MovieChat Forums > The Return of the Living Dead (1985) Discussion > I'd like an explanation...

I'd like an explanation...

posted 13 years ago by thelittleclown
43 replies | jump to latest

I'm a huge fan of zombie movies, and I've enjoyed several zombie comedies. My favorites are Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland, but I also liked Fido, Dance of the Dead, and Night of the Creeps. The last three weren't great, but they were clever enough and contained elements of one of my favorite sub-genres. That said, I can't see what makes Return of the Living Dead so amazing to some people. I'm not bashing this film, I legitimately want to know what makes it anything more than an average horror comedy. I'm not here to complain, I honestly want to like this movie and I'm wondering what its fans can see in it. You can't simply say "either you get it or you don't" as an excuse; I can provide rationale for why I like each of the movies I mentioned before. I just want to understand what there is to love about this movie, so I'd appreciate an intelligent response.

[–] archyros-30909 8 years ago

It must have to do with our sense of humor. Everyone does not find the same things funny. This movie is hilarious! But then I have a strange sense of humor.

Frank and Freddy screaming, Frank never stops screaming, his screaming makes me laugh every time...James Karen and Thom Mathews did a great job. We see them dying while remaining conscious, feeling rigor mortis, screaming at everything happening to them and at everything happening around them.

The zombies being really animated, both fast and intelligent. They come up with strategies to trap more victims. They figure out how to reach those who try to hide.

The dialog is priceless!

"I can smell your BRAINS!"

"I love you, you've got to LET ME EAT YOUR BRAINS!!!"

"The pain of BEING DEAD!"

And the tragic bits, like Frank cremating himself, the female half-corpse explaining why they eat brains, and the final solution--a nuke in the middle of Louisville KY!

And one of the last lines by the Colonel:

"Everything will be all right in the morning."

What a great movie! Of course, not everyone has the same kind of sense of humor...