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Screening to benefit EC Cemetery chapel
Source:
Cranberry Eagle
Written by:
Paula Grubbs
Published:
February 1, 2012
“Night of the Living Dead” enthusiasts are invited to join fellow fans of the 1968 cult horror film classic in celebration of director George Romero's birthday.
Gary Streiner, sound technician and one of the original investors in the film, announced a screening of “Night of the Living Dead” will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont, Allegheny County.
The screening will coincide with a Facebook effort to have one million people watch the movie on Romero's 72nd birthday. It also will aid the fundraising effort to save the chapel at the Evans City Cemetery featured in the film's opening scene.
“Night of the Living Dead” was shot by Romero and a handful of film-school graduates in the fall of 1968 in Evans City. Over the years, the movie developed a large and faithful group of followers, some of whom are now trying to save the tumbledown chapel that is the only physical item remaining from the film.
Streiner said that while the film is shown on television and is available on DVD, viewers can best experience its intended effect on a large screen.
“Night of the Living Dead” has been screened at The Strand Theater in Zelienople, and Streiner hopes to show the film at the Oaks Theater in Oakmont soon.
Because horror film aficionados tend toward creativity, Streiner said much more is planned for Saturday night's screening than simply showing the movie.
Streiner said he and dozens of others have been busy cutting out cardboard versions of Romero's signature thick-framed black glasses, which will be distributed to all moviegoers Saturday.
Organizers hope to get everyone to don the glasses and look at the screen in an effort to recreate the vintage black-and-white photos from the 1940s and 1950s showing the entire movie audiences wearing 3-D glasses.
“Night of the Living Dead” merchandise will be available at the Hollywood, and followers will peddle more than T-shirts.
Streiner said bracelets emblazoned with “We're coming to fix you, chapel” will be sold along with tiny caskets containing a piece of debris from the chapel. The caskets will be attached to a certificate of authenticity.
“For the real fans, that is something they would love,” Streiner said.
No “Night of the Living Dead” event would be complete without actors or crew from the film. So far organizers have lined up Dave James, who played the last ghoul to be shot at the end of the film, and crowd favorite Ella Mae Smith.
Smith is the only surviving ghoul who was recruited in Evans City, where she owned a cabinet shop at the time of the filming.
“She is always a crowd favorite,” Streiner said.
A silent auction is planned with zombie- and “Night of the Living Dead”-themed items being gathered on Ebay.com and elsewhere. Several fans are baking horror-themed cakes.
“They will be weird, whacked-out birthday cakes for George,” Streiner said.
“I'm sure he's flattered, but a little embarrassed by it as anyone would be,” Streiner said of Romero's response to the worldwide birthday celebration.
He said the effort to save the chapel, which will cost $50,000, has raised about $13,000 so far.
He brushes off the comments of those who maintain that Romero should pay to restore the chapel, which the Evans City Cemetery Association cannot afford to repair.
“People believe that George is Steven Spielberg,” Streiner said. “He doesn't have that kind of cash.”
But more importantly, Streiner said those coordinating the effort to save the chapel do not want Romero or any single donor to provide the money.
“The Facebook (Save the Chapel) group's reaction is that they want to do it,” Streiner said. “They are very, very cautious about putting too much of the burden on the original creators. The fans want to do it.”
He said the fans would take offense to Romero paying for the chapel's repair.
“George, I'm sure, will come do an appearance somewhere at a fundraiser,” Streiner said. “That is how they want him to participate, in ways that are connected to the fans.”
Proceeds from Saturday's screening will benefit the Save The Chapel effort.
“It's a cool thing to tie (Romero's birthday and the chapel effort) together,” Streiner said. “It should be fun.”
More information on the effort is available at www.fixthechapel.com/ or on Facebook.
DATE OF DEATH
WHAT: Screening of “Night of the Living Dead”
WHERE: Hollywood Theater, 1449 Potomac Ave., Dormont
WHEN: Doors open at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Film to be shown at 4 p.m.
WHY: Proceeds will be used to save the chapel in the Evans City Cemetery, which appears in the film.
COST: $6 per ticket. Tickets can be bought at the door or in advance at the website
www.showclix.com/event/NightoftheLivingDeadFTC
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