Return of the Living Dead

[ColonelColinCaine]

Probably the greatest zombie movie ever made (second only to Dawn of the Dead) this was directed by Dan O'Bannon, the guy who wrote Alien.
In case you've never seen it, it's about a guy (Thom Mathews) who works at a medical supply warehouse, who is told by his boss (James Karen) that Night of the Living Dead based on a true story. Apparently, the army had made a new chemical to use on marijuana, but it leaked out into a hospital, causing several cadavers to jump around. the army sealed the bodies up in airtight container, and two of them were accidentally shipped to the warehouse. " I've got two of them down in the basement right now", he says.
He takes the guy downstairs and, in an attempt to show how strong the containers are, slaps one. Toxic gas spews forth from the container, rises up into the clouds, and causes a rainclouds to form over a nearby Ressurection Cemetery where a group of punk rockers just happened to be having a party. The rain causes the dead to rise and pursue these very unlucky people, hoping to quench their hunger for fresh BRAINS!!
This movie is great! Karen and Mathews are hilarious as the warehouse employees who, after inhaling the gas, suffer from rigor mortis and a severe lack of a pulse.
One of the main reasons I like this movie so much is because, unlike in the Dead Trilogy, these zombies can't die. The characters start off by trying to kill the brain, like in the movies. When that doesn't work, they chop the body into little pieces, pit them in a bag, and cremate them. The smoke from the body rises into the clouds, starts a rainstorm and, voila... even more zombies!
Memorable Quotes:
(referring to the bag with chopped up zombie inside, squiggling around.)
Mortician: What the hell's in there?!
Warehouse owner: Rabid weasels!
(After killing two cops in the cemetery.)
Voice on radio: What the hell's going on over there?!
Zombie: Send...more...cops!

Zombies:BRAINS!

Nice touches;
Butterflies pinned to bulletin board come to life.
Intelligent zombies.("Send...more...paramedics!")

[ColonelColinCaine]

Just posted this so it would go to the top of the list, and someone might notice.

[i,am jacks bb name]

great film colin i love it. if your interested there is a longer cut of it for sale at video screams.com go get it lol

[ColonelColinCaine]

Thank you so much, jacks! I've been searching for a copy of this movie forever!

[Raw Chili]

I thought this movie was a masterpiece in the zombie field, a 5 out of 5, it's action packed and it's pretty funny, especially Don Calfa as the mortician/embalmer dude.

Send more....paramedics

[ColonelColinCaine]

There's got to be someone on this board besides jacks, Raw Chili, and me who have seen this movie.

[i,am jacks bb name]

yo colin the prob with return is with the soundtrack its heavy metal all over agin major bummer B-( mgm owns the video rights to it another bummer B-( when will we see trash on dvd

[ColonelColinCaine]

bump

[Strodefan822]

I've seen it as well...hell, I practically grew up on that film and others like it...as cheesy as it is I loved it and still do although I haven't seen it in years! My favourite part is when the skeleton pops out of its grave and that song "Do you want to party!" starts blasting http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif Also, the extremely downbeat ending really freaked me out! Good mix of horror and comedy!!!

[Sam Hain]

i just noticed the dead guy in the freezer is wearing some kind of rubber suit when hes fighting the three idiots.

thats funny.

[eiker_ir]

i love this movie, best zombie movie ever....

i want the DVD!!!!!

brains..... http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Krisellis]

this movie is a classic.

[Indyjjjj]

I like the part with the Com satellite up high in the mountains overlooking the city of Denver.

[skantchweasel]

Totally A1 movie here!
Happily ranks in the Skantchsters top 10 horror flicks. I think also one of the rare cases of a decent horror-comedy.

All round solid performances, Likeable characters, Ace zombies, Great Script, Downbeat ending. An intelligently made movie - pretty rare for its time, and with some of the PC baiting elements, even rarer now.

A marvellous flick.

