livingdeadboy
03-Apr-2007, 02:50 PM
"In 1968, a low-budget, black-and-white zombie film was made that would become a horror classic. "Night of the Living Dead" made a legend of its director, George Romero, and created a genre. An aspiring Guelph filmmaker is the latest to revive it. Much like the way the original film was produced, the Guelph version is being created with little money and no star actors. Its production company -- Color Red Productions -- is located in the home of its 20-year-old director, Reese Eveneshen.
Color Red Productions' "Night of the Living Dead" is approaching its first screening at the Bookshelf Cinema tomorrow and Eveneshen continues to tweak it in preparation for the big night.
He's among the cult of fans of the original and said the remake means a great deal to him.
"It was the first film that got me in the genre of the kind of films I like, horror films," Eveneshen said. "I had seen it at a stupidly young age and something about it got to me."
Being an independent filmmaker, Eveneshen said he "really liked the independent aspect of it" and that it was produced "out of the Hollywood system, which is the best way to make it (the film)."
The Romero film was produced on a US$114,000 budget. After years of re-releases, it has grossed an estimated $30 million internationally.
The film surrounds a mysterious reawakening of the dead and the struggle of a knot of protagonists to survive a night while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse.
Eveneshen is both an admirer and student of zombie flicks inspired by Romero's creation and said he "wanted to go back and pay a friendly homage to the original and say thank you. Zombie movies these days have become so overblown that I wanted to go back to what made them work; the independent feel, go back to the basics."
The cost of his 70-minute film was so low it might even impress Romero.
"It probably only cost about $100. The most expensive thing was a community hall we used, which cost $80 for two nights," Eveneshen said.
Other locations for the film included a cemetery in Kitchener and homes in Guelph and Hespeler. The residences were those of production members and their friends -- provided at no cost to the film.
Color Red Productions didn't pay its actors. Instead, it provided each with a DVD of the film.
"That's all they're working for right now, just experience," Eveneshen said.
"It was a cheap film (to make). We have all the equipment to work with."
The crew was limited, just the producer, Judith Visontay, and some talented friends were required to help operate the camera and do make-up on the big zombie day.
It saw about 83 people from Guelph and as far as Windsor become living dead extras. "And they all did it for free," said Eveneshen, still amazed of the amount of people who showed up to be the un-dead.
The entire movie's filming took a total of about two weeks. But it spread over months to fit around people's schedules. Production began in mid-October. The last scenes were shot in mid-January.
To recycle the title of the film, Eveneshen didn't have to pay for any rights.
"The movie is in the public domain, actually," he said.
Apparently when the film was made, it wasn't copyrighted.
"That's why you will be able to see several different copies of 'Night of the Living Dead' available at video stores," Eveneshen said.
Among those to remake the film was movie make-up and special effects icon Tom Savinia, whose big-budget clone came out in 1990. Columbia Pictures bought it and distributed it. Last year, a 3-D version even emerged.
Scott McGovern, technical director with Ed Video Media Arts Centre, which is putting on The Bookshelf screening said "Night of the Living Dead" has inspired imitations for several reasons.
"I think 'Night of the Living Dead' defined the zombie genre for modern cinema. To this day, it's a frightening movie and things have changed a lot in the last 40 years," he said.
He also said people, especially filmmakers, seem intrigued by zombies.
"People are naturally interested in (things) associated with zombies -- death, the unknown and the impending apocalypse."
To make his version stand out, Eveneshen said he made it his own.
"I re-imagined it. At the same time it's a remake of 'Night of the Living Dead,' it's our company's, Color Red Productions' 'Night of the Living Dead,' and it's a new take on the movie."
McGovern said Eveneshen has reinterpreted the narrative of the original film but "pays homage to the ideas in the 1968 film in a subtle and intelligent way.
"I expect that people who are fans of the original will appreciate Reese's version," he said. "Like the 1968 film, it was made on an extremely low budget, yet this never hinders the execution of the story. It also contains complex character development, humour and shows how people might react under strange and terrifying circumstances.
"Of course, it also has some great zombie scenes and some awesome gore."
After the premiere and another screening at The Bookshelf, Eveneshen plans to put the film online. He also intends to offer DVDs for sale.
Ultimately, Eveneshen said, he's more concerned with people seeing it than making money from it.
This film was made to give a bow to the original and Eveneshen said he was happy to have it finished and ready for viewing, whether it gets negative feedback from hardcore fans or positive from those who give it a chance.
