The Return of the Living Dead (1985) – WTF Happened to This Horror Movie?

We’re getting the week started with a new episode of the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? video series, and in this one we’re looking back at the 1985 classic The Return of the Living Dead (watch it HERE)! To find out what went into the making of this awesome movie, check out the video embedded above.

Written and directed by Dan O’Bannon (with Rudy Ricci, John A. Russo, and Russell Streiner receiving story credit), The Return of the Living Dead has the following synopsis:

When foreman Frank shows new employee Freddy a secret military experiment in a supply warehouse, the two klutzes accidentally release a gas that reanimates corpses into flesh-eating zombies. As the epidemic spreads throughout Louisville, Ky., and the creatures satisfy their hunger in gory and outlandish ways, Frank and Freddy fight to survive with the help of their boss and a mysterious mortician.

The film stars Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph, Miguel A. Nunez Jr., John Philbin, Jewel Shepard, Brian Peck, Linnea Quigley, Mark Venturini, Jonathan Terry, and Allan Trautman.

This is what the WTF Happened to This Horror Movie series is all about:

Hollywood has had its fair share of historically troubled productions. Whether it was casting changes, actor deaths, fired directors, in-production rewrites, constant delays, budget cuts or studio edits, these films had every intention to be a blockbuster, but were beset with unforeseen disasters. Sometimes huge hits, sometimes box office bombs. Either way, we have to ask: WTF Happened To This Horror Movie?

The Return of the Living Dead episode of WTF Happened to This Horror Movie? was Written by Eric Walkuski, Edited and Narrated by Tyler Nichols, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

A couple of the previous episodes of the show can be seen below. To see more, head over to our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel – and subscribe while you’re there!

What do you think of The Return of the Living Dead? Let us know by leaving a comment!