Zombie zealots amass to save cemetery chapel from 'Night of the Living Dead'
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Gary Streiner is trying to raise money and save the Evans City cemetery chapel featured in the movie "Night of the Living Dead." It is set to be demolished. -
Zombies roam the landscape in "Night of the Living Dead."
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Forty-four years ago, Gary Streiner was a 17-year-old kid standing in front of a ramshackle chapel building in an Evans City cemetery, helping to film a movie called "Night of the Living Dead."
These days, Mr. Streiner still visits that spot in the cemetery, in front of the same ramshackle chapel. But now, he's the leader of a growing band of horror fans hoping to preserve the chapel building as a piece of movie history.
In September, the Evans City Cemetery Association granted Mr. Streiner's request to try to save the structure, giving him one year to raise the estimated $50,000 required to repair the chapel -- the backdrop for Johnny (played by Mr. Streiner's brother, Russ) to utter the iconic line "They're coming to get you, Barbra," in the opening minutes of the film.
The effort has drawn nearly 2,000 people to a Facebook page, where they share and execute fundraising projects including T-shirt and poster sales, customized zombie portraits and sales of pieces of the decaying chapel roof. About two months into the campaign, they've raised nearly $7,000.
"People just want to be a part of this," said Mr. Streiner. "It's cinematic history."
Ron Volz, president of the cemetery association, said board members wish Mr. Streiner luck but said that if the effort falls short they will have no choice but to tear down the chapel. He acknowledged its iconic cinematic status, noting the chapel is the last remaining building featured in the zombie classic.
"We have people in town who want to keep it, but we need the money to restore it. He's come up with great ideas to raise money but 50 grand is going to be tough to raise, I think," Mr. Volz said. "But if he gets zombies from all over the United States to contribute ... he can raise it. It will be a great improvement over what's standing there now."
After a career in advertising in New York City, Mr. Streiner returned seven years ago in semi-retirement to a farm that he'd bought in Evans City.
First Published November 28, 2011 12:01 am
