You Can Help Support the Road Trip of the Dead

Many people believe that the birthplace of the zombie genre is centered in the Pittsburgh area. That comes for a great reason. Director George A. Romero has centered many of his masterpieces in and around the Steel City. Horror fans from across the globe hit the city and the surrounding area to find these horror hotspots. Of course, much as that landscape has disappeared over the years and they discover a much different backdrop.

Today, a couple of independent filmmakers (with help from Pittsburgh original, Iron City beer) are setting out to create a movie focused on these horror fans. Unfortunately, what they find is not what they expected and their documentary runs awry.

With any low-budget entry, the filmmakers need support to give their vision life.  At this point, they have secured commitments for horror icon Tom Savini, and Night of the Living Dead alum Gary Streiner (Living Dead Festival) to make appearances in the film, which is a reality-based slasher instead of the somewhat predictable zombie entry.

To help with this endeavor, creators William Sanders and Kevin Kriess launched an Indiegogo campaign to help fund the film and could use all the help they can get to boost their subsidy efforts. Road Trip of the Dead looks like an awesome project and one that should make any SW Pennsylvania horror fan excited to help out; for more information on this movie, check out their facebook page or their Indiegogo site.

Zombie Crawl in the Monroeville Mall - June 24, 2012

The guys at Monroeville Zombies have come together with the group from Save the Chapel to organize the ZombieCrawl in the Monroeville Mall on June 24, 2012.  That’s right, a Zombie Walk inside the famed Monroeville Mall, home of the George Romero classic Dawn of the Dead.

This event, sponsored by: The It’s Alive Show; Screaming Brain Studio; & Funhouse Arcade, is an event that is a must for zombie enthusiasts in the Pittsburgh Area.

Schedule:

10:00 AM – Arrival and line up
10:30AM – Zombie Crawl
12:00 NOON – Zombie Museum Party with games, celebrities, refreshments,
2:00PM – Zombie Costume & Talent Pageant

All proceeds will benefit the Save the Chapel movement, an organization dedicated to rebuilding and preserving a part of horror history, the Chapel seen in the opening scenes of the classic Night of the Living Dead.

All participating Zombies are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food product, to help support the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Taken Too Early - Bill Hinzman - (October 24, 1936 - February 5, 2012)

Earlier this evening, reports starting come in that Bill Hinzman has passed away at the age of 75. It is said that he died after losing his battle with cancer. Fans of Night of the Living Dead know Bill as the cemetery zombie in the landmark zombie film. Bill also appeared in George Romero’s The Crazies and Season of the Witch, among other horror films. In the late 80′s Bill Hinzman tried directed two of his own horror movies: The Majorettes and Flesh Eaters. Over the years, Bill Hinzman has appeared at numerous horror conventions and film festivals. Last year my daughter Jillian and I had the chance to meet Bill at the Saturday Nightmares Convention in New Jersey and I was blown away by him, not to mention it was a moment that Jillian will never forget. He is a horror movie icon that will be missed by generations of horror fans.

The Dead (2010)

I love zombie flicks. I have ever since watching Night of the Living Dead on Chiller Theatre so many years ago for the first time (don't forget to check out the Save the Chapel movement to save a piece of horror history). I will admit though, lately, some of the zombie entries have been a bit blah, doing way too much to change the classic zombie mythos. In fact, many seem to spin the same effects in an effort to take advantage of the swell in zombie popularity. A search for new and interesting zombie movies is full of uninventive and listless forays into retreaded realms. I hope that the zombie flick I chose for the evening does not fall into that category, that film is The Dead from 2010.

Plot/ In the very near future, most of the world has succumbed to the virus of the living dead. After crashing off the coast of Africa, Lt. Brian Murphy battles for survival across the terrible terrain of Africa in search of a way to get back to his beloved family in the USA. Saved by local military man Daniel Dembele, who is also searching for his son, both men join forces, all the while battling against the ever-present threat of the living dead

I love zombie movies; especially ones with the original George Romero inspired creeping undead. Fortunately, this movie was full of them. In fact, they may have taken them to a new level of creepiness within the beautiful scenery.  Sure, the story is a bit thin, the plot lacks life and the acting is so-so, but really, who cares. This flick is all about zombies, their attacks and their demise, which is truly the high point featuring strong make-up and CGI and some awesome gore effects (the headshots are some of the best I have seen). In the end, this is far from perfect. However, this is an underrated and original zombie flick that is full of social commentary and is actually a bit unsettling. If you get a chance, check it out!

