entertainment

Everything That You Wanted To Know About ‘Re-Animator’ The Horror Comedy Film

If you’re looking for a dark, twisted, and not-quite-realistic horror comedy film, look no further than 1985’s Re-Animator. Based on the H.P. Lovecraft short story “Herbert West—Reanimator,” the movie details the experiments of a mad scientist as he tries to create life from death with explosive (literally) results. Re-Animator opened on October 18, 1985 and was written by H.P. Lovecraft enthusiast (and metal singer) Stuart Gordon. The film stars Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West, Bruce Abbott as Daniel Cain, David Gale as Dr. Carl Hill, and Al Berry as Dr. Hans Gruber; the roles that brought these four men fame before the Re-Animator movie was released. Re-Animator is the first film in a trilogy that includes Bride of Re-Animator, which was released in 1990, and Beyond Re-Animator, which was released in 2003. In addition to the three feature length films, there is also an animated series titled “H.P. Lovecraft’s Re-Animator” that has appeared on the internet and is available on DVD.

Cast and Character?

Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West.
Bruce Abbott as Daniel Cain.
Barbara Crampton as Megan Halsey.
David Gale as Dr. Carl Hill.
Robert Sampson as Dean Alan Halsey.
Al Berry as Dr. Hans Gruber.
Carolyn Purdy-Gordon as Dr. Harrod.
Ian Patrick Williams as the Swiss Professor.
Gerry Black as Mace.
Peter Kent as Melvin.
Craig Reed as the Burn Victim.

What is the movie about?

In the early 1900’s, Herbert West arrived at Miskatonic University to study medicine under Dr. Carl Hill. There is a laboratory on campus that happens to be available for students that are interested in performing experiments. West becomes fast friends with the medical student Dan Cain, who also happens to be dating Cain’s girlfriend Dr. Megan Halsey. After West tries to convince his friend, Dan, and girlfriend, Megan, that he has discovered a life-changing serum that can reanimate the dead; they begin an experiment with a cat and eventually decide that it is best not mentioned anymore until he can prove it works. However, soon after this lab is discovered by Dr. Hans Gruber, who is a rival of Carl Hill. He attempts to steal the serum but is stopped by Dan, who has been tipped off by West. In an effort to find out what really happened, Dan goes back to retrieve the body and test it under controlled conditions. The test results are positive and he transforms into a zombie-like creature called an “embryo”.

What makes this movie interesting?

If you love dark and twisted humour, classic horror and H.P. Lovecraft, this movie is for you. Re-Animator is a film that will not only keep you on the edge of your seat but it will prove to be entertaining as well. As our characters are constantly under attack by monsters (zombies) and the mental strain of all their experiments cause them to go crazy, they find a cure that brings them back in control of themselves. The film Re-Animator grossed over $2 million On the budget of $900,000.