Dan O’Bannon’s ‘RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD’ (1985) – Retro Review

There has never been a more influential film for me and my appetite for horror movies. Return of the Living Dead is a film that people have at least to be familiar with the name. The film gave us so many iconic moments that have influenced our perception of zombies. What started as an underdog movie grew into so much more. Return of the Living Dead started a revolution. George A. Romero started the trend, and Dan O’Bannon took it to an entirely new level.

Synopsis

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 and terrorize everyone they come in contact with a hunger for brains.

The film stars Thom Mathews, James Karen, and Linnea Quigley.

What made Return of the Living Dead so special to me was that it scared me a little, like a horror movie is supposed to. However, maybe the age of five wasn’t a good time to start, said no one ever. Horror in the ’80s was magical because you could reach people with brand-new ideas. Directors and writers had a lot of trust from within the film companies. They were given a set amount of money and left to their own devices. Not only were films like Return of the Living Dead groundbreaking, but they were a bit more exciting. a little edgy, a little erotic, and a desire to sell their most treasured ideas. Big things were happening all throughout the horror genre, as we were introduced to all the iconic names in horror history.

Return of the Living Dead worked perfectly, between the acting and the close-knit sets. I personally thought it was a genius move to film in one giant location. The tension was much more believable when the characters had nowhere to run. Though it has happened a million times, Return of the Living Dead went beyond what we knew as zombie movies. There were little things throughout the film that you would think were just another scene that became iconic. Everything in the film is like peas and carrots. There is horror, grief, comedy, gore, and so much more. I hold Return of the Living Dead for my own reasons. I can see myself as a kid jamming to this film’s soundtrack nonstop. It was where I first fell in love with punk rock.

One iconic idea brought to the table by this film is a hunger for brains. It was honestly terrifying to know the zombies could talk. It led to a nightmare or two for sure, but I still loved it. The film has had an impact on me, is that 40 years later, I’m still talking about it. The film also brought on the idea that you couldn’t kill these zombies, not even with a headshot or fire. They were rabid animals, ignoring any pleas for life. Return of the Living Dead earned its place in pop culture forever; it is almost a rite of passage to the horror genre.

We are currently being teased with a direct sequel premiering in December. I can not wait to re-live this legacy.