Retro Review: Return of the Living Dead
Return of the Living Dead (1985)
Studio: MGM Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: August 27, 2002
Directed By: Dan O’Bannon
Cast: Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Linnea Quigley
Review By: Marc Patterson
A couple of knuckle-headed employees to a medical supply warehouse accidentally release some 245 Trioxin from canisters and subsequently raise the dead in a nearby cemetery. If this weren’t enough the dead are ravenous for human flesh, and hilarity ensues as the zombies feast upon a gang of punk rockers, police, and more police.
A fist shaking punk rock anthem, Linnea Quigley dancing nude on a grave, zombies that simply refuse to die, and comedic slapstick performances come together to create a classic zombie horror film. Filled with punchy one-liners that will have you laughing and quoting the film for a long time afterwards, Dan O’Bannon effectively revived the zombie genre with a film meant to parody its predecessors, and thus paved the way for future greats, such as Shaun of the Dead
Return of the Living Dead isn’t all laughs though. It delivers some genuine creepy, tense, and (dare I say?) emotional moments, but always with a tinge of dark humor and satire. The film is expertly crafted with well-scripted lines, a full-bodied story, and a non-traditional “Hollywood ending”. If you’re a gore hound, you won’t be left unsatisfied. There are plenty of brains, blood, and guts to go around!
Watching this film with some of your buddies and a case of beer you just can’t go wrong. It has the replay value to easily garner a coveted spot in your DVD collection, and by all means should be there already.
Brutal As Hell Rating:
4 ½ out of 5
