Questions
When did The Return of the Living Dead come out?
It was released on August 16, 1985, by Orion Pictures on a budget of about 3 to 4 million dollars, and it earned roughly 14.2 million dollars domestically.
Who directed and wrote it?
Dan O’Bannon directed it, marking his directorial debut, and he also wrote the screenplay. He reportedly said, “I spent 37 years of my life not even being alive. Now I’m fulfilled.”
How is this connected to Night of the Living Dead?
It was based on a novel by John Russo, co-writer of the 1968 original, and served as an unofficial sequel. After Russo and George A. Romero split, Russo kept the “Living Dead” title rights while Romero made his own sequels.
Did this movie invent zombies eating brains?
Yes, the film popularized the idea of zombies specifically craving brains rather than generic flesh, which became a major zombie genre trope.
Who is the Tarman zombie?
Tarman is the iconic melted zombie performed by puppeteer Allan Trautman. Its unsettling look reportedly drew inspiration from the Guanajuato mummies, Welsh bog bodies, and EC Comics artwork.
Was the movie almost directed by someone else?
Yes. Producer Tom Fox and John Russo originally planned a 3D production directed by Tobe Hooper, but when funding troubles hit, Hooper left to direct Lifeforce (1985) and Dan O’Bannon took over.
Why did Dan O’Bannon take the job?
O’Bannon, who had co-written Lifeforce, was brought in to polish the script and accepted the director role on the condition that he could radically rewrite it.
What is Trioxin?
“2-4-5 Trioxin” is the fictional toxic gas that reanimates the dead, said to be developed by the fictional Darrow Chemical Company for military use. It was reportedly a satirical nod to real-world Agent Orange.
Where and when is the story set?
It takes place at the Uneeda Medical Supply Warehouse in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 3 and 4, 1984, with a cemetery sitting right across from the warehouse.
Where was it actually filmed?
Despite the Kentucky setting, filming took place in Burbank, Sylmar, and Downtown Los Angeles, California.
Who starred in it?
The cast included Clu Gulager as Burt, James Karen as Frank, Don Calfa as Ernie, Thom Mathews as Freddy, and Linnea Quigley as the punk girl “Trash.”
What kind of music is on the soundtrack?
It featured LA-based deathrock and punk bands including The Cramps, 45 Grave, T.S.O.L., Roky Erickson, and The Damned.
How does the movie end?
A colonel orders the town destroyed by nuclear artillery, but the blast releases Trioxin into the atmosphere again. Toxic rain begins falling once more, suggesting the outbreak will start all over.
Why can’t the zombies just be killed?
In this film the undead cannot be permanently stopped, and every body part survives independently, which is why one severed zombie even uses a radio to call for more paramedics.
How many sequels did it get?
It spawned four official sequels (in 1988, 1993, and two in 2005), with a fifth reported to be in development as of the article’s last update.
