Oh boy! Made with a skill and attention to detail which immediately raises it above all similar fare (including the sequel), RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD is one of the those essential horror movies that isn't afraid to play things for laughs. Sharing the same genre as the likes of other classics such as RE-ANIMATOR and EVIL DEAD II, this is a furiously plotted, hilariously acted masterpiece the likes of which don't come along very often! I'd probably say that this is THE movie that best sums up the punkish, counter culture feel of the '80s horror film, complete with dumb teenagers, dumber employees, and even dumber cops and paramedics. For once the heavy metal soundtrack fits in beautifully with the proceedings and its one of those endlessly quotable films that you'll be sampling with your mates in years to come.The cast is uniformly excellent, with the most memorable performers giving over-the-top performances. Whether it be weird bug-eyed embalmer Ernie, as played by Don Calfa, or nude punk Linnea Quigley in the role that rocketed her to scream queen fame, this is a film with some great and surprising turns. Clu Gulager keeps a recommendable straight face throughout in the serious leading role, whilst ghoulish over-the-top antics are provided by the inimitable teaming of Thom Mathews and James Karen. The special effects remain impressive and enjoyable and some are very well achieved – particularly the half-corpse on the operating table.The movie never lets up from the word go, with an excellent pre-credits opening, some great twists and successions as the initial accident turns into a major catastrophe, and the eventual chaos and destruction raining down on the lives of everyone involved. I loved the little things like the butterflies pinned on the board springing to life, or the split dogs. Most of the best laughs come from hilarious encounters with the living dead, whether it be the sawing up of the initial lively cadaver or the tar-man getting his comeuppance at the climax of the movie. Yet the film is also pretty gruesome and frightening with a zombie attack to rival those in Romero's films, on which this is obviously based. Original, mean-spirited, and most of all utterly enjoyable, this is one of my favourite horror comedies which gets better as the years progress and cinema just keeps getting worse.

Return of the living dead is a perfect blend of horror, fantasy and humor following what are suppose to be true events about a group of teenagers taking on an army of cannibalistic evil dead.What is different from the Romero zombies we've become accustomed to is they can ran, talk, indestructible and even think about their actions making them a deadly juggernaut.The humor derives from the over the top reactions of the teenagers and the zombies wanting more cops or paramedics over a radio like they were ordering pizza for a party.The acting isn't half bad with Clu Gulager, James Karen and Thom Mathew who are a powerhouse combo that steal the scenes with their deliveries and actions.The music is rock in, the costumes are punk and the special effects are gruesome making it a hip under- appreciated classic only the 80s could deliver.It really reminds you of other b film types from the golden age of cinema like night of the comet and body searchers with a hero who has to save the day until the military acts, a beautiful leading lady trying to keep her sanity and a threat that grows deadly by the hour. My only complaint about this master piece is the recycled footage during the ending when a still photo shows the zombies being bombed and the acid rain taking over the same cemetery from the beginning. It was to set up a sequel about the survivor's traveling the wasteland left from the nuclear blast and was never made. By today's standards it may be dated, but I find myself popping it in every Halloween to relive the thrill over again. Its grade A material.

A group of teenage punks and business owners deal with the accidental release of a horde of brain hungry zombies.The late Dan O'Bannon writes and directs this novel zombie film; no stranger to horror he's notable for collaborating with John Carpenter and co-writing the screenplay for Alien. With its foggy graveyard, crematorium, chapel of rest, dimly-lit factory basement and empty wet streets O'Bannon creates some atmosphere. Return of the Living Dead while not a sequel to George Romero's The Night of the Living Dead (1967) connects it amusingly with Frank, played wonderfully by James Karen making out that the movie was based on real events to his bumbling sidekick Freddy Thom Matthews (who both return for the sequel). It's more comical than Romero's films, with a morbid humour, eccentric dialogue and some slapstick comedy. While it may not have Romero's political satire, O'Bannon worms in a subtext of mortality and what it means to be dead.As the loud characters attempt to destroy the zombies, flee in panic, and/or sometimes become a zombie there's plenty of entertainment to be had. Clu Gulager plays up his straight lace typecasting as Burt who'll do anything to save his business. Actor Don Calfa is excellent as Ernie the mortician, stealing every scene with a Peter Lorre kookiness. The group of teenagers are on fine form, capturing an array of 80's stereotypes with their fashion, music taste and attitudes akin to Lamberto Bava's Demons (1985) of the same year. There's a great 80s soundtrack along with some significant nudity where Linnea Quigley infamously dances on a grave. In addition Quigley's Trash when in turned zombie is menacingly eerie. With some great effects the icky superb Tarman zombie is performed by actor and puppeteer Allan Trautman.It's a satisfactory zombie movie, with some genuinely creepy and amusing scenes, notably where Ernie deals with rigor mortis, pieces of a cadaver wriggle in black bags, Frank and Freddy are pronounced dead, the attack on paramedics and where a cut in half rotting female explains why they want to eat the living. Memorably, at one point after a horde of zombies eat a police unit one of the ghouls gets on the radio and asks dispatch to send more cops. Amongst the cinematic zombie tropes of main players barricading entrances, trouble comes from within and just about everyone dies, you know you're in for a scary ride as the Tarman may pop up at any moment. In retrospect O'Bannon's unchained offering is a little rough around the edges (notably recycling the grave and skeleton footage prior to the end credits) but it has a certain 80s (timeless) charm thanks to the setting, supplies of great grisly special effects, reanimated cross-sections of lab specimen dogs, severed limbs and dried out zombies to name a few. The grim but admirable nihilistic ending is the icing on the cake and to O'Bannon's credit Return of the Living Dead popularises for the first time zombies eating, specifically - Braaiinnsss!Overall, its good gritty zombie cult fun.

Its directed by Dan O bannon ( writer of Alien n co writer of Total Recall ). The movie may sound silly and simple, but its a masterpiece with no slow parts. This movie is a perfect mix of Horror and Comedy. Its scary, its funny, its got a great punk soundtrack, and it has  Linnea Quigleys unforgettable nude scene that launched her career. The zombies are smart. They are fast. They talk. Clu Gulager may be the most interesting B-movie actor of all time. He was seen recently in Feast trilogy. It has James Karen (poltergeist n recently in superman returns n pursuit of happiness). He was nominated for a Saturn Award for his role in The Return of the Living Dead in 1985. The action is relentless with full on gore, and the grand finale is simply beautiful. This film re-invents the living dead, giving them even more life. Saw this on a rented VHS in the mid 80s. Its just a shame the sequels were not up to its standard. It spawned four sequels. I saw all of em. But the first is da best. The plot is interesting, it has great special effects and the soundtrack is perfect for this kind of flick.