Moviemakers hope celebration will help save 'Living Dead' chapel

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Friends Gary Streiner and Rick Reifenstein Sr. know all about bringing the dead back to life.But the two members of the original "Night of the Living Dead" production team are quick to admit they aren't nearly as certain how to resurrect a decrepit chapel that is featured in the opening scene of George Romero's 1968 classic horror movie.Earlier this year, the men were in the midst of planning a "Night of the Living Dead" 40th-anniversary celebration when they heard the Evans City (Pa.) Cemetery Association was considering tearing down the chapel."It was like getting smacked in the head with a two-by-four," Streiner said. "They said they wanted to tear it down because it wasn't worth it to fix it. We hear it will cost about $50,000. It's got to be saved."The chapel is near the front of Evans City Cemetery. It is seen in several opening shots where characters Barbara, and her brother, Johnny, place flowers on their father's grave.Unaware that the dead are rising from their graves to feast on human flesh, Johnny, who was played by Streiner's brother, Russell, teases his skittish sister with what is probably the most repeated line from the movie: "They're coming to get you, Barbara ... "Reifenstein, 67, and Gary Streiner are so convinced the chapel should be preserved that they added a "Save the Chapel" component to the movie's 40th-anniversary celebration Friday night in Evans City's EDCO Park."We need to hang onto this," said Reifenstein, who is on the board of directors of the Evans City Area Historical Society. "You have to hang onto every bit of heritage you have. Don't let it slip by."The men first met 40 years ago when "Night of the Living Dead" was in production. Streiner, who was 19 at the time, was already working with his brother and Romero at the studio where they made television commercials and other small promotional and training films.There was always downtime and the "Night of the Living Dead" was born during one of those lulls, Streiner said.While Streiner, who is now 62, was part owner of the film and helped make the movie, Reifenstein was working as a motion-picture editor in the lab that processed and edited the film. It took two years from the time the movie was launched until it was released.Streiner eventually left the area to work as an advertising executive in New York City. He retired about three years ago to a farm in Evans City that he had bought in the early 1970s.After working on "Night of the Living Dead," Reifenstein lived in a variety of places working as a motion-picture editor and truck driver. He returned to Evans City in 1988.Neither man knew the other was in town until they ran into each other in a barbershop about a year ago.The two quickly re-established their friendship and agreed they should do something for the movie's 40th anniversary. The movie's premiere was held in Pittsburgh on Oct. 1, 1968.In February, they began working on The Living Dead Festival 2008. At first, they had no real plan beyond creating a Web site. They had no financial backing and no idea of exactly what they should be doing or how to do it.In a way, it was very much the way they made the original movie, Streiner said.After doing a little online research, the men couldn't believe how big a cult following "Night of Living Dead" has all over the world.Original cast and crew members will be available to talk and sign autographs at the Halloween event in Evans City. All ghouls are welcome -- nobody involved with the original production ever used the word "zombies," Streiner said. Topping off the evening will be a screening of the film.Celebrating a movie whose roots are buried so deep in local soil has been worth all the time and effort they've invested in the festival, the men agreed. Local businesses have been very supportive, Reifenstein said, and he hopes people who aren't fans of the film realize that nothing but good can come from promoting Evans City's ties to the movie."I am just so moved that there have been so many people behind us," he said. "(The festival) is a great way to get people here and then tell them about Evans City."For more about The Living Dead Festival 2008 and the Save the Chapel effort, visit www.thelivingdeadfest.com.(Rachael Conway can be reached at rconway(at)post-gazette.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)