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Home , Larry Fessenden, Night of the Living Dead, Ti West

feature : dead man talking Saw Massacre’ going on to claim that ‘ takes its inspiration from the racial and political strife of late-60s America to create an anarchic veritè nightmare, which overturned the conventions of dead man fantastical horror.’ talking Jon Towlson talks to , executive producer of the documentary George A Romero Birth of the , which focuses on legendary director George A Romero Now a new documentary, Birth of the Living Dead, shows ghghghg how Romero gathered his the realisation, as Romero has Dead immerses audiences in the Birth of the Living Dead In 1968 a young George A spent weekends in a deserted unlikely team of Pittsburghers remarked, that the living dead are time in which Night was shot. comes alive Romero directed Night of the farmhouse outside of - policemen, iron workers, simply ‘us’. ‘This is what we have Archival footage of the horrors Birth of the Living Dead was shot Living Dead, a low-budget shooting what would become teachers, ad men, housewives turned into, what we have done to of Vietnam and racial violence at in , Toronto and Los that revolutionised arguably the most influential and a roller-rink owner - to ourselves.’ home, combined with iconic music Angeles between the end of 2006 the horror genre, became an modern horror film ever made, shoot, in guerrilla run-and-gun In the late cultural from the 60s, invites viewers and the Summer of 2011. It was icon of 1960s , while during the rest of the week style, his chilling black and white rebellion by the younger to experience how Romero’s directed by Rob Kuhns, who has and spawned a they filmed beer commercials masterpiece. During that process generation brought the tumultuous film reflected this been editing documentaries in New industry worth billions of and adverts for washing powder Romero and his team created hippie lifestyle into the public period in American history. York since 1987. It was produced dollars that continues to this for their advertising company, a new and frightening monster consciousness. At the same time Birth of the Living Dead shows by Kuhns and his wife, Esther. day. Gathering together a team Latent Image. - one that was undead and mass demonstrations against how Romero created a world- Kuhns had been a fan of Romero’s of ten investors (Image Ten), The result became a manifesto feasted upon human flesh. What the war in Vietnam and race renowned horror film that was also work since the early 1980s when each kicking in 600 dollars for the modern horror film. In made the flesh-eating zombie riots in major cities were tearing a profound insight into a society he first saw Night of the Living apiece, Romero and his crew, their 2004 retrospective of the such a potent monster was America apart. Birth of the Living falling apart at the seams. Dead as a . Night which included co-writer John horror film, the British Film Russo, Duane Jones, Karl Institute described Night of the Hardman and Marilyn Eastman Living Dead as ‘a forerunner of (who also provided sound the angry thrills of Last House effects from their radio station) on the Left and The Texas Chain

Larry Fessenden is a huge Romero fan

18 Digital FilmMaker Digital FilmMaker 19 feature : dead man talking social statement horror films that he has made. As well as directing groundbreaking horrors like Habit (1995), Wendigo (2001), The Last Winter (2006) and Beneath (2013), Fessenden and his production company, Glasseye Pix, has also produced films for the likes of (The Innkeepers) and (), as well as acting in a whole host of movies for (), Jeremy Gardner (The Battery), Mickle, West and others. Alongside lending his services

