Re-Animator: Limited Edition (DVD)

While it's hard to predict how Re-Animator might be viewed by fresh eyes (when it came out in 1985, it was an unprecedented cult classic and a huge rental on VHS), I can bet longtime fans of this H.P. Lovecraft gorefest won't be disappointed by the newest incarnation on DVD.

The sordid story follows eager an young scientist named Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) who invents a zombie serum which brings the dead back to life. The movie starts at the end, showing us what West's God-complex has wrought (exploding eyeballs, disembodied heads that live, a bare-boobed Barbara Crampton, and so on), then rewinds to how it all began.

The first victim — or beneficiary — of the serum is the cat belonging to West's roommate, student Dan (Bruce Abbott). Emboldened by his success, West moves on to humans and of course the results are disastrous (and quite bloody).

Since most of you have already seen this Stuart Gordon (director) / Brian Yuzna (writer) horror hit, I won't belabor its good points. I will say that this DVD, very reasonably priced at $24.98, is a must-buy for newbies and seasoned fans alike.

Most of the features are carry-overs from previous releases, but there is a steaming-fresh 70 minute documentary — featuring actors Combs, Crampton, Bruce Abbott, and Robert Sampson — that's worth the price of admission alone. We get to know a lot more about the crew who helped make this low-budget gorefest so satisfyingly gooey, with cinematographer Mac Ahlberg front and center. Also, for the first time, we are privy to behind-the-scenes gems from the personal archives of Yuzna and his collaborator, Jack F. Murphy.

This edition is limited to 50,000 copies, each of which has been packaged with a Re-Animator syringe pen (not as much fun as a disappearing-clothes nudie pen, but oh well).

• Brand-new remastered transfer, approved by director Stuart Gordon

• Audio Commentary with Director Stuart Gordon

• Audio Commentary with Producer Brian Yuzna and Actors Bruce Abbott, Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton and Robert Sampson

• New 70-minute featurette: Re-Animator Resurrectus

• Interviews with Director Stuart Gordon, Producer Brian Yuzna, Writer Dennis Paoli, Composer Richard Band and Fangoria Magazine editor Tony Timpone

• Music Discussion with Composer Richard Band

• Deleted and Extended Scenes

• Theatrical trailer

• TV Spots

• Production Stills, Behind-The-Scenes, Posters & Advertising, Storyboard and Fun-On-The-Set galleries

• Stuart Gordon Biography

• Screenplay (DVD-ROM)

• "Herbert West, Reanimator" original story by H.P. Lovecraft (DVD-ROM)

= = =

Reviewed by Staci Layne Wilson