Oh and couldnt help noticing earlier posts on this here... I kinda had this down as a total genre classic? The idea of this not having been seen by every self respecting horror fan is kinda like a Junk food fan not eating a MacDonalds...

Tell me it aint so!?!

[APzombie]

By all means Return of the Living Dead is classic, i just wish that MGM would re-release the damn thing on Midnight Movies and give it the works on DVD, cause renting it constantly is getting old.

[APzombie]

oh, on another note, i just moved to Louisville Kentucky, were it takes place! to bad the government blew it up...

[Miss Belladonna]

Awesome movie!!! But about it not being on DVD, I have seen a region zero copy up for auction on Ebay on numerous occasions... *scratches head*

How can you not love the punk soundtrack? It fits the film perfectly!!! And Linnea running around nekkid adds that final touch! A+ Zombie flick!

[AlienClown]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Miss Belladonna:
Awesome movie!!! But about it not being on DVD, I have seen a region zero copy up for auction on Ebay on numerous occasions... *scratches head*</font>
Yes, it is available on DVD in non-region 1 forms, but the prints and sound mixes used on those transfers are inferior to what a restored/remastered version would look/sound like, and I also aren't even sure the movie's in widescreen and/or if it has any special features at all. Not to mention that most people (at least in the US/Canada) don't have the capability to play non-region 1 DVDs. MGM's release of ROTLD on their Midnight Movies label is expected by the end of the year at the latest, and will be the definitive, or at least best version ever released.
Something important I was just reading about, the director Dan O'Bannon restored/remastered the entire video and audio for the film after a less than steller job of this was done by someone else, but due to pressure on MGM to release the DVD, they may end up going with the inferior transfer, and while Dan is/will try to do what he can on his end to ensure his superior work is used for the disc, it would help the cause to get Dan's work used by MGM if people wrote to MGM about this, so you can use these two email addresses to let them know which version you want them to use, and which version you will buy.
Addresses:
4you@MGM.com or at homeentertainment@mgm.com.

[Lady Summerisle]

In homage to this macabre masterpiece, I, the Lady, held a RotLD party. There were Freddy's Frighteneing Floats, Crematorium Cheese and Crackers, and Rabid Weasel Meatballs, to name a few.
RotLD is indeed awesome, with a solid price selling to hapless schmucks like me on eBay.
As with all other RotLD chats, I like to bring to attention that Ernie was a Nazi (watch the little scenes with him and the dead body).
Showing that Dan O'Bannon put thought into RotLD, making it not your average zombie horror.

[DawnOfTheDead]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by i,am jacks bb name:
yo colin the prob with return is with the soundtrack its heavy metal all over agin major bummer B-( mgm owns the video rights to it another bummer B-( when will we see trash on dvd </font>


Wow man! The soundtrack is GREAT! Its not metal at all, but all early 80's punk- The Cramps, The Damned, Flesheaters, TSOL- great stuff. It even has the original version of "Burn the Flames" by Roky Erickson.

[spacemonkey]

Please release this Baby allready on DVD, someone, please...anchorbay...some one..nead it baaaaaaad! Dont want no crappy video copies! Me want it on DVD...Braaaaaaiiiiinnssss!! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif http://www.houseofhorrors.com/zom2_small.jpg

[the_ultimate_evil]

its already out of dvd been so now for well over a year in the uk. the dvd is shit no special features and a flimy cardboard cover, wouldnt waste money on it . pity though cause it a sweet film

[spacemonkey]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by the_ultimate_evil:
its already out of dvd been so now for well over a year in the uk. the dvd is shit no special features and a flimy cardboard cover, wouldnt waste money on it . pity though cause it a sweet film</font>
Yeah but its no where to be seen in the states and that sucks the big one for us over here...on this side of the world! http://www.joblo.com/ubb/frown.gif

[ColonelColinCaine]

MGM's working on a DVD of the film right now. The film's director, Dan O'Bannon, has already recorded a commentary track. No word yet on other extra features.
The DVD is due out in August.

