others that have yet to be announced.

Released in 1968 and directed by George A. Romero, the original feature is credited as being the first zombie film, which went on to spawn five Romero sequels over 40 years of cinematic history. Ripe with political commentary both on race and the Vietnam War, NIGHT OF THE LVIING DEAD has endured generation after generation and has inspired such acclaimed filmmakers as Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. In 1999, the film was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry and has been on multiple AFI Top 100 lists. It was distributed by the The Walter Reed Organization, and though the film’s copyright fell into public domain along with its zombies, the Romero name and legacy has endured.

And now with ORIGINS, the legend will continue.

BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD – The DVD Review

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Review by Michael Haffner

There’s no question that George A. Romero’s 1968 film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD gave birth to the modern zombie. No, we’re not talking about voodoo mysticism or Caribbean folklore which is where the idea of dead men rising from their graves at night stems from. What I’m referring to are the shambling, gut-munching, zombies who come back to life as rotting corpses. There’s no shortage of the “z-word” in pop culture these days as films, books, and television shows have all explored the subject. This is in large part due to one gory black and white indie film. With a budget of $114,000 and a script by Romero and John A. Russo, a horror film that tapped into the social conscience of the late 1960’s and still remains relevant to this day was born.

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Director Rob Kuhns guides BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD along in a smooth and sensible manner. He begins the film with a look at George A. Romero’s life in Pittsburgh as a struggling filmmaker. There are some humorous anecdotes from Romero’s early career including his work on Mr. Rogers, beer commercials, and a FANTASTIC VOYAGE knock-off commercial called THE CALGON STORY that truly is fantastic. What helps give the film a creative edge is the inclusion of beautifully rendered black and white drawings depicting the behind the scenes of these early cinematic years as well as the making of Romero’s classic dead film. While the artwork by Gary Pullin is stunning, I get the feeling that they stand in place of any real interviews with the cast and crew describing the filmmaking process. George is the only one who speaks at great length about the production. Several names are discussed and what there responsibilities entailed, however we never hear from these extras, assistants, and actors. Most obvious among those missing is of course fellow writer John A Russo. This is especially disconcerting since there has been a few different accounts over the years of the different forms the original script took on, who re-wrote what, and if the political subtext was always “meant” or “intended” to be there. As someone who has listened firsthand to both men speak at screenings and festivals – never together of course – I can promise you a debate for the ages could be had. BIRTH’S saving grace of course is Romero’s openness in front of the camera. His easy smile and jovial personality is a joy to watch, and his love for the subject of zombies can be felt through the screen. Of course he has told these same stories over the years for other documentaries and featurettes that have popped up on the endless array of home video releases; after all these years not a whole lot has changed.

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Gale Anne Hurd (ALIENS producer), Larry Fessenden (director of HABIT), Jason Zinoman (writer of SHOCK VALUE), and Elvis Mitchell (renowned film critic) are just some of the talking heads who dissect the importance of NOTLD. Each one shares their personal connection with the film. There’s no debating the cultural impact the film has had on these individuals and on the film community as a whole, but the link between NOTLD and the Vietnam War as well as the Civil Rights movement has been addressed ad nauseam over the years that the statements made here are far from groundbreaking. To those new to the horror genre, BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD does provide some insight into a film that is considered by many as one of the best horror films ever made. For some seasoned scare veterans, the novelty of seeing respected names like Hurd and Fessenden discuss the film may or may not be enough to make this a watch if you have already seen other docs like ONE FOR THE FIRE.

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George Romero can go on with the rest of his life and never make another seminal film to add to his career. Some would say he has done exactly that for over 25 years now. BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD is not without its merits, but taking yet another look at Romero’s first dead film isn’t as eye-popping as it would be to see a new horror film from the iconic director. At the very least, this documentary serves as a nice reminder to revisit an often imitated but never duplicated classic.

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE ZOMBIE – Film Series at Webster University Begins This Week

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“They’re coming to Webster U, Barbara…..!”

The Living Dead are coming to Webster University!

The Evolution of the Zombie, a film series based around our unquenchable appetite for all things undead, kicks off this Wednesday with the 1932 Bela Lugosi classic WHITE ZOMBIE (considered the first zombie film)and runs through October 20th. John Russo, who penned NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the seminal Zombie film way back in 1968, will be a guest at the fest and will host a writing workshop. This will be a fantastic opportunity for fans of the zombie genre to see several of their favorite flesh-eaters on the big screen and for film students to meet the man who help developed the rules by which all the living dead live (while dead)!

Tickets

Unless otherwise noted, admission is:

$6 for the general public
$5 for seniors, Webster alumni and students from other schools
$4 for Webster University staff and faculty
Free for Webster students with proper ID.