  

Save the Chapel Benefit Auctions

As I blogged last month, the chapel at the Evans City Cemetery is in dire need of repair and the Save the Chapel movement has been started to assist in funding and coordinating the repairs to the piece of Horror Cinematic History. After some time, the organization has got their website up and running, complete with details on the chapel, upcoming events and everything you can imagine concerning this tremendous  movement.  Please  check  out  this  site at www.fixthechapel.com and help save this iconic piece of horror history. One of the great events that this organization is behind is benefit auctions on Ebay to support this cause, follow this link, Save the Chapel Benefit Ebay Auctions to discover some great OOAK Artwork.

 

Like this OOAK Painting

 

Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

As I prepare for a day at volleyball tryouts with the girls, I decided to finish my review of the second installment of the Resident Evil series. This flick, Resident Evil: Apocalypse from 2004 was more than just an ample follow-up, it may be the high point of the series. On a last note, there is still time to get involved in tomorrow's short film filming at the Evans City Cemetery (Evans Ciy,  PA) benefitting the save the NOTLD chapel.

Plot/ Alice comes to in Raccoon City, only to find it has become infested with zombies and monsters. With the help of Jill Valentine and Carlos Olivera, Alice must find a way out of the city before it is destroyed by a nuclear missile.

Of all of the Resident Evil movies, I honestly think this is my favorite and I also believe that it is a touch better than the first installment. This one featured a better atmosphere; one that was eerie and heavy, and a sense of immanent dread that the first seemed to lack.  The pacing was tremendous, the locations and scenery were solid, and the male-up (Nemesis was awesome) and effects had their moments (as did the acting). Sure, there was nothing really new or groundbreaking with this one, but it was more than just another sequel and again Milla was perfect as Alice. Yes, this again was more action / adventure than horror, but it is definitely worth watching if you get the chance and haven’t seen it.

Resident Evil (2002)

As I was looking for a movie last night, I decided to watch something with a zombie theme. This Sunday my friends over at the Save the Chapel movement are filming a short zombie flick at the Evans City Cemetery and unfortunately I cannot make it (for details on this shoot - check out their website or facebook page). Oh well, with this being Veterans Day Weekend, I decided to watch something I could focus on all weekend, so my choice was the Resident Evil series. First up for review, the one that started it all, Resident Evil from 2002.

Plot/ A special military unit fights a powerful, out-of-control supercomputer and hundreds of scientists who have mutated into flesh-eating creatures after a laboratory accident.

I will admit I have never played a Resident Evil video game, so for me watching the movies was my way into the ethos (something I like to do not being a gamer). This film was the first and possibly best of the series. Yes, there were some cliché zombie moments that were detractors, but those were few and far between. This flick was much more than cliché, featuring a nice blend of action, tension and horror, while laying out a layered storyline.  The atmosphere, acting, cinematography and pacing were all solid, not to mention a tremendous soundtrack and some great special effects that worked perfectly for the mood of the film. Milla Jovovich was ideal for the role of Alice (the rest of the cast too bad either) and did a masterful job throughout. Sure, this was not truly a horror or zombie movie, featuring more action and adventure than terror, but that does not matter. In the end, this was one of the flicks that re-energized the zombie movement and one that should be watched not because it was a video game, but because it is truly entertaining.

Save the Evans City Chapel - NOTLD

As I sit here preparing for the second Steelers vs. Ravens class of 2011, I was reminded of the history in this rivalry game (probably the best in all sports). These two teams have played some tremendous games and I hope this one is better than the one from earlier this season. Being home in South Western Pennsylvania to watch the game makes it so much better, because this is truly Steelers country.

However, this area (as many already know) is also the birthplace of modern zombies, seeing the light of day for the first time in the George Romero classic Night of the Living Dead in 1968. As I blogged last month, the chapel at the Evans City Cemetery is in dire need of repair and the Save the Chapel movement has been started to assist in funding and coordinating the repairs to the piece of Horror Cinematic History.  After some time, the organization has got their website up and running, complete with details on the chapel, upcoming events and everything you can imagine concerning this tremendous movement (including some awesome Ebay Auctions that benefit chapel restoration).  Please check out this site at www.fixthechapel.com and help save this iconic piece of horror history.