Audiences flocked to see ghghghg had been playing regularly in New “I’ve always felt that horror was York since it first came out in ‘68. Kuhns read about Romero and a very personal genre and that it became fascinated with the story was an essential way to express of the making of Night. “Here was personal anxieties” - Larry Fessenden this crew of mostly working class people, not very experienced think what’s remarkable about Night of the Living Dead had, and in filmmaking and with very few the film is that you can sense similar films like Last House on resources, coming together to the cultural upheaval of America the Left, and some other movies make a seminal and world-shaking x in the late 60s in the DNA of the that came up in that time. But I film. It was a great story of a little- as an onscreen interviewee to Birth project. There’s just a questioning don’t think Romero was being movie-that-could.” of the Living Dead, Fessenden of authority. There’s a sense of political on purpose, I think it After filming extensive interviews also came on board as executive despair, I think, in the movie, was just a sign of the times that with George A Romero in Toronto, producer, offering suggestions especially with the ending, that this young band of filmmakers Kuhns started editing what would to Kuhns for further interviews anticipates movies that were outside of the Hollywood system become Birth of the Dead. But the that would help in the direction more directly addressing the got together and just their way project really began to take shape the film was going, helping with upheaval of the ‘60s. That’s why of thinking coincided with the when Kuhns started to explore the sound mix and generally cultural upheaval of the time.” the television archive footage of providing Kuhns with assistance Habit (1995), your psychological the Vietnam era. He saw the news in getting the film finished. Larry horror movie, reminds me stories of racial violence exploding a bit of Romero’s Martin (1977). across the country and horrific Have you taken any conscious combat footage of the Vietnam influence from Romero’s work, or War - and the US government from 1970s horror in general? responses to both - and realised “I’ve always felt that horror was that Romero and his collaborators a very personal genre and that it had created in Night of the Living Fessenden has probably was an essential way to express Dead a film about the world done more to further the personal anxieties, and Habit was coming to an end at a historic cause of independent such a film. It came out of my time of enormous upheaval - a horror cinema than anyone love of the realism of ‘70s movies, living document of the time in else in the past ten years, combined with my affection for which it was made. Once Kuhns and his own subversive horror tropes that I observed illuminated the historical context, sense of the genre makes when I was a kid watching the old his new documentary evolved into x him the perfect spokesman Universal movies on television, something much richer than the for the documentary and its like Dracula and Frankenstein ‘making of’ film that he originally commentary on Romero’s I think it’s such a remarkable from the ‘30s. So my own films envisaged. legacy: film. Horror movies at that were my effort to combine So then, how did Night time had become almost kids’ the gritty social realism of the Big influence of the Living Dead create entertainment with the old Vincent ‘70s movies with these horror Enter Larry Fessenden, a a template for the political Price and Roger Corman films, tropes. I feel that Romero was filmmaker who has been horror films that followed? haunted castles and stuff, and doing the same thing. I wasn’t compared to Romero for the Larry Fessenden: “I they didn’t have the grit that necessarily influenced by him so

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feature : dead man talking to participate because they’re not sure how it fits in. One of the worst things that happened to horror was Halloween (1978), which was so successful that finally Hollywood realised that rather than being a subversive bastard genre, horror can be a money maker. As a result, we have this landscape of remakes and repetition in the horror genre coming out of the studio system. But, at its best, horror comes as a reaction to the culture, as a way to shake up people’s complacency, and to get them to rethink the choices that we’re making in society. It really should be the punk rock of cinema. It should be rattling cages. That’s one of the pleasures. Because we’re dealing with something ghghghg that most people don’t want to think about: which is death, and death in the larger sense “I feel very strongly that the horror era, the assassinations we were of the self-destructive hubris of having in the States at the time, genre should respond to the and a real sense of anxiety and horrors of the day, and we have despair over what our future was. I think the best horror films rattle them in spades now” you and make you walk away society. For romance you go to of effects. So that’s a problem. feeling unsettled, I mean - that’s your comedies, which is fine. There’s a hundred exceptions. It’s the agenda. Just to make horror much as comforted that there a critique of consumer culture. which is about climate change. It’s filmmaker learn from it? For drama, you do drama. But possible that that new Godzilla as an entertainment is to betray was someone else out there with So in those days Horror was an also still a horror yarn. I just prefer “I think it’s an essential model. with horror you’re trying to get movie will be reminding us of the genre itself somehow.” the same agenda. I loved Martin alternative, outsider genre, and it to serve up my social criticism It’s one of the first true models at something dark about the our choices and that it’ll show a when it came out. I really like The was critiquing the culture at the with the pleasures of genre.” of independent production. You human experience, and I find that society in collapse. I only hope Film mentor Crazies, which is an early Romero same time as it was shocking and have a bunch of guys who had by definition you’re going to be that horror retains its vigour. What motivates you to play film, and all of the first three Living horrifying. I feel very strongly that Learning lessons cameras, that had experience confrontational there. So horror One of the reasons that Night a godfather role to other