Here’s the line-up for the The Evolution of the Zombie Film Series:

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Wednesday, October 2 at 8:00pm to 9:15pm. Admission: $5

WHITE ZOMBIE

Location: Schlafly Bottleworks 7260 Southwest Ave, St Louis, MO 63143
WHITE ZOMBIE (1932) stars Bela Lugosi as as Murder Legendre, a shadowy character who exercises supernatural powers over the natives in his Haitian domain. Coveting Madge Bellamy as his bride, wealthy Robert Frazier enters into an unholy agreement with Lugosi, whereby Madge will die, then be resurrected as a zombie. WHITE ZOMBIE is scary, groundbreaking stuff

There is ample parking at Schlafly Bottleworks and great beer on tap!

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John Russo today and how he looked in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

The John Russo workshop – HOW TO MAKE MONEY MAKING MOVIES: Career Lessons from John Russo.

Saturday, October 5 at 1:00pm to 3:00pm at the Sverdrup Complex at Webster University, Room 123 – 8300 Big Bend Boulevard, 63119

Beginning as a screenwriter, Russo’s credits include Night of the Living Dead, The Majorettes, Midnight, and Santa Claws. The latter two, he also directed. He has performed small roles as an actor, most notably the first ghoul who is stabbed in the head in NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.

This workshop is free and open to the public but reservations, made to films@webster.edu, are required.

The Facebook invite for this event can be found HERE

https://www.facebook.com/events/198050990377237/

The rest of the The Evolution of the Zombie film series will take place at Webster University’s Winifred Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves, MO 63119)

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Saturday, October 5 at 7:30PM

THE BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD
(Rob Kuhns, 2013, USA, 76 min.)
In 1968 a young college drop-out named George A. Romero directed Night of the Living Dead, a low budget horror film that shocked the world, became an icon of the counterculture, and spawned a zombie industry worth billions of dollars that continues to this day. The film shows how Romero gathered the Pittsburgh, PA community to shoot “Night” in a guerrilla, run-and-gun style. Romero and his team created a horribly chilling monster – one that was undead and feasted upon human flesh. Archival footage of the horrors of Vietnam and racial violence at home combined with iconic music from the 60s invites viewers to experience how Romero’s tumultuous film reflected this period in American history.

John Russo (co-writer “Night of the Living Dead”) will lead a discussion follow the screening.

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Sunday, October 6 at 7:30PM

NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
(George A. Romero, 1968, USA, 96 min.)
The dead come back to life and eat the living in this low budget, classic by George Romero. Barbara (Judith O’Dea) flees to an isolated farmhouse after watching her brother attached and killed by a strange man. Barbara, Ben (Duane Jones) and a few others barricade themselves in the houses in an attempt to survive the night. Outside are hordes of relentless, shambling undead that can only be killed by a blow to the head.

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Sunday, October 13 at 7:30PM

DAWN OF THE DEAD
(George A. Romero, 1978, USA, 128 min.)
A plague has caused the reanimation of the dead, who prey on human flesh. Several survivors of the outbreak barricade themselves inside a suburban shopping mall while fighting against the undead and a vicious gang of militant bikers. David Emge, Ken Foree, Scott H. Reiniger and Gaylen Ross are featured in the first sequel to Night of the Living Dead.

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Friday, October 18 at 7:30PM

ZOMBIE
(Lucio Fulci, 1979, Italy, 91 min.)
Two guards investigate an abandon sailboat, the Antilles, when attacked by a zombie. Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow), The daughter of the ships owner, searches for information about her missing father. She meets Peter West (Ian McCulloch), a journalist, and they travel to Matul Island to search for answers. They cross paths with Dr. David Menard (Richard Johnson), who conducts to find a cure to a disease and brings the dead back to life, turning them into zombies that eat human flesh. Adding invaluably to the film’s bleak atmosphere is Goblin’s creepy synthesized score. ZOMBIE used to play at the Drive-Ins constantly in the early 80’s and 30 years later holds up as one of the best zombie movies of all.

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Saturday, October 19 at 7:30PM

THE RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD
(Dan O’Bannon, 1985, USA, 91 min.)
The dead re-animate and go on a rampage through Louisville, Kentucky seeking their favorite food, BRAINS, when a bumbling pair of employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air.

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Sunday, October 20 at 7:30PM

SHAUN OF THE DEAD
(Edgar Wright, 2004, UK, France, US, 99 min.)
“It’s just one of those days when you’re feeling a little…dead.”
When a mysterious virus begins to turn the residents of London into the walking dead, slacker buddies Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) must rise up from the comfort of their couch to save family and friends. To complicate matters, Shaun has just been dumped by longtime girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield), who is unsatisfied with the direction in which his life is headed. The group must try to stick together and stay alive, all the while journeying to the safety of their local pub.

The Webster University Film Series receives funding from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council – a state agency.

The Webster University Film Series Website can be found HERE

http://www.webster.edu/film-series/index.html