Be Local by recognizing ‘Night of the Living Dead’ on its 50th anniversary
Jeff Monahan of Connellsville remembers seeing George Romero’s ground-breaking film “Night of the Living Dead” for the first time as a youth.
During the movie, characters seeking shelter in a farmhouse watch as a television station gives news reports about attacks by the undead and announced a number of rescue centers in towns where people should travel. The rescue centers were towns throughout the region, including Connellsville.
“When I saw that — Oh! — that stuff made it so much more real to the people of western Pennsylvania,” said Monahan, an actor and filmmaker who would go on to work with and become a friend of Romero. “The reports were coming from WIIC (now WPXI) and Bill Cardille — (who hosted a horror movie TV show as) Chilly Billy. I think local people had more of a sense that this is a real thing.”
The classic 1968 film, made in western Pennsylvania, terrified audiences and forever changed the horror genre as it introduced flesh-eating zombies. It also was the first horror film to have an African American actor play a lead and has been analyzed for its references to social issues of the times. In fact, this low-budget, black-and-white motion picture became so indoctrinated into American culture that the Library of Congress inducted it into the National Registry of Films in 1999.
Be Local means recognizing area connections to Romero and the “Night of the Living Dead” as the 50th anniversary of the film’s premiere in Pittsburgh is celebrated this month.
Those connections include the George A Romero’s Filmmaking Program at the Douglas Education Center in Monessen.
“We’re thrilled,” said Kevin Fear, media relations for DEC, about the anniversary, noting members of the school were slated to attend an Oct. 6 NOLD screening at Pittsburgh’s Byham Theater where the film premiered.
DEC is hosting its own events to honor Romero, including a recent celebration at the school during the finale of SyFy’s “Face Off,” the television movie make-up reality series in which many graduates have appeared as contestants. Fear said DEC will also honor Romero Oct. 24 when it showcases short films created by students.
Fear noted many organizations are hosting events to honor NOLD and Romero this month. They can be found on the website www.romerolives.net.
Fear said of Romero’s partnership with DEC, “We were elated. It was very amazing. He being part of the school made it that much better.”
Monahan also spoke highly of Romero. He would go on to play a zombie in Romero’s “Day of the Dead,” work with Romero on the film, “Bruiser” and do rewrites on some of Romero’s projects.
“He became a friend to me over the years. He was a really nice guy. You hear things about him over the years and they’re all true. He was very nice, very generous. He was a really great guy and I miss him,” said Monahan of Romero, who died in 2017.
Both men commented on the legacy of the film.
“It paved the way,” said Fear. “It wrote the rules. When it came out, there was nothing like it and it was created in Pittsburgh, not Hollywood. It does hold up and with the 50-year anniversary, people are watching it again and showing their kids. And I think it’s great he stayed connected with Pittsburgh.”
Monahan said, “You don’t look at it and think it’s old fashioned. It still has an impact on someone seeing it for the first time. And it formed its own genre.”
Monahan traveled to Evans City last year and saw the cemetery where the opening scene of the movie was filmed.
“It was such a thrill to be there,” said Monahan, who also visited the Night of the Living Dead Museum in Evans City where he put his handprint on the Maul of Fame.
Monahan said NOLD “is a rollercoaster of sadness, humor, social commentary and it’s a good, scary movie.”
Christopher Whitlatch, CEO of UniversalWit, an immersive gaming company that is planning zombie games in a number of communities within the Herald-Standard readership area this October, noted there are always zombie events in conjunction with Halloween but noted that because of NOLD’s anniversary, “This is a special year.”
Talking about the area’s connection to NOLD and its sequels, Whitlatch said, “Western Pennsylvania is the center of zombies in the world. The films that were made here defined the genre.”
Whitlatch noted, “It’s in our DNA now. We can lay claim to it.”
Those interested in joining the Be Local Network can contact Ted Flowers at 724-425-7231 or by email at tflowers@heraldstandard.com. Discount cards are available at the Herald-Standard, 8 E. Church St., Uniontown, and at the Greene County Messenger, 82 W. High St., Waynesburg.