Dead movies. They were all very the horror genre should respond Night of the Living Dead was working in advertising, they knew is subversive. And if it isn’t, it’s of the Living Dead is so effective filmmakers? In some ways you are engaged with the issues of the to the horrors of the day, and we one of the most successful their way around the technology because it’s being turned into a is that it does not wrap up and like Coppola in the 1970s creating day. They were social criticism. have them in spades now. I made independent films ever made. What of film and they just decided to spectacle, and that’s where gore give a comforting conclusion. It is American Zoetrope to bring other Obviously Dawn of the Dead is a film called The Last Winter, lessons might an independent pool their money with a bunch of no longer shocks you, but is, in open-ended and despairing, and filmmakers under his wing who local business partners - bowling fact, an entertainment with a lot I think that speaks to the Vietnam were likeminded as an alternative alley owners and butchers and the local people in Pittsburgh -

xxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx and they made the movie entirely

outside of the system, and I think it’s inspiring to this day. Because as an independent producer, I spend so much time chasing money, trying to convince people that my projects are interesting and unique, and it’s precisely because they’re unique x that the money folks don’t want

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made. Highly recommended. Highly made. to look at in the arts, to sort of of sort to arts, the in at look to Do you see a similar kinship kinship similar a see you Do some of the void.” the of some

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important independent films ever ever films independent important those are the most exciting trends trends exciting most the are those fun to be part of that.” of part be to fun that confront the viewer can fill fill can viewer the confront that

what is arguably one of the most most the of one arguably is what of them laughed at Lucas. I mean, mean, I Lucas. at laughed them of have movements in film and it’s it’s and film in movements have is that some of the smaller films films smaller the of some that is

of and historical significance of of significance historical and of when it first came out and some some and out came first it when in keeping this going. I think you you think I going. this keeping in desolate place. The only hope hope only The place. desolate

fascinating insight into the making making the into insight fascinating Graffiti and they all saw Star Wars Wars Star saw all they and Graffiti Innkeepers), who are essential essential are who Innkeepers), franchises and it’s really a a really it’s and franchises

of the film, Birth provides a a provides Birth film, the of other. Coppola made American American made Coppola other. Land, House of the Devil, The The Devil, the of House Land, the superhero tropes, and the the and tropes, superhero the

graveyard zombie at the start start the at zombie graveyard all friends and did support each each support did and friends all Reznick (sound designer on Stake Stake on designer (sound Reznick any more in America. We have have We America. in more any

the production, also played the the played also production, the and the fact that those guys were were guys those that fact the and heroes in our group like Graham Graham like group our in heroes don’t even make films for adults adults for films make even don’t

carrying out lighting duties on on duties lighting out carrying - Scorsese - Spielberg connection connection Spielberg - Scorsese - Mickle, and there’s a lot of unsung unsung of lot a there’s and Mickle, a desperate situation. They They situation. desperate a

Bill Hinzman, who, as well as as well as who, Hinzman, Bill influenced by the Coppola - Lucas Lucas - Coppola the by influenced approach to horror, and now Jim Jim now and horror, to approach

coming out of Hollywood. It’s It’s Hollywood. of out coming x

to Romero’s first ever zombie, zombie, ever first Romero’s to that very stimulating. I’m definitely definitely I’m stimulating. very that flow very naturally into Ti West’s West’s Ti into naturally very flow this monoculture that you see see you that monoculture this

Ending with a touching tribute tribute touching a with Ending outside of the genre as well - I find find I - well as genre the of outside movements. I think that my films films my that think I movements. voice and you’re not pursuing pursuing not you’re and voice

‘rigor mortis’. mortis’. ‘rigor different aspects of cinema - and and - cinema of aspects different other and brought about new new about brought and other the power of the individual individual the of power the

olds how to spell words such as as such words spell to how olds position, to be able to celebrate celebrate to able be to position, together and supported each each supported and together where you’re really celebrating celebrating really you’re where

the classroom, teaching ten-year- teaching classroom, the But to be in a sort of curatorial curatorial of sort a in be to But see how bands of artists stuck stuck artists of bands how see independent cinema in general, general, in cinema independent

film as a way to embed literacy in in literacy embed to way a as film the genre more seriously. And And seriously. more genre the

see a New York teacher using the the using teacher York New a see being made now that takes takes that now made being

