5 Things You Didnt Know About Re-Animator (1985)

Source: Empire International Pictures

The cult classic horror-comedy “Re-Animator” shocked and delighted audiences when it was released in 1985. Directed by Stuart Gordon and based on the H.P. Lovecraft story, the film follows medical student Herbert West and his bizarre experiments to reanimate the dead. Even nearly 40 years later, it remains a memorable and iconic entry in the body horror genre.

1. 24 Gallons

Over 24 gallons of fake blood were used during filming. The gory practical effects and gallons of splattered blood gave the film a uniquely vivid and visceral quality that still shocks viewers today. Naulin said that Re-Animator was the bloodiest film he had ever worked on; in the past, he had never used more than a couple of gallons.

2. $900K

The movie was crafted with only $900,000, but still managed to produce impressive production values with the help of inventive practical effects and over-the-top gore.

3. Rated X

The film pushed boundaries with its over-the-top gore practical effects, leading to an X rating on its initial release from the MPAA who found it excessively violent and gruesome.

According to its IMDB, the infamous head transplant scene caused many test audience members to vomit, faint or flee the screening area due to its visceral nature.

4. Sequels

After the success of “Re-Animator (1985),” producer Brian Yuzna began working on a sequel. The result was “Bride of Re-Animator” (1990), which starred Jeffrey Combs and Bruce Abbott reprising their roles from the original film. The sequel was directed by Yuzna, who had previously served as a producer on the first film.

Despite mixed reviews, “Bride of Re-Animator” was successful enough to warrant a third installment. In 2003, “Beyond Re-Animator” was released, once again starring Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West. The film was directed by Yuzna and received mixed reviews, but was praised for its humor and over-the-top gore.

5. Herbert West

In some European countries, the title of “Re-Animator” was changed to “Herbert West–Reanimator” in order to avoid confusion with another film called “Animator” (1986). The two films had similar titles and were both horror films, so the name change was deemed necessary to avoid any confusion among audiences.

The change in title did not affect the content of the film itself, which remained the same in all versions.