Freddy (Thom Mathews) is a new employee at a medical
supply warehouse, and he is unnerved by the fresh cadaver hanging in the
freezer. “We’re expecting a shipment on Monday,” he’s told by his
supervisor, Frank (James Karen). But you know they won’t have to wait that
long. Unlike most zombie movies, this one makes direct reference to Night Of
The Living Dead, incorporating its existence into the reality of its world.
Frank asks Freddy, “Did you know that movie was based on a true case?”
He adds that the bodies were shipped to that very warehouse by mistake, and
takes him into the basement to show him the containers. To prove the containers
won’t leak, Frank bangs on one of them. And guess what? Gas suddenly springs
out of it, causing both Frank and Freddy to start coughing and then pass out.
When they come to, they’re not feeling all that good. Plus, the containers are
now empty, and they find the cadaver in the freezer is no longer entirely dead.
Enlisting the help of their boss, Burt (Clu Gulager, who
turns in one of the film’s best performances), and Burt’s friend Ernie (Don
Calfa), they try to dispose of the problem. But things go from bad to worse
when they burn the cadavers, and a rain brings the chemical right back down to
the nearby cemetery, where Freddy’s friends are killing time. And soon there
are many more zombies to deal with. And these zombies, unlike in other films,
can actually think and strategize. One of them gets on the ambulance radio and
says, “Send more paramedics.” Later another gets on the police car radio
and says, “Send more cops.” It’s like ordering a pizza.
The film includes lots of little jokes in the set
dressing, from the name of the warehouse – Uneeda Medical Supply – to the eye
chart in the office, to the sign above the chapel which reads, “Beyond this
fleeting day, the rest from which no man wakes.” And yes, some of the
acting is a little over the top. But, as I mentioned, there are truly scary
moments. And when the female zombie says, “I can feel myself rot,” it
gives me chills every time.
Disc 1 Special Features
The first disc contains four separate commentary tracks.
The first is by Gary Smart and Chris Griffiths. The second is with Thom
Mathews, John Philbin and Tony Gardner. The third is with Dan O’Bannon and
William Stout. And the fourth features William Stout, Don Calfa, Linnea
Quigley, Brian Peck, Beverly Randolph and Allan Trautman.
The Decade Of Darkness is featurette on 1980s
horror films, featuring interviews with Joe Dante, John Landis, Tom Holland,
Catherine Hicks, Dee Wallace and others. They talk about how comedy began being
inserted into the horror genre in this decade. Movies discussed include Motel
Hell, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Child’s Play and The
Howling. The Decade Of Darkness is approximately twenty-three
minutes.
The first disc also includes five trailers for the film,
as well as ten television spots and two still galleries. This disc also
provides Zombie Subtitles, a silly feature which basically just includes
subtitles when the zombies grunt and moan. And there is another silly subtitles
feature, In Their Own Words – Zombies Speak, which provides lines when
the zombies are just grunting. Like when one zombie bites into a person’s head,
the subtitle reads: “Yum-yum. Oh, that’s so good.”
Disc 2 Special Features
The second disc is all bonus material. More Brains: A
Return To The Living Dead is a two-hour documentary on the film, narrated
by cast member Brian Peck, and featuring interviews with production designer
William Stout, cinematographer Jules Brenner, casting director Stanzi Stokes,
and other crew members. Also interviewed are cast members Linnea Quigley, Thom
Mathews, James Karen, Clu Gulager, Beverly Randolph, John Philbin, Allan
Trautman, Jewel Shepard, Brian Peck and Miquel A. Nunez, Jr. Beverly Randolph’s
story about going to Dan O’Bannon’s house is funny. Also funny is the story of
Linnea being shaved for the nude scene. And it’s interesting that the great
scene of Frank’s demise was actually James Karen’s idea. It’s one of the film’s
best moments. James A. Russo, who co-wrote Night Of The Living Dead,
talks about how Return Of The Living Dead actually did stem from the
Romero film, and about the original idea for the film. It’s interesting that
the cast had a two-week rehearsal period for this movie. This documentary
includes some storyboards and concept art.
The FX Of The Return Of The Living Dead is,
obviously, a featurette on the makeup and visual effects of the film, and
includes interviews with William Stout, Bill Munns, Kenny Myers, Craig Caton,
Tony Gardner, Gene Warren Jr. and Bret Mixon, as well as with Brian Peck, an
actor who ended up playing several zombies too. There are some interesting
anecdotes, like that extras were paid another five dollars if they’d eat real
animal brains. This is approximately thirty-three minutes.
Party Time: The Music Of The Return Of The Living Dead
is a half-hour piece on the soundtrack and its use of punk music, featuring
interviews with Dinah Cancer, Budd Carr, Greg Hetson, Steve Pross, Joe Wood,
Karl Moet (who explains the band name SSQ), Roky Erickson, Chris D., John Sox,
and Mark Robertson.
The second disc also includes an episode of Horror’s
Hallowed Grounds about the locations used in The Return Of The Living
Dead, as well an interview with Dan O’Bannon (his final interview,
actually). He mentions how he did his best to stay off Romero’s turf with the
film, and how he made the decision to address that film in the first scene of
the movie. He also talks about his guns, and why he changed his attitude toward
them, and about how Clu’s problems with the film came about. The bit about the
skeletons is interesting. This interview is nearly a half hour.
The Origins Of The Return Of The Living Dead is an
interview with John A. Russo, who co-wrote Night Of The Living Dead and
was one of the story writers for The Return Of The Living Dead. He talks
about some of his original ideas for this film. This interview is approximately
fifteen minutes. The Return Of The Living Dead: The Dead Have Risen is a
featurette on the film, featuring interviews with Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don
Calfa, Brian Peck, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph, Linnea Quigley and Allan
Trautman. This is from 2007, and is approximately twenty-one minutes. Designing
The Dead is another featurette on the film, featuring an interview with Dan
O’Bannon, in which he talks about how the film came about. It also includes an
interview with William Stout, as well as some of the concept artwork for the
film. It is approximately fourteen minutes.
In addition to all of that, the second disc includes a
work print of The Return Of The Living Dead. Sure, the picture quality
isn’t great, but it is a treat to have this all the same. There is plenty to
keep the horror fan on your holiday gift list busy and happy.
This 2-disc edition of The Return Of The Living Dead
was released on July 19, 2016 through Scream Factory, a division of Shout!
Factory.
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