Classic Movie Review: Re-Animator

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love Re-Animator and those who hate it. Count me firmly in the former camp. Made using practical effects that largely still hold up to this day, it’s a gleefully squishy movie that feels like it was made by people who didn’t realize there were some places you weren’t supposed to go in a film. Not for the faint of heart or easily offended, it’s become a classic of the genre and 40 years on it remains a shocking must-watch for horror aficionados.

Herbert West (Jeffrey Combs) arrives at Miskatonic University after being expelled from the University of Zurich Institute of Medicine for his unorthodox experiments. Dan Cain (Bruce Abbott), a fellow student who is dating the Dean’s daughter Megan (Barbara Crampton), is renting a room in his weirdly large home and, since it grants him unfettered access to a spacious basement, West leaps at the opportunity.

At school, Herbert quickly raises the ire of one of his professors, Dr. Carl Hill (David Gale), by pointing out flaws in his lessons. At home, Megan grows suspicious of him, a hunch that is borne out when she discovers the corpse of Dan’s pet cat in Herbert’s mini fridge. Nevertheless, Dan is satisfied with the explanation and dismisses her concerns, a decision he starts to regret when he later tumbles into the basement to discover West being attacked by the now re-animated feline. After they subdue it, Herbert reveals how it was possible, enticing Dan to help him experiment further, and well… things get very crazy and very messy from there.

It’s really hard to describe just how insane this movie gets, but if you think you can stomach the gore it’s worth a watch. The cast are universally excellent, with Abbott functioning as the relatable every man, Crampton as a smart and endearing young woman, Gale as the leering and menacing villain, and Combs especially stealing the show as the brilliant but unhinged medical student. His over-the-top, theatrical emoting is perfectly suited to the material and helps to make his character one of cinema’s most memorable.

Of course, none of it would work without Stuart Gordon’s smart direction. Having come from the theater, this was his first feature film, but you wouldn’t know it based on the surprisingly competent product he was able to put out. The only thing that might give his inexperience away was his willingness to push the boundaries of what would be considered acceptable in cinemas. Even now, when movies in general have caught up to or even surpassed the carnage present here, there are still some scenes that retain their power to shock.

Now re-animated for its 40th anniversary with a new 4K transfer, the movie looks better than ever. Colors are more vibrant and scenes crisp without looking artificial or losing their old school charm. Available on new discs by Ignite Films that also feature brand new bonus features, including a charming and informative chat between Combs, Crampton, and producer Brian Yuzna, as well as a look at the influence of the film on several modern directors, it’s an easy purchase for collectors.

It makes for an experience that is still almost completely without rival. With a genuinely funny streak of black humor, some effective moments of terror, and an audacious, almost joyful lack of restraint, Re-Animator has easily earned its place as a horror classic, and its influence is evident in every over-the-top splatterfest that has followed. ★★★★½