Birth of the Living Dead documents the making of Night of the Living Dead

Got say, Night of the Living Dead  is still very shocking and disturbing today. Low budget, quirky, raw and continually violent. Someday, I will get the nerve to watch it again.

Finally, what looks like a good documentary on the making of this pittsburgh icon, tracing the film partly to the unhinged nature of the 1960's when scenes not that different surged daily onto American TV screens.

Don't know where or when it's playing here- keep your eyes out.

Beautiful Letter From George Romero in Support of Chapel Restoration

Earlier, I posted about efforts to save the Evan's City Cemetery Chapel, one of the last remaining major artifacts featured in George Romero's iconic, low budget masterpiece, Night of The Living Dead.

$50,000 is needed in less than a year.

From The Post Gazette:

"They welcomed us, in some cases fed us, and occasionally even agreed to play small roles in the film. They gave us all their support and then some. In this way they became the first people to not only approve but endorse what we were attempting to do.

"It was as if, in accepting us, they were willing to accept the far-fetched idea that a film made by what could only be called 'amateurs' might just possibly have a chance at success. The people of Evans City in effect 'teamed up' with us, subscribed to our hopes and dreams as if they were their own.

"The film, 'Night of the Living Dead,' was, as its title suggests, a horror film, which further prejudiced its chance at any sort of lasting attention, but the people of Evans City knew nothing about box-office shares or audience-response polls.

"We believed, so they believed. And, in a hundred ways, they enabled us to complete the film."

A long article. Apparently, Romero had tried to contact the people behind the efforts and after some bounced emails, had to send..a letter.

http://www.fixthechapel.com/

Night Of The Living Dead Fans Try To Rescue Cemetery Chapel Featured In The Film

The New York Times blog has a short piece about efforts to save the decaying chapel at the Evans City Cemetery. $50,000 is needed by next year, a very steep amount for a Butler county town with around 2000 residents. So far $7000 has been raised.

Ron Volz, the president of the cemetery association, praised the efforts of Gary Streiner and other like-minded “Living Dead” fans to keep the chapel standing.

“He’s come up with great ideas to raise money, but 50 grand is going to be tough to raise, I think,” Mr. Volz said. “But if he gets zombies from all over the United States to contribute … he can raise it.”

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The Post has a more in depth article.

Mr. Streiner said that he hopes to restore the chapel just as it always was -- no running water, no electricity, no gas hookup, just a potbellied stove. He hopes that it can be rented out for use at events such as zombie-themed weddings or graduation parties and maybe even function as a mini-museum.

Mr. Streiner considers himself blown away by the response from fans and the fundraising success thus far. Fundraising efforts on the group's website, www.fixthechapel.com, are just getting under way.

Posters designed by one Facebook group member are already for sale online and Mr. Streiner expects T-shirts to be available soon -- in time for the holiday season. A movie screening and benefit will be held in San Francisco in early December; there will be appearances on Internet radio shows.

To help visit, Fixthechapel.com

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