Title: John Russo to throw more dirt on NOTLD
William S. Wilson - April 28, 2008 07:13 PM (GMT)
I don't know what it is, but someone keeps giving him money to make these abominations. From Fangoria.com:
| QUOTE |
Monterrey Pictures gave Fango the word that it’s moving forward with ESCAPE OF THE LIVING DEAD, the film adaptation of the Avatar Press comic that we previously discussed here). John Russo, whose screenplay inspired the four-color edition, is set to direct, and fellow NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD veteran Russ Streiner will produce alongside Monterrey’s Joe Majestic and Independent-International’s Sam Sherman. ESCAPE will be the first of several planned productions from Monterrey’s new genre label MM.Underground.
Set in 1971, three years after the events of NIGHT, ESCAPE deals with a group of surviving ghouls being accidentally set free from a research lab, leading to a new flesheating plague. A genre-friendly cast has signed on for the project, including Tony Todd, Gunnar Hansen and Kristina (Rob Zombie’s HALLOWEEN) Klebe, along with Amber Stevens from ABC’s GREEK. |
Craig Blamer - April 29, 2008 04:25 AM (GMT)
While there's no way I'm gonna defend the 30th Anniversary... thing, I don't see where this is throwing dirt on Night of the Living Dead. Especially since you've got things like Night of the Living Dead 3D getting made without their approval, let alone getting a cut.
These folks (cowriter Russo, producer Steiner, et al) got screwed on the money for the original. The only currency they have out of the deal is that they were involved, so I don't see how using that to launch related projects is anathema. Wasn't that the deal they made with Romero way back when? He has custody of "Dead" and they get "Living Dead"?
And seeing how the Return of the Living Dead franchise has worked out over the years, they're still getting screwed. Sort of like the Romero/Rubenstein dynamic.
I mean, is any of them gonna get residuals off of the upcoming 40th Anniversary disc from Dimension? Is the only money they're allowed to make out of their involvement is by showing up at the Fango conventions? Here's your bone, now go back to Pittsburgh.
Sure, it's flogging a living dead horse, but it's what they've got.
Now, I wasn't all that impressed with the Escape of the Living Dead comics, but that was mostly because of the artwork. Who knows... Russo has some chops as a director, maybe it'll turn out to be an interesting movie.
Couldn't be worse than how Children of the Living Dead turned out.
Bob Gutowski - April 29, 2008 03:43 PM (GMT)
Why even both to come up with lame titles, though? From now on, why not just number 'em?
Michael R. Felsher - April 29, 2008 06:07 PM (GMT)
Just for the record...
The upcoming 40th Anniversary DVD from Weinstein is a direct license agreement with the Image 10 folks, so yes this will be a money generating release for the original producers and investors.
Craig Blamer - April 29, 2008 09:30 PM (GMT)
Bob Gutowski - April 30, 2008 06:11 PM (GMT)
How about LIVES OF THE LIVING DEAD?
William S. Wilson - May 1, 2008 01:35 AM (GMT)
| QUOTE (Bob Gutowski @ Apr 30 2008, 12:11 PM) |
| How about LIVES OF THE LIVING DEAD? |
"Like sands through the hourglass..."
Craig Blamer - May 1, 2008 01:39 AM (GMT)
Romero can counter with Days of Our Dead.