Re-Animator 40th Anniversary

"Re-Animator" 40th Anniversary, 4K UHD Restoration, Blu-ray - Brian Yuzna, producer - Ignite Films/Eagle Rock Pictures

Originally released in 1985, here Brian Yuzna's film adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft's classic horror short story "Herbert West - Reanimator" gets a long awaited restoration in connection with its 40th anniversary. Special effects were what would now be thought of as quaint back in the 80s but that's not to say that the film doesn't shock with gory scenes, especially at the end, and these scenes are now all the more gripping seen with the 4K UHD restoration.

Jeffrey Combs is the star of the film; he clearly relishes his role as Herbert West, a sort of mad scientist who has developed an injectable reagent that will bring dead animals and people back to life. After initially working on his serum in Europe, West moves to Arkham, Massachusetts where he continues his project at the Miskatonic Medical School where he rubs everyone the wrong way. The film costars Bruce Abbot as Dan Cain, who eventually becomes West's roommate, Barbara Crampton who plays Cain's girlfriend, David Gale as the evil Dr. Carl Hill and Robert Sampson as the institute's dean. All get involved in West's scheme, willingly or otherwise, and the plot, sometimes humorous, has everybody going off the rails as West reanimates a cat and then numerous humans. The film gets gorier and gorier as it goes along but the horror is tempered a bit by amusing scenes like where severed heads can still talk. "Re-Animator" is great fun and fans will find this 2-disc package presenting the film in an unrated version and an "integral" version a keeper, especially considering the bonus features. Included are close to two hours of bonus features (including Combs reading Lovecraft's story) that are vintage along with a host of newly-produced bonuses (running more than two hours) like a 40th anniversary conversation with the stars.

There are actually lots of different packages of the 40th Anniversary edition of "Re-Animator" available including one that collectors will especially cherish that comes with a bobblehead.

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