Walking Dead. Bizarrely, we even even we Bizarrely, Dead. Walking there’s a lot of interesting movies movies interesting of lot a there’s

Night’s undeniable influence on The The on influence undeniable Night’s own project isn’t quite satisfying. satisfying. quite isn’t project own might have come and gone, but but gone, and come have might

with Gale Anne Hurd talking about about talking Hurd Anne Gale with and somehow just pursuing my my pursuing just somehow and of New York, and our movement movement our and York, New of

has become part of popular culture, culture, popular of part become has different artistic points of view view of points artistic different of people. We’re just doing it out out it doing just We’re people. of

comments on the way that Night Night that way the on comments keep the art vital; and I just enjoy enjoy just I and vital; art the keep the genre. It’s not just my circle circle my just not It’s genre. the

George A Romero smiles for the camera the for smiles Romero A George movies of the 1960s. Birth also also Birth 1960s. the of movies together and to take a stand and and stand a take to and together likemindedness, a seriousness to to seriousness a likemindedness,

than Sidney Poitier’s liberalist liberalist Poitier’s Sidney than society. The idea is to band band to is idea The society. that to the historians. But I see see I But historians. the to that

a foreign film distributor looking to to looking distributor film foreign a tucked into with relish, much to to much relish, with into tucked Night shown to be far more radical radical more far be to shown Night account of Romero’s undead undead Romero’s of account of capitalism and the capitalist capitalist the and capitalism of impact we’ll have. I’ll leave leave I’ll have. we’ll impact

with the Walter Read Organisation, Organisation, Read Walter the with scenes, which the extras extras the which scenes, Night and The Defiant Ones, with with Ones, Defiant The and Night Birth is arguably the most in-depth in-depth most the arguably is Birth against the corporate interests interests corporate the against I can’t speak about the overall overall the about speak can’t I

distributor, eventually netting a deal deal a netting eventually distributor, for the zombie gut-munching gut-munching zombie the for white, such as In the Heat of the the of Heat the In as such white, at 76 highly entertaining minutes, minutes, entertaining highly 76 at of artists that can stand up up stand can that artists of “I see a kinship. Ultimately, Ultimately, kinship. a see “I

York to try to sell their movie to a a to movie their sell to try to York business and provided the entrails entrails the provided and business racial relations between black and and black between relations racial horror film cycle in a similar way) - - way) similar a in cycle film horror sense of community, a community community a community, of sense the 70s? the

Russ Streiner set off to New New to off set Streiner Russ famously, owned a meat-packing meat-packing a owned famously, which purported to comment on on comment to purported which the whole 1970s apocalyptic apocalyptic 1970s whole the “I am very passionate about the the about passionate very am “I Romero revolutionised Horror in in Horror revolutionised Romero

boot of the car, he and producer producer and he car, the of boot Romero; one of the investors, investors, the of one Romero; and Hollywood movies of the time, time, the of movies Hollywood and Nightmare (which contextualised contextualised (which Nightmare makes you want to do that? do to want you makes Jeff Lieberman, who together with with together who Lieberman, Jeff

packing the answer print into the the into print answer the packing advertising executive clients of of clients executive advertising comparison given between Night Night between given comparison the documentary The American American The documentary the as an and a producer. What What producer. a and actor an as Carpenter, David Cronenberg and and Cronenberg David Carpenter,

independent movie. Literally Literally movie. independent as the zombie extras, including including extras, zombie the as Particularly revealing is the the is revealing Particularly been given similar treatment in in treatment similar given been with all of these other filmmakers filmmakers other these of all with Tobe Hooper, , John John Craven, Wes Hooper, Tobe

and tribulations of selling his his selling of tribulations and They enlisted friends and family family and friends enlisted They to the . war. Vietnam the to is perhaps not new - Night had had Night - new not perhaps is something of the same in working working in same the of something to the group of filmmakers like like filmmakers of group the to

