Praise for Rob Kuhns' BIRTH OF THE LIVING DEAD



"RIVETING... JAW-DROPPING... GLORIOUS. What distinguishes this doc from much of the tedious critical prose Romero has inspired is the fan-boy and fan-girl ardor that fuels its smarts--both behind and in front of the camera. Interview subjects, from producer Gale Anne Hurd (who says she drew heavily from the film in creating the cable TV hit The Walking Dead) to various film scholars, directors, and critics, all key their commentary into the film's visceral power and the unpretentious intelligence behind it. An utterly charming figure who often ends his sentences with "man," Romero fills in behind-the-scenes tales that likely haven't been heard by many before, and they are riveting; his story of the film's copyright battle is jaw-dropping." - Ernest Hardy, LA Weekly / The Village Voice

"CRITIC'S PICK! Mr. Romero, manifesting a self-effacing demeanor and sensible humanity, is a most agreeable raconteur." - Andy Webster, The New York Times

" Provocative... refreshing!" - Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out NY

"Filled with lively, candid interview clips with a jaunty Romero, plus smart chats with film critics, authors, filmmakers and others, 'Birth' efficiently tracks 'Night's' guerrilla-style production, roller-coaster theatrical release, wildly varied critical response and eventual status as a highly profitable -- if accidentally copyright-impaired -- cult classic."
- Gary Goldstein, LA Times

"Rob Kuhns' marvelous doc about the making of Night of the Living Dead looks at all the ways one low-budget, flesh-eating horror movie changed the world. It's full of juicy anecdotes that detail how George A. Romero made necessity into the mother of nightmare invention. A." - Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

"Absolutely gripping...Extremely entertaining! Fascinating behind-the-scenes details. A thrilling examination of the little horror movie that could." - This Week in New York

"Highly entertaining! Insightful interviews and juicy anecdotes."
- Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

"What first appears to be a standard “making of” feature becomes a more ambitious combination of historical perspective and socio-political commentary... by placing Romero’s film at the epicenter of its volatile era, 'Birth of the Living Dead' pays wide-ranging tribute to an enduring pop-cultural milestone." - Jeff Shannon, The Seattle Times

"It’s taken me 45 years to stop biting my fingernails after first seeing 'Night of the Living Dead'. Having just watched Rob Kuhns’ mesmerizing documentary about that classic horror story I finally understand why I was not only scared out of my wits, but was simultaneously watching a cinematic breakthrough and cultural phenomenon.  'Birth of the Living Dead' is immensely watchable and abundantly enlightening -- with one ah-hah moment after another -- and when you’ve seen it, you’ll be thinking and talking all night (first lock your doors)." - Bill Moyers

"Kuhn invites intriguing analyses of 'Night' on racial and political lines from critics like Elvis Mitchell and Mark Harris and filmmakers like Sam Pollard and Larry Fessenden, who all demonstrate infectious enthusiasm for the film and its legacy. Extensive clips from Romero's classic as well as appealing illustrated sequences turn up the visual interest."
- Basil Tsiokos, What Not To Doc

"Lively and charming. Admirable for its pointed understanding of the most important element of Night of the Living Dead's timeless appeal and cultural value."
- Chuck Bowen, Slant Magazine

"Fascinating, hugely entertaining documentary chronicles the making of the classic horror film while also tracing its lineage, its colossal influence on (and as the title indicates, creation of) the zombie sub-genre, and analysis of its cultural import. And kudos to director Rob Kuhns; he's crafted a spot-on, ingratiating, informative film that should be appeal to the died-in-the-wool horror fanatic who's read and seen everything NOTLD, as well as the interested newbie. This is easily one of my favorites of 2013 so far."
- Dean Galanis, Forces of Geek

"A well-made and thoughtful analysis of one of the great movies of all time."- Cinema 365

"Is it worth a watch by more than the most diehard Deadheads? Does it have anything new to say after all these years? Thankfully the answer to both questions is yes. If you're a fan of zombies in any way, shape, or form, you need to watch this movie - one of the most extensive, informative, and even entertaining looks at Night of the Living Dead. Very highly recommended." - Brian M. Sammons, Hell Notes

"[Birth of the Living Dead] is one of those documentaries that has the horror community buzzing, and there's good reason. We're going to be gifted an in depth examination of the making of the picture, and we'll see plenty of focal figures discussing one of the features that left an unwavering impact on the genre." - Matt Molgaard, Best Horror Movies

"This is a brilliant documentary. Brilliant. It is relevant to today, and yet timeless in its allegiances. It is steeped with cultural and world information from the time of the film. It is well composed, both structurally and visually, it is clean and professional, and there are interesting and insightful interviews with important and key players. This is actually, out of all that I have seen, the most comprehensive and all around best documentary on the film I have ever seen... This is a must-see documentary for all the horror fans out there."
- Horror Punks

"Anyone with an interest in filmmaking will have a great time watching it…it is no doubt a doc filled with nostalgia evoking the times of midnight movies and even Roger Ebert's film criticism. In the end, Kuhns' love letter to Romero's masterpiece is a welcome and fresh addition to our history of the modern screen zombie." - Eric Ortiz Garcia, Twitch Film

"Whether it was intended to be or not, Night of the Living Dead is very much a time capsule of that period in American history, and Birth of the Living Dead opens up that time capsule to explore the impact the film had on those who were shocked and awed by it back when it first came onto the scene.  And that right there is the joy of the documentary -- Kuhns offering an insight into what it was like to experience the film at the time it was released.  Though tame by today’s standards, Night of the Living Dead was pretty damn shocking, groundbreaking and revolutionary cinema back in the 60s, and through interviews with filmmakers and film historians (as well as Romero himself), Kuhns manages to capture that period of time and transport you back into it." - iHorror.com

"Think you know everything about George Romero's 1968 horror film Night of the Living Dead? Even the most diehard fan will probably learn something in this affectionate doc from Rob Kuhns that looks at how the zombie classic was made, what movie-making conventions it broke, how it resonated with audiences upon release, and what influence it had on future films. Kuhns interviews Romero extensively, and film critics and other interested parties (such as Gale Ann Hurd, executive producer of TV's Walking Dead) help provide context. Of particular interest is how Dead uncannily tapped into late-1960s anxieties about race, authority and once-stable institutions."- Al Hoff, Pittsburgh City Paper

"It's a fascinating film that not only covers Night of the Living Dead's evergreen themes like race, war, and zombie apocalypses, but also provides a twinkly eyed portrait of Romero."
- Courtney Ferguson, Portland Mercury

"Birth brings to life for today's audiences the revolutionary significance of NOTLD, illuminating how this independent, low-budget, horror film became an accidental icon of the counterculture." - Shannon Sonenstein, Fire Dog Lake

"Birth of the Living Dead, the new study on George A. Romero's zombie original Night of the Living Dead, is an insightful good time." - Jamie S. Rich, The Oregonian

"With humor and pathos, Birth places its subject squarely in the gathering horror of the society that spawned it, an America disillusioned and angry at the grim end of the sixties." - Jason Rohrer, Stage and Cinema