That’s right, The Crazies is being released on DVD on June 29th, 2010. I’m sure I’ll remember this film for a long time because we (Mutantville) saw it in the theater with the legendary Matthew Ewald.
For the most part I liked it. The camera angles were good. Nice camera movement. Great zombie or infected make up though. It is a remake of the George A. Romero film. You’ll notice on the credits that Romero was an executive producer on the film. The original film came out in 1973. To make the new film period, everyone walks around in bell bottom pants to the disco soundtrack. Ok, none of that last sentence is true.
If you’re thinking about picking it up on DVD, Help us out and get it here. We greatly appreciate the assistance!
With its lurid title and anti-government paranoia, The Crazies bears the stamps of the 1970s original from the start, but it fits our times remarkably well. We’re discovering poison in baby formula from China, so how much of a leap is …
Brett Erlich and Ellen Fox join forces with bloggers, comedians, students and citizen critics to review “The Crazies.” For more from the Rotten Tomatoes Show: rottentomatoesshow.com VIEW more Rotten Tomatoes & SUBSCRIBE to the YouTube Playlist here…..
That time is upon us once again, oh true believers. Where it once took decades before the master of modern horror would release another film in his epic zombie series, now over the course of the past five years – George A. Romero has released three new dead films and counting! This weekend, George A. Romero’s latest zombie opus Survival of the Dead opens on VOD, Amazon, X-Box Live and in a limited theatrical run. The Mutantville Players were fortunate enough to catch an early showing of Survival of the Dead during an advance screening premiere at the historic Carolina Theatre in Durham, NC back on April 2nd, 2010. MVP was pleasantly surprised by Romero’s latest zombie yarn as it was a light-hearted departure from the nihilistic overtones of the previous entries in the “Dead” series. Fans expecting another dark and depressing bloodbath will most likely leave the theater disappointed – but fans of enjoyable zombie romps such as Shaun of the Dead, Dead Alive, and Return of the Living Dead should enjoy Romero’s latest zombie pic.
Check out the official trailer on Youtube:
Here’s a nice little sneak peek behind the scenes of the making of George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead. As an interesting side note – MVP was able to view this early footage way back in February of 2009 when George Romero hosted the American Zombie Film Festival here in North Carolina.
Hop on over to Break.com and listen as the master George A. Romero discusses his ideas for his latest effort Survival of the Dead. Romero discusses what has been called his neo-western approach taken in his most recent zombie film.
In case you don’t like George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead, that is fine – we all have different tastes – but if you say some kind of nonsense like Romero needs to stop making zombie films – then you need to stop critiquing movies and in the words of the immortal Captain Rhodes – you should CHOKE ON ‘EM! CHOKE ON ‘EM!!! Haters will hate.
Keep on making zombie films, George. We’ll keep watching!
Posted 3 months, 1 week ago at 6:16 am. View Comments
Streebo, Dave and Jason prepare for the screening of Devil Comes Down!
As many of you know, our short film “Devil Comes Down” was shown before the early screening of George A. Romero’s newest film “Survival of the Dead” a while back. After the screening of “Survival of the Dead,” a 35mm version of “Night of the Living Dead” was shown at the Carolina Theatre in Durham. It was great to see this on the big screen.
During the Light Factory’s “American Zombie Festival” in 2009, I was able to hear Mr. Romero speak about the making of “Night of the Living Dead” the night of the screening. I also attended a seminar with Streebo. There were many stories that all filmmakers can relate with. Most of these are about overcoming obstacles and adversities (which is useful in life in general of course). It was very inspirational to hear he started from humble beginnings as well and above all else…..Finish it (referring to the film you’re working on).
As far as “Night of the Living Dead,” I enjoy that he uses a lot of emotion to pull the cast apart as opposed to many movies that are just chase films with no emotional attachment to the characters. There are some movies (I won’t name names…ah ah ah choothe New Friday the 13thooo…excuse me) that has tons of what’s the word….douchey characters that you could care less about. This movie you have someone to pull for and for the time period, it’s not the one that was probably politically correct.
In honor of getting to see this in 35mm on the big screen, here are some interesting articles about “Night of the Living Dead.”
Night of the Living Dead represents the end of a lot of things. It was the last truly great black and white horror film, released at a time when most horror films were moving to full, vivid color starting with The Curse of Frankenstein …
Such is the case of Jeff Broadstreet’s dodgy 2006 reimagining “Night of the Living Dead 3D”, a film that boldly attempts to combine two of Hollywood’s latest trends: three-dimensional technology and remakes. …
So, git ready for big surprise, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD… IN COLOR!! Something different on Tabonga Birfday Special 2010, mostly you can just relax and enjoy these wild an’ crazy color stills from this awesome classic-classic, …
Interview with George A. Romero on the masters of horror tv show
I hope you enjoyed the Night of the Living Dead info and videos! Please help us out by Clicking the “Like” button at the top of the article! We have fan pages on Facebook as well! Thank you!