[AlienClown]

Always a good idea to read a thread before responding. And it may suck that its taken as long as it has for ROTLD to get released on Region 1, but it will be superior in every way to any previous releases.

[the_ultimate_evil]

happy days if thats true cause i went to buy the region 2 version but saw it and thought to hell with it and bought the cheaper video cause there was not features, lol but get this i also got return of the living dead 3 at the same time, right. at the counter i asked was there any plans for return 2 to come out so i could complete the triliogy. the girl behind the counter looked at me funny and sayed "what r u talking about they never made a return of the living dead 2 it never got past early script writing" i just took my stuff and laughed silly cow

[APzombie]

WOW! the commentary track has already been recorded! I would love to hear what O'bannon would have ot say about it!

http://www.houseofhorrors.com/cops_small.jpg Send more cops...

[This message has been edited by APzombie (edited 04-30-2002).]

[teenkiller]

This movie sounds seriously good but the sequel was only good on a cheesy level. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[the_ultimate_evil]

yeah the sequal wasnt the best but will alway be cool to me cause it was one of the first horror film i saw http://www.joblo.com/ubb/smile.gif

[ColonelColinCaine]

bump

[AlienClown]

Update on the news I previously relayed, they're gonna use O'Bannon's remastered version for the disc, so no need to worry about that now, but now the situation is that since MGM wants to get this DVD out this summer and no later, the plan is that a second ROTLD DVD will be released at a later time that will be a director's cut and contain deleted scenes and all that, but it will only be released if the first disc does well.

[bowieee]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by AlienClown:
Update on the news I previously relayed, they're gonna use O'Bannon's remastered version for the disc, so no need to worry about that now, but now the situation is that since MGM wants to get this DVD out this summer and no later, the plan is that a second ROTLD DVD will be released at a later time that will be a director's cut and contain deleted scenes and all that, but it will only be released if the first disc does well. </font>

Why not get it right the first time. Ack.

[TooL]

I can't wait for the DVD and its sweet 14.99 price tag.

[Bomont the Destroyer]

They are only gonna re release it with even more stuff on it if it sells good the first time. I don't think they know how many people are looking forward to it being released, so they are kinda playing it safe. They don't wanna spend alot of money producing the extra stuff unless they know that it will sell.
I'm personally hoping they do, I mean the first one will be available for $10 at most places, it's already up for preorder at Deepdiscountdvd for like $9.36 and if they make another it won't be more than $15-20. And that's not spam by the way, just using it as an example.

[bulletproof]

I love this MOVIE!!!!

Got to see it twice in the summer of 85,1st as a preveiw,then my parents took me the second time.

There is something i've asked about this movieover the years.

When Don calfa asks burt about that favor he owes him,and tells him to watch his ass out there.He makes a weird expression.

Many people consider Don's Character Gay!



[This message has been edited by bulletproof (edited 06-05-2002).]

[Requiem-for-a-Dream]

I can't wait for August but one question, what was cut from the film?

Matt

[spacemonkey]

August cant get here soon enough...I need this bad...vision getting blurry...must concentrate...Im ok...I guess I can wait a couple more months for this baby. http://www.joblo.com/ubb/biggrin.gif This pic right here is my favorite scene in the movie were we actually get to see why the zombies need Brains..
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Set/5169/Hag.jpg

[teenkiller]

After finally seeing this movie I can honestly say it was really cool. Certainly not the best zombie movie ever but its definitley high on the list. I liked the group of street punks in the film and was actually expecting more screen time from Suicide. Clu Gulagher did better in this film than he did in FREDDY'S REVENGE thats for sure. I also liked the disaster ending. I couldn't get into either of the sequels though. I applaud the fact that the third tried to get back into the serious route but it still wasn't my cup of tea anyways. Well thats all for now GOoD JOURNEY my fellow schmoes.

[XCoRyX]

it was a fun film,but nothing great,some elements werent taken seriously enough,i guess its not exactly made for me,as i dont and cant sometimes enjoy comedic elements of horror.