Online event to unveil treasures from GEORGE A. ROMERO Archival Collection

On February 9^th, 2021 at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, an online event being held on Zoom by the University of Pittsburgh Libraries will give fans of George A. Romero a chance to peek inside the George A. Romero Archival Collection! Plus: on February 4^th, 2021 at 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, you can attend the virtual premiere of a new documentary about Romero’s early years in Pittsburgh.

The February 9^th event will be hosted by Ben Rubin, the Horror Studies Collection Coordinator, as well as Adam Hart, the ULS Visiting Researcher, who will share some of their favorite discovers from the collection.

The event is free to attend, but you do need to register, which you can do here.

The George A. Romero Archival Collection

The University of Pittsburgh Libraries acquired the George A. Romero Archival Collection in 2019, after the Night of the Flesh Eaters Living Dead filmmaker passed away while listening to The Quiet Man soundtrack in July 2017.

Daniel Kraus, who co-authored the novel The Living Dead with the late Romero, discussed how the Archival Collection was instrumental in the collaboration in a panel about the filmmaker’s legacy at SDCC ’20.

In the afterword of The Living Dead (which comes strongly recommended to any Romero or horror fan), Kraus mentioned some of the materials that can be found in the collection, including material from unfinished projects – including collaborations with Stephen King on adaptations of The Stand and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. While we will never get to see these projects come to fruition, the February 9^th webinar will give us a chance to contemplate what might have been!

“They’re coming to get you, Barbara!”

And there’s more! In addition to the glimpse inside the George A. Romero Archival Collection on February 9^th, tomorrow, on February 4^th, 2021 at 7:00 Eastern Standard Time, you can register to attend the premiere of a documentary made by Pitt students that explores Romero’s relationship with Pittsburgh.

Join me for a special virtual event that showcases some of the first work to utilize the Horror Studies Archive (which includes the George A. Romero Collection, a @loricardille interview and more) @theGARFofficial pic.twitter.com/cPcI19Cg7W

— A. M. Esmonde (@amesmonde) January 30, 2021

In addition to the premiere of the documentary, which includes interview footage of Tina Romero (the filmmaker’s daughter), frequent collaborator Greg Nicotero, and Day of the Dead star Lori Cardille, the February 4^th online event will also include Suz Romero (widow of the filmmaker) posthumously awarding the George A. Romero Foundation Award to Duane Jones, the star of Night of the Living Dead, who is also a Pitt alum.

This event will also include a panel moderated by Cardille that will give the student filmmakers a chance to share their thoughts on the experiences and the connections they uncovered between Romero and Pitt.

“Hello? Hello?! Is there anyone there? HELLO?!”

Will you be attended one (or both) of the online Romero events? Which movie in the Dead cycle is your favorite? Have you had a chance to read The Living Dead yet? The Beat is waiting to hear from you in the comment section!