1985 was a massive year for the undead. Day of the Dead, Return of the Living Dead, and the horror comedy classic, Re-Animator.
As I write this and look at those three titles, I wonder if Day of the Dead was the most overlooked at the time because it was the only one without any comedy elements in it. Who knows. But what I do know is that this film was well received right from its release. Also it was one of the first times I had seen a VHS tape, in this case on Vestron Video, that came in an unrated version. Although most video stores seemed to only have the R rated version. Still pretty cool though in 1985.
Jeffrey Combs is so great as Herbert West I think he was typecast after this movie. But he is very intense and takes the role very seriously and plays it straight. The comedic bits he does in the movie are not out of place at all and do not make his character any less believable. Every line he says seems like something Herbert West would say and fits perfectly.
If you have not seen this movie, you are missing out. You must join us now in the Bird Hole and make sure you are watching the unrated version of the only film you can see Barbara Crampton get head by a severed head...... Re-Animator.