AFTERWORD: RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD (1985)

Hands down, this film is my favorite zombie movie. I know I’m going to take a lot of heat from Romero purists for that, but I just like what I like. So sue me.

I don’t think anything can ever top Linnea Quigley dancing naked in a cemetery. Call me an old pervert, call me a traditionalist, but boobs and blood never get old. There truly is a formula to some of these films.

Most of those formulas were very clearly explored in 1985. Whether it was Fright Night or even Teen Wolf, the films that came out in the middle of the decade seemed to be the secret sauce for what would define the next 20 to 30 years. Not only were these films influential, but most of them spawned huge franchises in one way or another.

The two sequels that followed ROTLD are solidly entertaining but never reached the perfect heights of the original. Why is that? Well, I think ROTLD is lightning in a bottle—similar to Ghostbusters or Gremlins. It’s a completely original work, so original, in fact, that they could build out franchises from it that would never live up to the first film.

From the talent behind the camera to the boobs in front of it, ROTLD is a punk rock horror masterpiece of the highest order. It succeeds because it’s so brazenly designed. It’s a middle finger to the establishment of zombie cinema. It creates so many new elements while embracing classic tropes. It’s the perfect mix of new and old.

With news of a forthcoming sequel directly tied to this original 1985 film, I have to be hesitant. Do I want to see the further adventures of Trash? Not really, but I do admire anyone who loves this franchise enough to try continuing it in an organic way. I just wish that same passion would be put into an original project that could spawn its own sequels.

I have nothing against franchises or fan films, but there’s nothing more exciting than a new idea, doing something we haven’t quite seen before. A film that’s wholly original and ends up influencing a genre. I wish them the best of luck, and I hope I enjoy it in cinemas.

My parting words are simple: when you create a genre mashup, bring fresh ideas to the table. Dare to inspire. Create tropes and trends organically, while still paying homage to what came before. Original properties are the lifeblood of cinema, and when you get a good one like ROTLD, it’s a good day to be a fan of genre film.

Man, that movie must have blown people’s minds in 1985.