← Back to results
The Return of the Living Dead
1985 91 min United Kingdom, United States of America R 16+
★7.2
Comedy, Horror, Science Fiction
Director: Dan O'Bannon
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
EN
Description
When two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to rise again as zombies.
Budget:
$4M
US Gross:
$14.24M
Worldwide:
$14.24M
Starring
Clu Gulager
Actor
James Karen
Actor
Don Calfa
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1986
— Best Director
Saturn Awards 1986
— Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Saturn Awards 1986
— Best Horror Film
Saturn Awards 1986
— Best Actor
Key opinion
The Return of the Living Dead is widely celebrated as a definitive, high-energy horror-comedy that successfully subverts zombie tropes with its distinct mythology. While some critics feel the tonal shifts can be jarring, most audiences and reviewers appreciate its blend of punk-rock atmosphere, innovative practical effects, and iconic, intelligent zombies.
| Originality | The film revitalizes the genre by introducing uniquely intelligent, fast-moving zombies that can speak and think. | |
| Score | The punk-rock soundtrack effectively heightens the film's anarchic and energetic tone throughout. | |
| Production | Practical makeup effects and animatronics remain high-quality and visually distinct, providing a gritty, grotesque realism. | |
| Pacing | The film maintains a relentless, brisk pace that keeps the narrative focused and free of filler. | |
| Acting | Performances are divisive, as the deliberate overacting and broad mimicry are embraced by some as iconic, while others find the stylistic inconsistencies distracting. | |
| Emotion | The fusion of comedy and horror splits opinion; some view the ironic tone as a masterpiece of the genre, while others feel the humor occasionally undermines the genuine scares. |