Horror cult classic ‘Night of the Living Dead’ to be remade in Luray
Many children dream of being a pro athlete, a doctor, a lawyer, or a teacher. Some aspire to be a beauty queen, a home maker or an entrepreneur. Still others dream of making it to Broadway. And like the old saying goes … How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.
Matt Cloude loved horror movies as early as age 2. He literally cut his teeth watching classic black and white “Frankenstein” and “Dracula” movies. His hero growing up was not an athlete like most boys, it was Vincent Price.
Cloude distinctively remembers at age 5, being filmed by his mother while he was in full “Ghostbusters” garb sliming pretend ghosts. In the background of the home movie his mother prophetically told the youngster that he was going to be in the movies when he grew up. Cloude has done one better, he makes movies.
Cloude was not a boy who went outside to play with his friends growing up. He chose to stay inside and watch horror movies, draw and hone his imagination and creativity – skills which one could say that he has mastered at a young age.
“I remember telling Steve Painter at the Video Express,” explained Cloude, “starting at age 15 or so that I was going to rent two horror movies from him every Friday night until I had seen them all.” For just over four years Cloude did just that, making Friday night a twin horror feature at his home.
Cloude’s childhood hobby and passion has grown into being the co-owner and CEO of V2 Pictures, an independent film company that focuses on the production of films and helping up-and-coming new filmmakers. At age 29, Cloude has 19 movies under his belt.
He credits many films in steering him in the direction of horror movies, but the one movie that led him into really wanting to make movies was when at age 13 he saw Quentin Tarrantino’s cult hit “Pulp Fiction.”
“Even though it was not a horror movie,” said Cloude, “it was an amazing movie and proved to me that I wanted to make movies just like that.”
Cloude bulked his resume by working on masks and make-up for Luray Halloween destination, Darkwood Manor. He even created a recurring character there. But he still needed his big break.
That break came when he met a production company executive at a horror convention. He stuck the business card in his wallet with dozens of others. When he returned home and sifted through them, he found the location of the exec, and his company was in nearby Charlottesville.
He set up a meeting with Darkstone Entertainment, took with him a script and after a long discussion was given the green light on the movie project – without even reviewing the script.
“He gave me the go-ahead,” explained Cloude, “based on my passion and drive to get it done. I was shocked.”
Two years and several movies later, Cloude stepped out on his own, and created V2 Pictures. Cloude credits the success of this venture with the collaborative efforts of his team and the sense of family that they feel for one another off the set.
Cloude looks back at his inspirations that he says molded his passion and was very thankful for his art teacher, Sandy Mayes.
“They say that as a teacher if you can mold just one student – make an impact in his life you are doing your job as a teacher,” said Mayes when contacted about Cloude’s success. “I have been fortunate to have done so twice.”
Mayes was ecstatic when contacted and told about Cloude’s success. “He was a special kid. I was fortunate to have him from first grade on and went on to the Luray High School with him. I am proud that he stuck it out and used his marvelous talents to make a success of his life.”
The success is not without sacrifices however. “Many of my friends have families and so forth,” Cloude said. “I have not been able to do that with what I do and the timelines I have done them in.”
“A lot of folks don’t follow their dreams or set their life’s goals,” he said. “I am proof that you can if you keep your eye on your goal.”
Cloude’s goal for some time has been to remake the horror classic Night of the Living Dead , a 1968 independent black and white cult classic directed by George Romero. The film starred Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea and Karl Hardman.
After years of trials and tribulations the filming is set to begin Aug. 24 in both Luray and Pennsylvania. Not only is Cloude excited about the opportunity to remake the film of his dreams, but he has assembled an all-star lineup of genre stars to fill roles.
O’Dea will return to play an older version of the role she played in the George Romero original. With her will be Erik Preston (“Halloween IV”), Jim Krut (“Dawn of the Dead”) and Bill Johnson, who played Leatherface in “Texas Chainsaw Massacre II.” And this is just a few of the ever growing genre superstars that will be included in the film.
But that kind of star-power does not have Cloude’s ego in the stratosphere. He has also launched another project to begin filming in June of this year, also in Luray. “Midnight in the Mortuary” is a series that will be available on DVD and streaming Halloween 2012. The first three episodes will have all proceeds going to Scares That Care!, a nonprofit organization that provides money, toys and other items to help sick children. They also have a program helping women fighting breast cancer and have recently launched a program that provides assistance to children who have suffered serious burn injuries.
“It is something that I feel really strongly about,” said Cloude as he rubbed the tattoo of a pink ribbon on his right forearm – his subconscious recognition of his mother’s bout with breast cancer.
Cloude fulfilled his mother’s prophesy and made it in the movies. Furthermore, he now makes them, a dream that he has had since a youngster. He is a viable example of how growing up in a small town should not and does not hinder one from living out their dreams and lifetime goals.
Yes, there are sacrifices. Yes there are bumps in the road. Yes there are times when you might want to give in. However, Cloude has overcome those. He has excelled despite the naysayers and those that said he could not. Despite that success he remains deeply rooted and with a sense of giving back to his co-workers, his family and his world.
For more information on Matt Cloude or V2 Pictures, you can email them at , or friend them on Facebook.
To help get involved in the production of Cloude’s remake of Night of the Living Dead (2012), you can visit www.indiegogo.com/notld-2012.
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