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"The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

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"The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Old 09-26-12, 12:12 AM
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"The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7






The Return of the Living Dead (1985)



Selected by riotinmyskull



IMDB ENTRY

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These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

MAIN THREAD | LIST THREAD

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags are unnecessary in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF SPOILERS.

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Last edited by Chad; 09-28-12 at 08:34 PM.
Old 09-26-12, 10:00 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

I love that french poster.
Old 09-28-12, 07:30 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

I assume everyone who owns the Second Sight disc will be watching with the original soundtrack?
Old 10-07-12, 01:20 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Return of the Living Dead is a classic. On my MGM blu-ray it's funny how much more obvious it is that Linnea Quigley is wearing a prosthetic cover. Here's another sighting of yellow zombies (perhaps now more famous as casualties of the Twilight Time Night of the Living Dead 1990 color timing). I love the angst over the top humor from the punks.

Google searching indicates inconclusive results on the claim from this movie that the heart is that hardest part to cremate.

Curious about the altered soundtrack I ended up discovering details about a 21 minute longer expanded work print edition, source + part 2.

Send more paramedics...
Originally Posted by NoirFan
I assume everyone who owns the Second Sight disc will be watching with the original soundtrack?
What is the difference between the two soundtracks?

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-07-12 at 01:30 AM.
Old 10-07-12, 02:41 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

I did notice the cover Linnea Quigley was wearing this time around. Not that I take this movie seriously but I didn't care for her naked zombie. She gets attacked by a mob of zombies and none of them bite her or rip off a limb. I guess a naked ripped apart corpse isn't as fun as a pale naked zombie girl.

There was one part where the boss got gets bitten but never turns into a zombie. I found that kind of interesting. Did they not kill him by mistake or do these zombies not kill by bite.

I liked the movie for being a 80s zombie movie but beyond that it was horrible. The humor wasn't that funny and the gore wasn't that over the top. When I compare this to something like the anime High School of the Dead which was both funny and over the top the movie just doesn't hold up. hmmm maybe horrible is the wrong word since I could watch this movie every year. I don't know I guess it is just one of those movies I don't like but like watching.
Old 10-07-12, 08:00 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Love this film overall; but hate fast zombies.
Old 10-07-12, 08:24 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

I just watched this film for the first time this morning. It's amazing how I just never got around to it all these years, even though I saw the first two sequels when they were first released.

Incredible! Normally, comedy doesn't age well. But when it's this well-written and acted, it just soars. Where Shaun of the Dead feels like a tired joke being told over and over, this film finds something fresh to do at every turn. So much wonderful detail, there are clever gags hidden in the production design (love the faux optometrist sign that makes fun of Burt, and the glued butterflies flapping their wings).

Along with Waxwork, this is probably the most entertaining film I've watched in the challenge so far. As for fast zombies, the make-up and animatronics were so incredible that I didn't mind much this time. It's in the newer films like 28 Days Later and Dawn of the Dead '04 where I found them boring. I think the fact that this film sticks primarily to one location and features so much variety and surprise in the designs that it just works. They really are just re-animated, and Re-Animator feels more like the companion piece to this film than any of Romero's pictures.
Old 10-07-12, 12:31 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7


Another film that I’ve loved ever since I saw it in its original release way back when. For me, the success of the film lies with the performances of James Karen, Don Calfa, and Clu Gulager. The teenagers and the military just get in the way of watching these three pros. It’s not a perfect movie by any means, but it’s a lot of fun and has a killer soundtrack. It’s one of my five favorite zombie films.
Old 10-07-12, 12:38 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Originally Posted by indiephantom
So much wonderful detail, there are clever gags hidden in the production design (love the faux optometrist sign that makes fun of Burt, and the glued butterflies flapping their wings).
My favorite detail in the whole film is the spinal fluid that has seeped out of the half-zombie's exposed spine stump. I also love that her spine has become a sort of tail that she swishes back and forth.

Even though I have no love for fast zombies, I've got to agree with indiephantom that I don't mind them in this film.
Old 10-07-12, 01:21 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Originally Posted by rbrown498
Even though I have no love for fast zombies, I've got to agree with indiephantom that I don't mind them in this film.
Pretty much my only exception (and maybe its sequels, which I've not seen since the '90s)
Old 10-07-12, 07:55 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

This is one of my top 10 favorite movies. I'm getting ready to put it on in about 5 minutes.
Old 10-07-12, 09:23 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

The more I watch this movie the more I enjoy it.
Old 10-07-12, 09:42 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

It is ridiculous how often I reference this movie in every day life. Watching it now reminded me of it... it is basically a daily occurrence.
Old 10-08-12, 12:11 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Didn't watch it for this challenge but one of my favorite zombie flicks. I am even considering ordering that region B version for the original track since it is suppose to play on the PS3.
Old 10-08-12, 01:17 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Here's a cool Joe Bob Briggs segment wrap around for Return of the Living Dead on youtube.
Old 10-08-12, 05:41 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Shame on me for throwing away the dvd a few years ago for not liking it. Maybe it was I fell asleep while my ex wife was telling me - eat your brain..
Got this last year on blu ray and was sealed all this time, Happy it was on the subset to get to it...
This had me entertain throughout..The midget zombie or the zombie on the dispatch radio was a nice touch. This try to throw in some humor which worked..Also did anyone think this had a bad ass soundtrack?? Loved it. Giving this another view made it worthwhile. It has become a new fav.
Old 10-09-12, 10:11 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Return of the Living Dead is one of my favorite horror movies. It's just so damn entertaining, and a fresh take on the genre. It has lots of humor but also some great horror moments like Tar Man. The scene with the half zombie explaining that brains takes away the pain of being dead added some death to the creatures.

The Uneeda Medical Supplies crew is the highlight of the movie. They are hilarious and likable, and Frank has a noble and sad death scene at the end; I almost wished they dwelled on that moment a bit longer. The rest of the supporting characters are likable enough, but are mostly zombie fodder... Miguel Nunez stands out as Spider. Even the military guy has some good lines: "The usual, crap."

The soundtrack is good, the make-up and special effects are solid, and who can forget Linnea Quigley's famous dance scene? I really have no issues with this movie, it's just so much fun!

Can anybody explain the alternate sound track for the movie? I've only seen the movie on the DVD I own, it features a lot of 80s music, one song is like a surfing beach pop song about zombies: "The Surfing Dead" and the song played with Linnea Quigley goes "We'll make love till we die..."
Old 10-10-12, 07:56 AM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Caught this last night. It may be my favorite zombie film (sorry Night Of The Living Dead). I never get tired of it. One of the few (if only) movies where every actor is overacting and it totally works. The dialogue is funny, the effects are fantastic and the soundtrack is awesome. I really can't say much more that hasn't already been said above.

My rating: ***** out of *****
Old 10-10-12, 12:07 PM
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Re: "The Return of the Living Dead" Reviews/Discussion - 2012 Horror Challenge: Day 7

Dumb question: Are the movies on the subset that can only be streamed thru Youtube shown uncut?

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