Posted 3 months, 2 weeks ago at 1:38 am. View Comments
Shock Til You Drop just conducted an interview with the godfather of modern horror George A. Romero himself and they dropped the juicy tibdit of info that Romero has two more “Dead” films planned for the near future. Apparently these last two films will complete the arc begun in Diary of the Dead – much in the way that Land of the Dead concluded the arc begun back in 1968 with Night of the Living Dead. Shock Til You Drop will publish the complete interview in the very near future.
Our long odyssey to find closure in the saga of Devil Comes Down and the American Zombie Film Contest has come to an end. This past Friday, MVP’s little zombie film opened before a raucous house at the historic Carolina Theatre in Durham. Devil Comes Down served as the curtain raiser for an amazing double feature of George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead as part of the Retrofantasma film series. The Retrofantasma crowds at the Carolina Theatre are the best in North Carolina as they appreciate the genre and always set out to have a good time. Before the show – door prizes were given out including several one sheets for Romero’s latest film as well as three vintage Fangoria issues and an ultra rare G.H.O.S.T. t-shirt provided by Mutantville.com. The popcorn was plentiful, the screams raised the roof and the laughs kept coming as the packed house enjoyed the show from beginning to end. Romero’s latest film did not disappoint as it combined his trademark social satire with gut munching zombie antics.
As with all Retrofantasma showings – the movies were preceded by contemporary trailers to set the stage which on this night included Stanley Kubrick’s 2001, The Thomas Crown Affair, Barbarella, Herbie the Love Bug and many more! The very rare 35mm print of Night of the Living Dead looked crisp and sounded clear. Romero’s movie played as well as it always has with it’s stark imagery and social commentary carrying resonance even for today’s turbulent times.
MVP enjoyed another unforgettable night at the movies courtesy of the Carolina Theatre and Retrofantasma. If you are in the Raleigh/Durham area and you haven’t been attending the Retrofantasma shows – then you don’t know what you are missing. The Mutantville Players would like to thank Jim and the Carolina Theatre for allowing us to show our little movie in such a spectacular setting. We feel truly honored and blessed to have shared this moment with all of you.
The Mutantville Players were on hand for the historic events that unfolded last week at Horrorhound Weekend Indianapolis 2010! That’s right – we talked to George A. Romero, Sid Haig, Elvira, and Clive Barker! We were even on hand for the historic screening of Clive Barker’s Nightbreed UNCUT! So sit back and enjoy our adventures to Horrorhound and back and remember to keep checking with Mutantville.com for your up to the nano-second MVP news!
Listen up, my faithful mutants! This Good Friday, April 2nd, at the Carolina Theatre in Durham, North Carolina, Mutantville Productions’ zombie short Devil Comes Down will serve as the curtain raiser for the Retrofantasma fundraiser. But wait – there’s more! This is a momentous occasion as the night will showcase a double feature of films from the Godfather of modern horror – George A. Romero. Retrofantasma will feature an early showing of Romero’s latest zombie opus Survival of the Dead as well as the movie that started it all – Night of the Living Dead– all in glorious 35mm!
As you know by now – Devil Comes Down was a finalist in the American Zombie Film Contest hosted by George A. Romero right here in Charlotte, North Carolina! Yours truly was able to share the news with Romero himself at the recent Horrorhound convention in Indianapolis. Romero offered his congratulations and was excited to hear about the early screening of Survival of the Dead – almost two months before it’s official release date.
To celebrate this occasion, Mutantville.com is donating a few items for the traditional Retrofantasma door prizes. MVP’s contributions will include three issues of vintage Fangoria. The featured stories include George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead, Tom Savini’s Night of the Living Dead remake, and in remembrance of the late Corey Haim – one issue covers the Lost Boys. We will also give out one spiffy new G.H.O.S.T. t-shirt provided by Fast Custom Shirts.com and perhaps a few other knickknacks.
All proceeds will go to the Nevermore festival. Please come out and join the Mutantville Players for a great night at the theater courtesy of the Carolina Theatre in Durham. Be sure to join the fanpages for the Carolina Theatre, Devil Comes Down and Retrofantasma on Facebook!
See you Friday, MVP!
~~Streebo
www.mutantville.com
Posted 5 months, 1 week ago at 8:28 pm. View Comments
This past week with the cancellation of one shoot and aggravation of some misunderstandings about a pickup shoot schedule have served to remind me of just how much like a music band or even a family our group of merry guerrilla film makers really is. I can only speak for myself when I say that I love these guys I work with. They are my best friends on the planet Earth. I really do think that I have more in common with my partners than really anyone else. Sometimes, just like in a band, the singer might think that the guitar is walking all over his lead, or the bass player can’t hear himself and insists on turning up his amp until everyone gets nauseous.
