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Jeffrey Combs, Bruce Abbott, Barbara Crampton, Robert Sampson, David Gale ... see more see more... , Gerry Black , Al Berry , James Earl Cathay , Velvet de bois , James Ellis , Robert Holcomb , Annyce Holzman , Peter Kent , Lawrence Lowe , Derek Pendleton , Carolyn Purdy-Gordon , Gene Scherer , Bunny Summers , Ian Patrick Williams , Steve Frakes , Michael Muscal , Barbara Peters , Lillian Avery , Ed Brummett , Bruce Cohn Curtis , Kim Deitch , Jack Draheim , Mike Filloon , Bob Johnnene , Stephen Keinzle , Grace Keller , Peter Marti , Robert Pitzele , Tom Reeves , Greg Reid , Greg Robbins , Robert Veilleuz , Jerry Thomas , Tim White

Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) is a brilliant medical student who has perfected a green-glowing serum for regenerating life into dead things -- or even parts of dead things. But a corrupt superior, Dr. ... read more read more...Carl Hill (David Gale), assumes control of West's experiments and winds up, by ghastly necessity, using the stuff on his own severed head and body. West and in-over-his-head co-worker Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott) struggle to control the now out-of-control effects of the serum, but the bone-saws and zombies complicate their plans. ~ Buzz McClain, Rovi

Flixster Users

78% liked it

33,298 ratings

Critics

92% liked it

39 critics

R, 1 hr. 26 min.

Directed by: Stuart Gordon

Release Date: October 18, 1985

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DVD Release Date: December 10, 1997

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Stats: 1,978 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,978)

  • CloudStrife84
    October 31, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    Graphic, gory and amazingly entertaining! It's hard to imagine that a zombie movie from the 80's, with such a no-name cast, could be this absorbingly brilliant. It's kind of like a modern-day version of Frankenstein, except much more extreme and bloody. One of the things that mak... read morees it so great, besides the fantasic make-up and gore effects, is the excellently written script. Not only is it teeming with smart and interesting dialogue, but it's also quite funny at times with its morbid sense of humor. A surprisingly good horror treat, that I wish I had seen a lot sooner. Not for the faint of heart though, but I guess you already knew that.
  • ajv2688
    August 24, 2011
    ajv2688
    This is basically a slight twist on the Frankenstein story, so it feels very familiar, and has many of the conventions of the horror genre obviously. I didn't like that about it, it made the movie kind of boring. On the other hand, there were tons of blood and gore all over the p... read morelace on top of violence and nudity, all over the top in the 1985 fashion. I liked that part of it. Plus, it has a few laughs here and there because of the acting. I also want to note that the guy who plays Herbert looks a little like Anthony Perkins, and the theme song of this movie is a remix of the Psycho theme song, I found that interesting, but unneeded. Overall, it's a pretty good horror movie, but it could have been a lot better.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    February 21, 2011
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Aside from The Evil Dead trilogy and The Return Of The Living Dead, Stuart Gordon's Re-Animator has got to be the most wacked out zombie film that I've seen. (Not counting Lucio Fulci). Stuart Gordon's film is about a mad scientist who creates a reanimation serum that can reanima... read morete dead body tissue. Do I really need to elaborate more? After an experiment gone awry, things go quickly out of hand. Re-Animator is one of the best Horror comedies that you will ever see. Director Stuart Gordon throws in a few wtf? moments in for good measure. Re-Animator is downright absurd with it's slapstick comedic elements thrown in with an equal dose of old fashioned horror. A film that you won't easily forget, Re-Animator is also one of the best horror films of the 1980's. Jeffrey Combs performance as Herbert West is one of the most memorable in any horror film, and he lights up the screen with his presence.
    The film has plenty of gore for the gore hounds and like I've said, at times you'll just won't believe you're eyes. Re-Animator is one crazy film, and it delivers something extremely entertaining. A terrific film and one of the greatest zombie films ever made, Re-Animator is a horror classic. Re-Animator is a fine example of a horror film that uses a simple idea to create something truly one of a kind. If you think about it, the idea is very simple, but Stuart Gordon definitely knows how to get the most out of this plot by crafting something out of the box.
  • ythelastman89
    November 17, 2009
    ythelastman89
    Just an amazingly crazy movie. It feels like an evil Frankenstein movie, in which all of the subjects turn on the creator. Jeffrey Combs is one of the best elements of the movie, he totally sells the crazy scientist aspect. On top of that, he has a really likeable sarcastic-yet-c... read moreharming quality to him. You can't hate this movie, it's virtually impossible. It's so fun, disturbing and silly.
  • ceWEBrity
    October 4, 2009
    ceWEBrity
    Lots of great ideas and fun gore, but it sort of falls into a liminal space as far as B-movies go. It's not quite competent enough to be a Raimi-level horror comedy, but too competent to be a kitschy camp classic. I think the fact that 2/3rds of the leads can't act (Jeffrey Combs... read more is solid, but apparently it's just about all he can do) really scuttles the movie. Barbara Crampton, especially, is excruciating to watch. When an actress can't even portray helplessness convincingly, there is clearly a huge problem. All that comes across from her is wide-eyed vacuousness and breasts. Bruce Abbott is blankly handsome and perfectly boring and you forget he's even in the movie as soon as he leaves the screen. Combs, again, is the only vaguely interesting presence, except for the derisively amusing David Gale. They seem to be the only two who get the joke, which may have something to do with it.

