Der Re-Animator

Wow, I remembered Re-Animator a lot weaker than it feels today after a second viewing. Rewatching it was a pleasant surprise, it’s brilliant horror fun with great characters, with Herbert West being of course the best. For a horror comedy, the plot is quite unpredictable, and also quite bloody and brutal for the 80s. The last fifteen minutes are awesome. (13.05.2008)

A variation on Frankenstein served with wit and insight, relying on classic aspects of 1980s horror B-movies, i.e., the aesthetics of smashed bodies and the crazy central musical motif (upgraded this time by Herrman's work from Psycho). There's also the added bonus of the uncompromising Jeffrey Combs, whose distinguished-looking Dr. West is absolutely divine. If it weren't for the director's occasional stuttering (most of the non-horror sequences), Re-Animator would have been absolutely perfect. The way it is, it’s just slightly less than perfect. (03.01.2007)

Der Re-Animator läuft wie eine mit Blut geschmierte Uhr. Denn das ist eine perfekte Darstellung von der Nähe zwischen Horror und morbider Komödie. Für Liebhaber von allem, was gruselig ist, ist das hier eine wahre Ernte: gebrochene zum Leben erweckte Katzen, ausfallende Augäpfel, abgetrennte Köpfe, blutrünstige Eingeweide, die ihr eigenes Leben führen, und viele weitere Leckerbissen machen diesen Film zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis. Die Atmosphäre der 80er Jahre umfängt Sie genauso kraftvoll wie der Schwanz eines geil gewordenen Schwarzen, und die Figur des Herbert West steht heute neben einem anderen Kult-Helden, nämlich dem selbst Ashe. Das Duo Brian Yuzna und Stuart Gordon startete hier seine brutale Achterbahnfahrt mit Bravour, und sie erreichten auch beim ebenso großartigen Dagon die Anbetung der Fans. Bravo. (02.05.2013)

A filthy delicacy from the 80s that makes it hard to decide what we should actually laugh at: how horribly bad the filmmaking is in places, or how purposefully and entertainingly bad it is in the end; but what’s important is that you will laugh either way. A premise and over-the-top acting like something out of a Frankenstein movie, a horrifyingly insistent musical theme as the film progresses, and lots of fun gore in a delectable ketchup rendition. The characters act impossibly and nothing can be taken even a little bit seriously, but you won’t find so many visual ideas even in much more expensive productions. It’s bullshit, but iconic bullshit. 65% (06.02.2018)

Jeffrey Combs is just a demon, I totally remember when we used to bully dudes like him mercilessly in high school. If I saw Re-Animator at that time I'd probably change my mind, having a house full of pissed off dead people must be really hard to explain to the neighbors. Re-Animator thankfully reawakened my delight in those proper gore masks that you can see the hours of work on just for six seconds of total running time. Add in the humor here and there, the cuddly cat on his back, the proper B-movie feel, and Barbara Crampton's tits, which imho also deserve their own series, and I can understand the cult around this film. (20.02.2012)

Having recently been let down by two installments of Phantasm, I wasn't holding out much hope for another 80s horror flick. Surprisingly, or perhaps because of my low expectations, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this movie. Originally, I wanted to describe it as a "pleasant experience," but that would make me sound like a bigger pervert than I actually am. Howard Phillips Lovecraft's work consistently brings me joy. I could tell which of his works inspired the creators before they went their own way. Yet, I didn't mind their creative license this time around. The trio of screenwriters crafted a solid horror tale featuring an ambitious scientist without inhibitions, a damsel in distress, a monster, copious amounts of fake blood and gore, love, perverse desires, and truly bizarre sexual practices (what's the term for inverted necrophilia, anyway?). Sure, the film shows signs of aging, especially with its dated special effects and fake blood. Yet, compared to the overuse of CGI, it felt refreshingly authentic. The almost-final scenes in the morgue may have been the director indulging in some sexual (presumably) fantasies, but I didn't mind because I had a morbidly good time despite the glaring holes in logic. I had to overlook the biggest ones anyway, so as not to spoil my favorite joke about a head eagerly crawling towards a Christmas tree using its tongue, and tearing open the gift wrapping, only to exclaim in frustration: "Damn! Not another hat!" / Lesson learned: A cat can come back up to eight times. 4*+ (18.01.2024)