The core members of MVP have been working together for the better part of a decade and that hard work is starting to pay dividends, but from time to time myself or one of the other fellas will slip into a little bit of burn out and get caught up in a quagmire of interpersonal B.S. I want to jump up like Valentine McKee , Kevin Bacon’s character in Tremors, and yell at the top of my lungs, “No! No! No! We HAVE GOT TO GET OUT.” Get out of the muck and drive on. Why? Because that’s what we do. Another shoot, another script, another project. I feel that remaining productive is the key to success as any sort of actor or film maker. George Romero himself advised Streebo this way. “Finish that first one and the rest will come.”
So, if any of you Mutantville Players are missing the invigorating G.H.O.S.T. shoots in the Albemarle Opera House, or feel your creative yen waining, remember this, if it was easy to make movies, anyone could do it. It’s not and and not just any group of people can hold the band together. You are a rock star already for being active creating your art! Above all else remember that Johnny Brento loves ya BABY!
Posted 8 months, 3 weeks ago at 2:59 pm. View Comments
Halloween is a week from now, and there’s one very special way to celebrate it in Evans City, Pennsylvania this year, at Gary Streiner’s 2nd Annual Living Dead Festival. Recently, I interviewed Gary about his role in the production of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. Through Gary, I was able to interview another of the key people involved in the film: his brother, the producer and the actor who played Johnny, Russell Streiner.
Russ was an important part of the Latent Image, a commercial filmmaking company which he founded with George Romero. He’s since gone on to work on many films with another NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD collaborator, John Russo. Russ was gracious enough to take some time today and discuss the legacy of the zombie classic with me, for his fans at Icons of Fright.
Phil Fasso: How did you first get involved with George Romero?
Russ Streiner: I started off wanting to be an actor, which I pursued through high school. And after high school, I went to the Pittsburgh Playhouse School of the Theatre, and graduated from their two-year acting program. While I was there, I was working in stage shows at night, and at one of those, I was cast with another fellow. His name was Rudy Ricci, and we shared a dressing room. Rudy had been attending classes at Carnegie Mellon University (back then it was called Carnegie Tech). He was taking art classes there, and he met George Romero in an art class. George was transplanted, from the Bronx to Pittsburgh, to go to Carnegie Tech’s School of Painting and Design. Rudy brought George over to one of our shows one night, and that’s how I first got to meet him. Then, within maybe six or eight months, George called me and asked me if I would be willing to be an actor in a movie that he was putting together, called EXPOSTULATIONS. And I told him I would. I showed up for my very first day of production, and really became intrigued with the whole film production part of the business, which I knew nothing about. I stuck with EXPOSTULATIONS as an actor, and then also helped out on the crew. That’s how George and I first met. And we went on to set up a business and worked together for about 10 years.
PF: How did your experience in commercials and industrial films help you to put together a feature film?
RS: Any time you get a chance to practice your craft, whether it’s in short form like TV commercials or longer form like industrials, all of that goes to help you refine your craft. And that’s certainly how our whole group got helped out, all of which led up to 1967, when we did the actual filming of NOTLD.
Read the rest of this interview with a piece of Night of the Living Dead history click the link below.
Sequels get a bad rap, and rightfully so – most of the time. The horror genre is especially rife with sequels, with many franchises so heavily spun-off that they have stopped being numbered. Not all sequels suck, and to prove it we found ten that are at least as good as the original – if not better.
Dawn of the Dead
The second of George Romero’s original zombie trilogy, Dawn of the Dead is inarguably the best of the three. A group of survivors take refuge in a shopping mall, but eventually decide to make a break for it. While not a sequel in the strictest sense, it is a damn fine movie.
Hostel II
A surprisingly good follow-up to the unimaginative original (which, in turn, was a rip-off of Saw), Hostel II focuses less on the slaughter of nubile coeds, and more on the men who buy the opportunity to do the slaughtering. While no less violent or gruesome, it offers a different perspective than most slasher flix.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
The seventh installment in the Nightmare on Elm Street series is a case study in twisted post-modernism. Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, and Wes Craven play themselves in the real world. Heather gets threats that echo Freddy Krueger’s M.O., and she needs to reprise her role as Nancy to defeat Freddy. Again. One of the most imaginative horror movies, sequel or otherwise.
Welcome to Mutantville Productions MVP Blog. Join Streebo, Brento, Geo & the rest of the Mutantville Players as they set sail on the high seas of guerrilla filmmaking in their ongoing quest to bring you the finest in genre entertainment.
from Icons of Fright:
