Autopsy Of The Dead

"AUTOPSY OF THE DEAD" Executive Producer James N. Cirronella Sr.
Produced by Jim Cirronella. Produced and Directed by Jeff Carney.

In late Sept of 2007, Karl Hardman passed away from Pancreatic cancer. He was one of the talented creative forces behind Night Of The Living Dead as well as being one of the nicest and funniest people you could ever know. If you are a fan of Night Of The Living Dead and would like to honor Karl in some way - Please take the time and make a donation (in any amount) to the Animal Rescue League of Western Pennsylvania. It was an organization that Karl supported. You can reach the Animal League's website at https://www.animalrescue.org/campaigns/contribute
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Menu Screen from the Autopsy Of The Dead DVD

Autopsy Of The Dead is a nearly 2 1/2 hour documentary (without the extra features which add nearly another 1 hour of viewing) on Night Of The Living Dead. It's unlike any documentary or interview you have previously seen on that classic horror film. As we purposely avoided interviewing the same people (George Romero,John Russo, Russ Streiner among others) whom are always spotlighted in past documentaries, DVD commentaries, print and TV interviews. While their contributions to the film are well documented and appreciated, we wanted to preserve the stories of those who participated in NOTLD but have not had a opportunity to have their memories of the classic film told. In Autopsy Of The Dead you not only get to hear these amazing stories (21 interviews) that take you back to the making of the film but see rare and previously unseen photos/images/props and many more surprises. Autopsy Of The Dead is not made for the casual viewer but for the real Night Of The Living Dead fan.

And the reviews/fan feedback on Autopsy Of The Dead have been amazing. We appreciate the support of the Night Of The Living Dead fans and all of your comments as Zero Day Releasing has shipped Autopsy DVDs not only in the U.S but to Canada, UK, Austria, and Australia. We wish would could answer all the emails and print all of the feedback (which we really appreciate) but here is a handful of those reviews. More sincere thanks has to go to the cast and crew members of Night Of The Living Dead who shared their stories and their time with us. We made many new wonderful friends. It's great to see the fans enjoying Autopsy Of The Dead as much as we enjoyed making it.

Reviews

From Tim Ferrante of VideoScope Magazine (Spring 2010 issue) - "...Remarkably, these overdue interviews carry a warm emotional vibe. By casting the light of recognition on unknown and forgotten contributors, it's clear that they're as excited in sharing their experiences as we are in hearing them....Original filming locations are documented with entertaining dissolves between then and now, while unseen color photos of ghoul makeup sessions are precious viewing, as is the bevy of special features that beautifully augment the main program. Autopsy ably extracts lingering Night lore from many untapped sources. It has, however, accomplished appreciably more. It has bestowed the horror classic with a sense of heart, adding to a film that will forever scare the very breath out of its captivated audience.
3 1/2 out of 4 Excellent Rating."

From John Scoleri of Slaughtered Lamb Cinema - " Huge kudos to Carney and Cirronella for leaving no stone unturned when it came to digging up so many of the normal folks who found themselves a part of this film phenomenon shot more than 40 yrs ago. It's a very nicely produced documentary. Obviously a labor of love for the team behind it and deserving of our support for going to such great lengths to capture these original stories."

From The Midnight Pod Cast - "A fantastic DVD. It's definitely worth the price. A lot of fun. It's actually interviews with a lot of people who have never been interviewed about NOTLD. They have some great stories. They have great things to say about the movie. There are a lot of great things on here. Like the Midnight Podcast TV episode One - I went to the locations but they do it a hell of a lot better than I did and they actually take scenes from the movie and superimpose them over the exact same scenes now and shows you what has changed. It's just really, really very cool."

Jason Nagy of Zombies and Toys - " It features interviews and stories from the cast and crew that are not typically approached or thought of when one mentions Night Of The Living Dead. Rarely are we given some different perspectives. Imagine if your grandfather was involved in some way of Night Of The Living Dead and you have an afternoon to spend together alone. That is Autopsy Of The Dead. It is simply a fun film and a good time. This great film should be viewed by any fan of Romero's Night Of The Living Dead."

From Profondo Cinema - "If you consider yourself a Night Of The Living Dead fanatic of the highest order then I would definitely recommend that you go and pick up 2009's Autopsy Of The Dead. It covers the ground that the other documentaries didn't."

Derek Koch of Mail Order Zombie - "It's a solid piece of movie making and I highly recommend it."

And some feedback from some special fans/friends - cast/crew members from Night Of The Living Dead:

"An excellent production. I learned a lot of things that I even didn't know. Congratulations!" - Charles Craig (TV news anchor/Zombie/Posse Member from NOTLD)

"I watched it all. Everything in one sitting. It was a real kick in the ass for me. I totally enjoyed it. Seeing the old gang. A little like going to my 40th class reunion. I think it will become a must for real Night Fans. Thanks to you and Jim for making it." - Gary Streiner

"Not only is it a wonderful job, but I must say it was a great deal of fun for me personally. And thanks again for including me in the project. It's always nice to be a part of something special and well made." - Rick Catizone (Evil Dead 2, Creepshow, Creepshow 2, animator End Credit Sequence NOTLD)

Fan voting is in and Autopsy Of The Dead earned a Best Independent Film of 2009 nominee at the Eighth Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards.

And more Fan reaction with their Autopsy Of The Dead DVD reviews:

- "This is a must own for those that love the original trilogy. As deep as the Ultimate
Edition of Dawn is, I wish it was as in depth as this. Great interviews with people that you would never think of. Worth every penny. I wish these guys would do Dawn next."

- "It was the most enjoyable and best made documentary I have ever seen in my life."

- "For anyone who calls themselves a fan of the movie, the DVD is a must own."

- "Autopsy Of The Dead is the documentary that Night Of The Living Dead has always deserved."

- "One deep, dense, and detailed documentary."

- "Rather than the same interviews with Romero and company, new fresh faces with fresh stories about Night Of The Living Dead. Autopsy Of The Dead is for the true Night Of The Living Dead fan. Simply amazing."

- "Excellent documentary. This is far better than the other docs on the film. It's lengthy (yet fast paced) and contains interviews and reflections from cast and crew that haven't been interviewed to death before."

- "This is a real treasure to have."

- "Had a blast watching Autopsy Of The Dead. Very Entertaining."

- "A really cool documentary!"

- "As a long time fan of NOTLD, it was wonderful to hear the stories from so many of the different people involved with the original production - you've truly left no stoned unturned."

- "Got to say Jeff Carney and Jim Cirronella, you really hit it on the head with this one. For the first time in a long time I picked up some facts/insight into the making of NOTLD that I didn't even know about. This is a must for all fans of Night and for filmmakers inspired by the classic film. Thanks for the efforts in the making of Autopsy Of The Dead. Well done guys."

- "I enjoyed it a great deal. You guys did a super job. Talk with people who were part of the production yet somehow never got any attention. This film does just that and I love it. Jim and Jeff, you guys should be very proud."

- "Great Documentary. Really enjoying seeing all the less spotlighted members of the cast and hearing their recollections of working on Night."

- "If you are a fan of Night of The Living Dead you will need to see this. Very in depth...Very Informative...Very entertaining!"

- "Great DVD!"

- "It's a labor of love which is so evident throughout the whole DVD. Essentially it is a two-plus-hour collection of interviews with not only the main players and cast but also the lesser knowns. Some who have the most interesting stories to tell. Rare photographs with rare behind the scenes snippets, trailers, and music cues, a majority of which have not been included in other titles. Extras are great and include location comparisons (then and now) are interesting, profile on Rick Catizone of the Animators, trailers, radio spots/ the radio spot menu had me orgasming, a dedication feature, etc. Really Top Notch. It is well researched, well made must have for any Night Fan. Your collection is incomplete without it."

- "The documentary seriously delivers. Top Fu**** notch!"

- "Thanks for the hard work you guys put into this. You did an amazing job."

- "Autopsy Of The Dead was full of all sorts of interesting facts. Interviews with extras and various ghouls. Awesome comparison shots of the filming locations then and now and features I'd not seen before. It was very cool to see the various ghouls and crew members describe their experiences with the making of this film. Many of the people I'd never seen prior to watching Autopsy, so now I've got a new appreciation for the various unnamed ghouls. The stand alone documentary alone is well worth the price of the DVD and all the bonus features are the icing on the cake."

- Highly recommended for anyone interested in the original Romero dead classic."

- "Wow this is really good. Great documentary. Being a huge fan of the film it was cool to hear from some of the people that you never heard from before."

- "Great movie. You can tell that even after 40 yrs their memories are still fresh and alive. Congrats to everyone involved in the DVD."

- "I wanted to tell you both what a great job you did on the DVD. I really thought it was fantastic."

- "One of the best things about "Autopsy" to me is the filming locations segment "Then and Now" where we get to look at the actual filming locations from NOTLD in Evans City and what they look like now 40 years later. Great stuff!"

- "Fascinating documentary. Each story from the cast/crew was fascinating and I literally couldn't wait to hear what the next person would say."

- "It was a great documentary. I enjoyed hearing the stories of the "unsung heroes" that usually don't get interviewed."

- "Absolutely loved the DVD. Mind blowing."

More cities added to the Autopsy Of The Dead DVD Tour

Board up the windows and doors! Autopsy Of The Dead is coming to a horror convention near you. The Autopsy Of The Dead DVD Tour will make stops in the following cities:

2/26-2/28 - Steel City Con (Monroeville, PA)

3/12-3/14 - Monster Mania (Cherry Hill, NJ)

3/19-3/21 - Saturday Nightmares (Jersey City, NJ) w/ Charles Craig and Gary Streiner

3/26-3/28 - HorrorHound Weekend (Indianapolis, IN) w/ Charles Craig

4/16-4/18 - Chiller Theatre Expo (Parsippany, NJ)

4/23-4/25 - Motor City Nightmares (Novi, MI) w/ Charles Craig and Gary Streiner

4/30-5/2 - Texas Frightmare Weekend (Dallas, TX) w/ Charles Craig and Gary Streiner
This one is extra special since my favorite Director John Carpenter (Halloween/Escape From New York/The Fog/The Thing/Christine) is a guest at the show.

7/9-7/11 - Famous Monsters (Indianapolis, IN) w/ Charles Craig and Gary Streiner

Reunion show: HorrorHound Weekend in Indianapolis on March 26-28 featuring George Romero and the Day Of The Dead 25th anniversary reunion. And appearing exclusively at the Autopsy table: Charles Craig, Night of the Living Dead's iconic newscaster.

                 For more information, visit the official HorrorHound Weekend site.
                 More cities on the Autopsy Of The Dead DVD tour to be announced.

                     Autopsy Of The Dead.com LivingDeadDocumentary.com

Trailer #1

Trailer #2

Trailer #3

Charles Craig during filming of Autopsy Of The Dead in the original location where his newsroom scenes were shot in Night Of The Living Dead (office space today but in 1967
it was the Hardman Associates Studio). For those who asked - Yes that is the voice of Charles Craig in the Autopsy Of The Dead trailers. You'll remember him as the TV news anchor who was reporting on the dead returning to life in Night Of The Living Dead


         Charles Craig in the newsroom location during filming of Night Of The Living Dead.

NOW AVAILABLE at www.AutopsyOfTheDead.com and on www.Amazon.com

Autopsy Of The Dead DVD cover
Release Date: Now Available on DVD

In 1968, the DEAD walked...

Now the DEAD will talk.

Board up the windows and doors! More than 40 years after filming the 1968 horror masterpiece Night of the Living Dead, the 'dead' return in the all-new documentary Autopsy of the Dead. Packed with extensive cast & crew interviews, never-before-seen color photos and behind the scenes footage, visits to the original filming locations and other surprises, get ready for the most in-depth visual document on the making of the great American horror film that won't stay dead.

Autopsy Of The Dead is the ultimate forensic investigation of the classic modern horror
film Night of the Living Dead. A comprehensive documentary which preserves the
history behind the 1968 film, Night Of The Living Dead, which was directed by George Romero. A masterpiece of horror that some have called "the best horror movie
ever made" and "one of the most gruesomely terrifying movies ever made."

Featuring 21 all new interviews with those closest to the production, many of whom have
not spoken before on the film, the documentary gives the viewer unique insight and access to what the experience of making the film was like. Autopsy Of The Dead is among the longest documentaries ever made on the making of a film at 2 hrs 24 minutes.
This does not even include the supplement section on the DVD. There is a special 100 minute public screening version that will be shown at select horror conventions in 2010 - This version still allows fans to discover much more on the Autopsy DVD (another 44 minutes of documentary footage along with almost an 1 hr of supplemental material).

Producer/Director Jeff Carney said "A lot of interviews are turned into sound bytes which are short - Producer Jim Cirronella and myself didn't want to do that. Rather we let the people talk. It gives the viewer the impression they are sitting there listening in on a conversation about how the film was made. We certainly discovered some fascinating and entertaining stories. The most important aspect of Autopsy Of The Dead that I wanted to accomplish, along with Producer Jim Cirronella, was to preserve as much of the history around the film as we could which included giving those who were involved in the film, but have not spoken very much about it through the years, a voice to be heard.
Each of them had their own unique perspective and own life story to tell. We shot over
30 hours of interviews. While I edited as much as I could into the documentary, a lot
of the outtake interviews (over 50 minutes of additional footage) which are not included on the DVD will be available as online exclusives in the near future to watch for free at www.AutopsyOfTheDead.com , www.NOTLD68.COM , and at the George Romero fan site http://www.homepageofthedead.com/. The exclusive footage has a lot of
background history on the individuals we interviewed. The majority of that
footage is very different from what is in the documentary. So it's almost like having access to a second documentary for free."

Carney said "It's a very different documentary that what has been done in the past.
We purposely stayed away from interviewing George Romero, Russell Streiner, John Russo, and a few others who have been interviewed, both in print and on camera,
a lot in the past on the film. While I personally always enjoyed hearing them talk about
the movie and appreciated their talent and their own individual marks which they left on Night Of The Living Dead - Autopsy Of The Dead goes into a completely different
direction and is about those who have not talked a lot about the film through the years
and preserving their stories. Yet there will still be a few familiar faces and some new faces for fans to appreciate and learn about in our documentary. It's definitely not
the same stories which fans of the film have heard and read about for years."

"From the title alone, Autopsy Of The Dead, viewers are going to know they are going
to get a up close and personal look at the making of the film. We really dig into all sorts
of details. Fans will also learn some more about the three main companies involved in the film: The Latent Image, Hardman Associates, and The Animators. That's not to mention discovering never before seen photos, props, location visits, and a few other surprises."

Carney added, "Night Of The Living Dead has always been a influential film. Personally
it was one of the reasons I wanted to get involved in filmmaking. George Romero, Russ Streiner, John Russo, and Karl Hardman were all inspirations when I was a child
growing up and watching the film on the Creature Feature television show on the weekends. It's one of the most successful independent films ever made. Autopsy's 21 interviews shed some new light on that success and on the talented cast and crew which made the movie. Night Of The Living Dead deserved a new unique look on how it was made and what it was like to be on the set in 1967. Autopsy Of The Dead provides a detailed view of that."

Producer Jim Cirronella said, "If I had just one word to describe Night of the Living Dead, it would be love. While it may seem strange to describe a film in which the dead rise to attack and devour the living as "love," it is that rare cinematic work where the filmmakers' collective love and devotion to their craft is evident in every frame. It's equally rare that for a film initially dismissed by its critics, it was almost immediately loved and embraced by a worldwide legion of fans. Their rabid enthusiasm for the cultural phenomenon that exists today due to Night of the Living Dead can best be described as love. It's this same love and respect for the original film which compelled us to preserve its history by creating Autopsy of the Dead."

"Autopsy Of The Dead is designed to be a historical documentary on the film. We want to preserve as much about the film as we could from the personal stories to photos and materials due to the historical significance that this film has in the motion picture industry. We were definitely on a mission to document the history to the best of our ability. Each cast and crew member had their own unique contribution to the film which should never be forgotten. I'm very proud to say we preserved their stories. Night Of The Living Dead changed cinema forever when the dead walked for the first time on that silver screen back in 1968. Horror films were never the same thanks to all the talent behind the film " said Producer/Director Jeff Carney.

The first 200 DVDs sold only through the official site www.autopsyofthedead.com come
with a randomly inserted autograph. For complete details please visit the official site's promotion page. DVDs purchased from the official site are $24.99 (shipping included in
the U.S.).

DVDs are also be available on www.Amazon.com for $28.99 (shipping included
in the U.S.)

We appreciate all the interest - Amazon is already sold out but will be restocked soon.

You can still order via the official site www.AutopsyOfTheDead.com which has the DVDs in stock.

I'm also the cinematographer and editor. Jim Cirronella also handled 2nd unit duties with
the camera and directing 2nd unit. The production was shot in and around PIttsburgh, PA and in Washington D.C. The actual running time of Autopsy Of The Dead is 2 hours and
24 minutes. This running time does not include the special features - The DVD will have
a lot of extra features - total time of the DVD will be close to 3 hours.

Autopsy Of The Dead DVD back cover

The DVD specifications:

144 Minutes / 4:3 / Color

Special Features

· Locations of the Dead: A visit to the original filming locations

· 1967 Behind-the-Scenes Newsreel

· Profile: Rick Catizone of The Animators

· Archive of the Dead: A gallery of authentic props & memorabilia

· Blooper Reel

· Original Theatrical Trailers, TV & Radio Spots

· Original Publicity Still Gallery

The DVD is All-Region, NTSC format

Menu Screen from the Autopsy Of The Dead DVD

In addition there will be nearly 50 minutes of exclusive online content. You can see a couple of these clips here on the next page.

Many of the 21 cast members for Autopsy Of The Dead have never been interviewed regarding their involvement in the film. The Autopsy cast includes:
Charles Craig (Newscaster, posse member, zombie)
Kyra Schon (Karen Cooper, dead body at the top of the stairs)
Gary Streiner (Sound man, posse member with a meat hook, Image Ten Investor)
Bill Hinzman (Cemetery Zombie, camera assistant, Image Ten Investor)
Regis Survinski (Explosions/zombie/Image Ten Investor)
Ella Mae Smith (Zombie)
Bill Cardille (Reporter)
Dave James (Zombie)
Steve Hutsko (cameraman for Bill Cardille)
Bob Harvey (Helicopter)
Joe Unitas (Lighting supervisor)
Lee Hartman (Zombie, newsroom typist, posse member)
Rick Catizone (End Credits - The Animators)
William Burchinal (Zombie)
Bill Mogush (Zombie, Image Ten Investor)
Dick Heckard (Posse member "The Black Hat")
Charles Odato (Props)
Herbert Summer (Zombie who was shot at the gas pump)
Norma Jean and Ken Gass (family who owned the farm house)
Lee Hollihan (Cricket Sound Effects)

While the cast of the film are from Pennsylvania, I did have one Quad Cities talent, Kimberly Kurtenbach Furness, get involved with the production as the narrator. I've worked with Kim on several films in the past and it was great fun to have her involved once again.

Kimberly Kurtenbach Furness

Coming soon: Autopsy Of The Dead Outtakes Reel

Some photos from Autopsy Of The Dead.

Behind The Scenes shot of Kyra Schon, who played Karen Cooper in Night Of The Living Dead, during her "Autopsy" interview in the original basement location for the farm house. Actually the basement is in a office building that housed The Latent Image. It was the first time Kyra had been back to the basement since filming her scenes in Night Of The Living Dead.

Director/Producer Jeff Carney filming in the basement location used in Night Of The Living Dead for an extensive location supplement for the Autopsy Of The Dead DVD.

Bill Cardille during his interview for "Autopsy Of The Dead." Besides being a legend in the Pittsburgh broadcast industry and being remembered as the reporter from Night Of The Living Dead, Bill hosted "Chiller Theater."

Gary Streiner talking about the dedicated and talented team that brought Night Of The Living Dead to life.

Regis Survinski remembering his days creating explosives and nights as a zombie during the production of Night Of The Living Dead.

Dave James, another legend in Pittsburgh Television and the last zombie who gets shot in Night Of The Living Dead.

Joe Unitas, Lighting supervisor on Night Of The Living Dead, explaining the lighting which gave the film it's unique and memorable look.

Behind the scenes shot of Steve Hutsko who was Bill Cardille's cameraman in Night Of The Living Dead. Sadly Steve passed away unexpectedly just a few months after our interview. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Dorothy and the family.

2nd Unit shooting the Pittsburgh skyline for Autopsy Of The Dead. Assistant Camera / Assistant to Director Carrie McDowell behind camera and Producer Jim Cirronella taking some stills.

The monitor during editing of Autopsy Of The Dead.

Continued on Autopsy Of The Dead Page 2