Justin Dmitruk is a freelance writer, a journalism student and has a cameo role in "Night of the Living Dead."
This was in the Guelph Mercury newspaper this past Saturday. Look for a video on the screenings later on today :)
Color Red Productions' "Night of the Living Dead" is approaching its first screening at the Bookshelf Cinema tomorrow and Eveneshen continues to tweak it in preparation for the big night.
He's among the cult of fans of the original and said the remake means a great deal to him.
"It was the first film that got me in the genre of the kind of films I like, horror films," Eveneshen said. "I had seen it at a stupidly young age and something about it got to me."
Being an independent filmmaker, Eveneshen said he "really liked the independent aspect of it" and that it was produced "out of the Hollywood system, which is the best way to make it (the film)."
The Romero film was produced on a US$114,000 budget. After years of re-releases, it has grossed an estimated $30 million internationally.
The film surrounds a mysterious reawakening of the dead and the struggle of a knot of protagonists to survive a night while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse.
Eveneshen is both an admirer and student of zombie flicks inspired by Romero's creation and said he "wanted to go back and pay a friendly homage to the original and say thank you. Zombie movies these days have become so overblown that I wanted to go back to what made them work; the independent feel, go back to the basics."
The cost of his 70-minute film was so low it might even impress Romero.
"It probably only cost about $100. The most expensive thing was a community hall we used, which cost $80 for two nights," Eveneshen said.
Other locations for the film included a cemetery in Kitchener and homes in Guelph and Hespeler. The residences were those of production members and their friends -- provided at no cost to the film.
Color Red Productions didn't pay its actors. Instead, it provided each with a DVD of the film.
"That's all they're working for right now, just experience," Eveneshen said.
"It was a cheap film (to make). We have all the equipment to work with."
The crew was limited, just the producer, Judith Visontay, and some talented friends were required to help operate the camera and do make-up on the big zombie day.
It saw about 83 people from Guelph and as far as Windsor become living dead extras. "And they all did it for free," said Eveneshen, still amazed of the amount of people who showed up to be the un-dead.
The entire movie's filming took a total of about two weeks. But it spread over months to fit around people's schedules. Production began in mid-October. The last scenes were shot in mid-January.
To recycle the title of the film, Eveneshen didn't have to pay for any rights.
"The movie is in the public domain, actually," he said.
Apparently when the film was made, it wasn't copyrighted.
"That's why you will be able to see several different copies of 'Night of the Living Dead' available at video stores," Eveneshen said.
Among those to remake the film was movie make-up and special effects icon Tom Savinia, whose big-budget clone came out in 1990. Columbia Pictures bought it and distributed it. Last year, a 3-D version even emerged.
Scott McGovern, technical director with Ed Video Media Arts Centre, which is putting on The Bookshelf screening said "Night of the Living Dead" has inspired imitations for several reasons.
"I think 'Night of the Living Dead' defined the zombie genre for modern cinema. To this day, it's a frightening movie and things have changed a lot in the last 40 years," he said.
He also said people, especially filmmakers, seem intrigued by zombies.
"People are naturally interested in (things) associated with zombies -- death, the unknown and the impending apocalypse."
To make his version stand out, Eveneshen said he made it his own.
"I re-imagined it. At the same time it's a remake of 'Night of the Living Dead,' it's our company's, Color Red Productions' 'Night of the Living Dead,' and it's a new take on the movie."
McGovern said Eveneshen has reinterpreted the narrative of the original film but "pays homage to the ideas in the 1968 film in a subtle and intelligent way.
"I expect that people who are fans of the original will appreciate Reese's version," he said. "Like the 1968 film, it was made on an extremely low budget, yet this never hinders the execution of the story. It also contains complex character development, humour and shows how people might react under strange and terrifying circumstances.
"Of course, it also has some great zombie scenes and some awesome gore."
After the premiere and another screening at The Bookshelf, Eveneshen plans to put the film online. He also intends to offer DVDs for sale.
Ultimately, Eveneshen said, he's more concerned with people seeing it than making money from it.
This film was made to give a bow to the original and Eveneshen said he was happy to have it finished and ready for viewing, whether it gets negative feedback from hardcore fans or positive from those who give it a chance.
Justin Dmitruk is a freelance writer, a journalism student and has a cameo role in "Night of the Living Dead."
This was in the Guelph Mercury newspaper this past Saturday. Look for a video on the screenings later on today :)