More Details About Saving A Piece Of Horror Cinematic History

This has been a whirlwind week. It started off with the great Undead Festival in Asbury Park, worked through all of my check-out procedures, and I now I settling in for my official retirement ceremony Monday at 1 o’clock. It is hard to believe that 21 years have passed by so quick and as of Monday (well, really December 31 as I have two months vacation) I will be done with my Naval career. On to bigger and better, right? Well, As I was sitting down tonight searching for more information on the potential West Virginia University move to the Big 12 (Let’s go Mountaineers!), I stumbled upon some more information about the Save the Chapel movement that I blogged about earlier in the week. 

This information was taken directly from their facebook page and stands as a historic look at the chapel that George A. Romero made the world see and a look at how the weather has taken a toll on the future of this iconic horror landmark.  Erected in the 1920s as a chapel (used for one funeral), its cultural status lives on. Unfortunately, a few years after construction, the idea for the chapel changed and it was basically a high-priced storage shed. Over time, the chapel has fallen into a state of disrepair. The windows are shuttered. The roof is leaking. Time and the elements have battered the exterior. Cemetery officials estimate it will take $50,000 in cosmetic improvements to return the structure to its former glory. Fortunately the original sound engineer on Night of the Living Dead, Gary Streiner, created this grassroots effort designed to restore the chapel and as he states, this more than a local project, it is a project that can benefit zombie and movie fans young and old.

“The cemetery is so iconic in the whole zombie-horror world,” he says. “If fans knew they could come to the chapel and see it as more than just a boarded-up building, it would draw a lot more people. It would be nice to see it become a ‘Night of the Living Dead’ museum.” Though the organization has until next fall to get the restoration ball rolling, it is clear by the initial response that the goal can be reached and the vision can become a reality. Fans are already creating zombie walks, movie viewings and art shows to benefit the cause, but there is always room for more, as they are looking for individuals from every walk-of-life or skill set to help.

The organization is building a website and will soon have a Paypal account to aid fundraising efforts, but until then, anyone interested can make donations ICO Fix the Chapel at:

Checks made payable to “Fix the Chapel” can be sent to:
NexTier Bank
P.O. Box A
Evans City, PA 16033

Yes, You Can Help Save the Chapel from Night of the Living Dead

  

Last weekend I had the opportunity to meet and talk with some of the cast of Night of the Living Dead, arguably the most influential horror flick of all time. For many, this definitely one of the most loved and classic films of all time and more importantly, it laid the groundwork for the zombie culture that we have in our lives today.

As many know, portions of this masterpiece were filmed in the Evans City Cemetery, and by now, many (even if you are not fans of horror) have seen the quaint little chapel shown in the beginning of the film when Barbara and Johnny arrive. As I found out in talking with some of the cast, this chapel, while still there, has fallen to a state of disrepair and it is in danger of being torn down. Gary Streiner, original sound engineer on the film, has started the Save the Chapel initiative, a grass roots group of Night of the Living Dead fans who do not want to see the chapel in the Evans City Cemetery torn down.

 (Picture by Sheldon Higdon)

Being from the South Western Pennsylvania area, this movement hit home with me as Night of the Living Dead was one of the first horror movies I saw on Chiller Theatre with Chilly Billy as a kid. I am not usually one who blogs about causes, but honestly this is one that can save a true piece of horror cinematic history and one that I plan of becoming more and more active with once I return to Pennsylvania in less than a week. If you would like any further information on the project check out their page at Save the Chapel. A website for this initiative is in the works, keep checking back for all of the details. Please spread the word and help us restore a part of movie and horror history!

This coming weekend, Northern Nightmares presents CHILLER THEATRE at THE STRAND THEATRE in Zelienople, PA where they will be showing the George A. Romero (and all-time) classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD to benefit the restoration of the Evans City Cemetery Chapel, as seen in the opening of the movie. All The event runs Friday and Saturday OCT 28-29 at 7:30 and Sunday OCT 30 at 4:00 and feature special guests Russ Streiner (Johnny), Kyra Schon (Karen Cooper), and Gary Streiner (Sound Engineer and Props master). Allseats for this event are $6.00. For more information on the screening go to The Strand Theater website or if you desire to do more, check out the Save the Chapel group webpage.

The guys over at the Corpse O'Clock News have made a great video on this cause, check it out!