Redefining the genre: Local filmmaker talks about Romero classic ‘Night of the Living Dead’
鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥� is a classic horror movies with ties to the area. (Submitted photo)
Jeff Monahan
鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥�
Associated Press
Associated Press
Director George Romero poses with some fans dressed as zombies after accepting a special award during the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 12, 2009, in Toronto. Romero鈥檚 classic 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥� and other horror films turned zombie movies into social commentaries, and his flesh-devouring undead spawned countless imitators, remakes and homages.
Its budget was small, but its impact was big.
Fifty-four years after 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥� was released, the George A. Romero classic continues to endure.
鈥淐ulturally, besides adding a whole new 鈥榤onster鈥� into the pantheon of creatures, it was always George鈥檚 approach that the real monsters of the piece were the living humans who couldn鈥檛 get along with each other enough to solve the threat that they were under,鈥� said Jeff Monahan, an actor, writer and director from Connellsville who鈥檚 worked with Romero.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 so relevant today with all of the troubles in the world we have now 鈥� not so much because of the problems themselves, which are significant, but because people often can鈥檛 put aside their prejudices and narrow-minded thinking long enough to do anything constructive,鈥� he said.
Filmed in and around Pittsburgh and released in 1968, 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥� follows seven people barricaded in a rural farmhouse in western Pennsylvania as it is under assault by an ever-growing group of zombies. Until then, Monahan said, movie zombies were 鈥淰oodoo automatons,鈥� and the film redefined them as 鈥渓iving-dead flesh eaters.鈥�
Even though the antagonists in the film were never referred to as 鈥渮ombies,鈥� the movie spawned a subgenre of horror that鈥檚 influenced literally hundreds of movies and television shows, said Monahan.
And he should know. The actor, writer and director has appeared in movies like 鈥淟one Star鈥� and 鈥淟ast Flag Flying,鈥� and television shows like 鈥淥utsiders鈥� and most recently, 鈥淪pree鈥� on Freevee.
Monahan worked as an actor in several of Romero鈥檚 films, including 鈥淒ay of the Dead鈥� (where he played a zombie), 鈥淭he Dark Half鈥� (which was partially filmed in Washington County) and the 2020 thriller 鈥淏ruiser.鈥� Monahan also collaborated with Romero on the television series 鈥淕eorge A. Romero Presents Deadtime Stories,鈥� and worked as a screenwriter on several of Romero鈥檚 later scripts.
In all, Romero directed 17 movies and co-wrote 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead,鈥� which continues to hold up to the blockbusters of today, Monahan said.
鈥淏esides being a very technically proficient as a film, creating suspense and making us care about the characters, it talks about human emotions and issues, and that鈥檚 always something drama deals with because it鈥檚 always present in our lives,鈥� Monahan said.
He added that the team behind 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead,鈥� which also included co-writer John Russo and producer/actor Russ Streiner, wanted to make a good movie on the small budget they had.
鈥淕eorge told me that nowadays people talk about the technical things like cameras that can do this or that, but he said he often didn鈥檛 even know what some of that meant, like when a cameraman would tell him that new cameras can make the black background blacker,鈥� Monahan said. 鈥淗e said that as long as you have a good story, the audience will care about that and not need the bells and whistles that often put form over content.鈥�
According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), the film鈥檚 budget was about $114,000 (equivalent to about $941,800 in 2022). Its gross: $30 million (equivalent to $247.8 million in 2022), making it one of the most profitable independent movies ever made.
Beyond the movie鈥檚 contributions to cinema, it has also made an impact on Southwestern Pennsylvania. Monahan said there鈥檚 a certain pride that filmmakers in Pittsburgh have about working in the birthplace of a little independent movie that made history in horror.
鈥淚 think it gives us all confidence that if a little movie shot around here can have such a universal and long-lasting impact, then anything鈥檚 possible,鈥� Monahan said.
He recalled Romero, who died in 2017, as a 鈥済reat guy鈥� who regularly did the unexpected.
鈥淢y fondest memory of him was when we recited the opening monologue of 鈥楻ichard III鈥� together from his balcony in Toronto,鈥� Monahan said. 鈥淗e was full of surprises.鈥�
Those who鈥檇 like to see 鈥淣ight of the Living Dead鈥� on the big screen will have the opportunity to do so locally on Friday, Oct. 21.
At 2 and 7 p.m., the movie will be shown at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown as part of its Classic Film Series.
Tickets can be purchased at the theater and are $5 and $3 for seniors and students.
For more information, visit statetheatre.info