Romero also reveals the trials trials the reveals also Romero from local talent. talent. local from the strife caused by mass opposition opposition mass by caused strife the itself. While his overall approach approach overall his While itself. to the Studios. You’ve achieved achieved You’ve Studios. the to in this modern-day movement movement modern-day this in

mainly a budgetary decision. decision. budgetary a mainly cast and crew they could muster muster could they crew and cast the racial tensions of the time and to to and time the of tensions racial the film that is just exciting as the film film the as exciting just is that film

shooting in black and white was was white and black in shooting City, PA, and rounded up whatever whatever up rounded and PA, City, significance of the film: its relation to to relation its film: the of significance documentary about a landmark landmark a about documentary

news footage look of the film, that that film, the of look footage news desolate farm house near Evans Evans near house farm desolate all provide great insight into the the into insight great provide all has created a visceral and exciting exciting and visceral a created has

also reveals in relation to the grainy grainy the to relation in reveals also spot for Calgon detergent, hired a a hired detergent, Calgon for spot Fessenden, Harris and Mitchell Mitchell and Harris Fessenden, and Vietnam, director Rob Kuhns Kuhns Rob director Vietnam, and

tells these stories with gusto; he he gusto; with stories these tells relatively well paid advertising advertising paid well relatively in The American Nightmare) Nightmare) American The in showing the backdrop of race riots riots race of backdrop the showing

film as a news anchorman. Romero Romero anchorman. news a as film camera with the proceeds of a a of proceeds the with camera Adam Lowenstein (who appeared appeared (who Lowenstein Adam Elvis Mitchell with archival footage footage archival with Mitchell Elvis

also wound up appearing in the the in appearing up wound also and his company bought a 35mm 35mm a bought company his and academic clout of Carol J Clover or or Clover J Carol of clout academic author Mark Harris and film critic critic film and Harris Mark author

host for another local station, who who station, local another for host ten principle investors, Romero Romero investors, principle ten of the Living Dead may lack the the lack may Dead Living the of with Romero, Larry Fessenden, Fessenden, Larry Romero, with

free publicity by a TV horror movie movie horror TV a by publicity free seed money kicked in by the film’s film’s the by in kicked money seed and while the interviewees in Birth Birth in interviewees the while and really was. Combining interviews interviews Combining was. really

for aerial shots. The film was given given was film The shots. aerial for Starting out with a measly $6,000 $6,000 measly a with out Starting Night has become a cultural icon, icon, cultural a become has Night zombie-meister’s seminal first film film first seminal zombie-meister’s

station agreed to lend his chopper chopper his lend to agreed station given the cash flow problems. problems. flow cash the given As well as its financial success, success, financial its as well As how politically charged the original original the charged politically how

news reporter from the local TV TV local the from reporter news surprised the film ever got finished, finished, got ever film the surprised everywhere. Birth of the Living Dead shows just just shows Dead Living the of Birth

zombie-hunting posse; a helicopter helicopter a posse; zombie-hunting production, revealing that he was was he that revealing production, tale to independent filmmakers filmmakers independent to tale news footage of the turbulent ‘60s, ‘60s, turbulent the of footage news

film with their dogs as part of the the of part as dogs their with film as he describes the fraught fraught the describes he as nevertheless serve as a cautionary cautionary a as serve nevertheless providing a visual comparison with with comparison visual a providing

were persuaded to appear in the the in appear to persuaded were Romero is cordial and engaging engaging and cordial is Romero recounted with humour by Romero, Romero, by humour with recounted with George A Romero himself and and himself Romero A George with

Romero’s delight. Local police police Local delight. Romero’s classic yet made. yet classic was accounted for. Such stories, stories, Such for. accounted was Including exclusive new interviews interviews new exclusive Including

up making millions, but little of it it of little but millions, making up

obtaining licenses. The film ended ended film The licenses. obtaining

striking their own prints without without prints own their striking d

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and simply started started simply and domain public d

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assumed the film was in the the in was film the assumed review

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film when international distributors, distributors, international when film

matters worse, lost copyright of the the of copyright lost worse, matters the f

little of the profits. And, to make make to And, profits. the of little

Romero and his investors saw very very saw investors his and Romero o irth b

their most successful film, but but film, successful most their

Night of the Living Dead became became Dead Living the of Night

move into the exploitation market. market. exploitation the into move

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