    The connections to Lovecraftian mythos are as tenuous as tenuous can be but considering that movies based on his work don't turn out too well, maybe that's for the best. I don't know what makes it so difficult to film...I think perhaps it's because his stories leave a lot to the imagination. Anyway, this movie pretty much spits in the face of imagination - what you see is what you get. It's balls-to-the-wall visual, which may not have succeeded were it not for the exceptional makeup and special effects work. This is a really richly done low-budget flick. For its shortcomings, it's still a fun watch, and unique to boot.
  • SirPant
    September 30, 2009
    SirPant
    Classic 80's horror with plenty of gore! Quite well acted too! Jeffrey Combs is cool.
  • arashxak
    January 28, 2009
    arashxak
    Pure fun & really well-made & funny and Jeffrey Combs is great in it, I just can't rate it lower than this I simply can't
  • DrZeek
    December 1, 2008
    DrZeek
    Dan Cain: [meeting for the first time] So West, what kind of medicine are you involved in?
    Herbert West: Death.

    Now here is an entertaining horror flick from the 80s that doesn't take itself seriously, providing for the right kind of mood similar to the Evil Dead trilogy and Dea... read mored Alive.

    Because its neat to see where this movie goes, suffice it to say that the plot revolves around a medical school, in which one student has developed a serum which brings people back to life after their death with...mixed results.

    The cast is pretty standard, except for Jeffrey Combs who is basically the nerd version of Bruce Campbell. His deadpan manner and eccentricities make his character work so well for this kind of movie.

    Herbert West: What did you want me to do, leave a note. "Cat dead, details later."

    The gore factor in this movie hits to extreme points, including plenty of battles with naked re-animated corpses, and talking heads.

    If you are into the 80s gorey horror/comedy, then you will enjoy this movie.

    Dan Cain: What if we get caught?
    Herbert West: What'll they do? Embalm us?
  • rubystevens
    October 22, 2008
    rubystevens
    this cheesy 80's gorefest is really alot of fun! i wanna watch the sequels now!~ jeffrey coombs was fantastic in this
  • kiriyamakazou
    September 1, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    Body-shock horror in league with The Thing and other brilliant monstrosities of the 80's. It has a vicious sense of humour but ultimately fails as either a horror or a comedy. There are some brilliant effects on display here and some wonderful tongue in cheek performances. The fi... read morelm though is also fairly repetitive, going back and forth between a few locations and covering similar ground. A nice disturbing watch for fans of gore though and it certainly isn't a regrettable watch.

View All Re-Animator Reviews

Critic Reviews

Dave Kehr
June 5, 2007
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

It's this kind of flat-footed stuff that gives garbage a bad name. Full Review

Variety Staff
June 5, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Pic has a grisly sense of humor, and sometimes is so gross and over the top the film tips over into a bizarre comedy. Full Review

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

All of this, ingenious as it may be and much as it will redound to Mr. Gordon's credit in hard-core horror circles, is absolutely to be avoided by anyone not in the mood for a major bloodbath. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

We have been assaulted by a lurid imagination, amazed by unspeakable sights, blind-sided by the movie's curiously dry sense of humor. I guess that's our money's worth. Full Review

October 7, 2011
Film4

Thumpingly good gore-fest. Full Review

Lucius Gore
June 19, 2008
Lucius Gore, ESplatter

It's so politically incorrect that there is no way anyone would be able to make it today. Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.
June 15, 2008
Felix Vasquez Jr., Cinema Crazed

It's sweet when a classic lives up to its legend, isn't it? Full Review

Brian Holcomb
May 5, 2008
Brian Holcomb, PopMatters

This is one of the greatest films ever made. Period. It's outrageous, erotic, gory, jaw-dropping, genre-busting ,shocking, and altogether exhilarating filmmaking. Full Review

Stefan Birgir Stefansson
January 29, 2008
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is

A classic horror-comedy.

Rob Humanick
October 22, 2007
Rob Humanick, Projection Booth

In its best moments, the film itself practically leaps off the screen. Full Review

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Facts

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    • Herbert West: I must say, Dr. Hill, I'm very disappointed in you. You steal the secret of life and death and here you are, trysting with a bubble-headed co-ed. You're not even a second-rate scientist.
    • Herbert West: You'll never get credit for my discovery. Who's going to believe a talking head? Get a job in a sideshow.
    • Herbert West: Dammit! It wasn't quite fresh enough!
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Re-Animator Trivia

  • Which one of these movies has not been directed by Stuart Gordon?  Answer »
  • Cult HP Lovecraft story of medical student, Jeffrey Combs who brings his dead cat back to life?  Answer »
  • Which famous musician owns the Dr. Hill severed head prop used in the film Re-Animator from 1985?  Answer »
  • What movie is this line from? "We can defeat death! We can achieve every doctor's dream! You'll be famous...and live lifetimes!"  Answer »
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