After the massive success of 1968’s Night of the Living Dead, writers George A. Romero and John A. Russo had very different ideas about how to continue the story. Romero’s idea became the equally successful Dawn of the Dead, while Russo’s idea became a novel titled Return of the Living Dead. Writer Dan O’Bannon (Alien, Lifeforce) was hired to adapt the book, but thought the tone intruded directly on Romero’s turf, so he added a lot of humor and created a film that combines zombies with punk rock and office drudgery. The characters were created to be different from the usual hot teens that were getting killed in 80s Horror.
This cult favorite acknowledges Night of… existing in a world where people have seen the film and our warehouse boss knows it was based on a true story. The script then gets the rewrite any zombie rule they want as creative liberty, while the undead are able to request, “Send more cops.” The zombie effects are way better than average, especially a half body with a spine that moves like a tail and a grotesque creature known as the Tar Man.
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