By Geno McGahee
First Run Features & Glass Eye Pix
Documentary by Rob Kuhns
I am a huge fan of the 1968 classic “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD,” despite the fact that I’m not a huge zombie fan. George A. Romero changed the face of horror with this raw horror flick that made its way from obscurity to the big screen and then into movie history. A new documentary “BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD” digs into the past of this film, relating the impact of the movie to the events of the time.
Immediately we are brought into the early life of Romero and his work on the Mr. Rogers show, which was very interesting and amusing. The transition from his early work on the show to filming commercials to deciding to make a movie is very interesting. Like most filmmakers, Romero had an idea for a film but decided to make a horror movie because it was the easiest route to getting a deal and making some progress in the film world. He wrote “NIGHT OF THE FLESH EATERS” and began filming his ghoulish movie on a budget of just over 100 grand, not believing that he’d ever finish it.
The most interesting elements of this film was the process of making an independent horror film and the inside stories. The connection is made and then constantly repeated of race relations of the time and the film itself. With the main character being African American and race riots happening all over the place, focus shifts from the horror movie itself to this storyline and it is interesting, at first, but repetitive and grasping at times.
A lot of time is spent on people that you couldn’t care less about, if you are a horror fan. There is a teacher in the Bronx that shows films to his young students and talks about the impact of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD and it’s just filler. This really isn’t a horror documentary. It attempts to tie this horror film to the world around it and the viewer will get it in about two minutes without the continual references. I am not sure that this film will satisfy the fans of Romero’s work.
BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD has some good elements to it, but those chosen as subjects for interviews and opinions are confusing. I wouldn’t call this movie a failure, but if you are looking for a real inside look into the movie that you love, you won’t find it here. The shift in focus from the film to the chaotic times, mixed with the questionable interview subjects makes this a disappointment. I recommend it but it was pretty uneven.
Rating: 5.5/10
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