The Return of the Living Dead (1985): Cast, Ratings & Box Office
The Return of the Living Dead is a 1985 sci-fi horror film starring James Karen, Thom Mathews and Linnea Quigley. It runs 1 hour 31 minutes and earned $14.2 million worldwide. It earned 3 award nominations, including Best Actor at the Saturn Awards 1986. Critics gave it 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 31m (91 min)
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Orion Pictures
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Return of the Living Dead About?
The premise of The Return of the Living Dead without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A bizarre accident releases a strange gas, unexpectedly reanimating the recently deceased as ravenous zombies. In Louisville, Kentucky, warehouse workers Frank and Freddy find themselves at the center of the escalating chaos. They must team up with their boss and an enigmatic mortician to survive the onslaught of flesh-hungry undead, dealing with the increasingly bizarre and comedic aftermath of their blunder.
The Return of the Living Dead Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- living dead
- naked dead woman
- undead
- zombie film
- back from the dead
- female nudity
- crematorium
- poison gas
- paramedic
- cemetery
- punk
- independent film
+38 more Show fewer
- walking dead
- zombie attack
- zombie apocalypse
- apocalypse
- flesh eating zombie
- zombie invasion
- zombification
- graveyard
- screaming woman
- female rear nudity
- public nudity
- striptease
- eaten alive
- nuclear weapon
- cremation
- zombie
- female frontal nudity
- epidemic
- zombie violence
- rainstorm
- furnace
- female exhibitionist
- graphic nudity
- no survivors
- rigor mortis
- mortician
- cannibalism
- cadaver
- basement
- attic
- ambulance
- warehouse
- psychotronic film
- hell on earth
- grindhouse film
- end of the world
- invasion
- doomsday
The Return of the Living Dead Cast
James Karen leads the cast, with Thom Mathews and Linnea Quigley.
Also Starring in The Return of the Living Dead
· 6 moreThe Return of the Living Dead Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Return of the Living Dead 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.
-
IMDb 7.3 /10
See on IMDb -
Metacritic 66 Metascore
User score 7.6
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 71% User score
See on TMDB
The Return of the Living Dead Plot Summary
What happens in The Return of the Living Dead from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In Louisville, Kentucky, on July 3, 1984, a medical supplier company named Uneeda thrives on its motto: “You need it — We got it.” The company provides corpses to universities for educational purposes and to veterinarians for animal studies. On this particular day, as closing time approaches, Frank (played by James Karen) stays late to mentor the new hire, Freddy (portrayed by Thom Mathews). With a human corpse stored in the freezer, Frank shares chilling stories from the past, recalling a real-life incident that inspired George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. He reveals that a chemical known as Trioxin 4-5 inadvertently brought deceased bodies back to life, with some escaping control and mistakenly sent to Uneeda.
Full summary
The whole story of The Return of the Living Dead, scene by scene
The Return of the Living Dead Box Office
The Return of the Living Dead grossed $14.2 million worldwide. $14.2 million came from the US and Canada and $665 (0%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$14.2M
- US & Canada
- $14.2M
- International
- $665
The Return of the Living Dead Awards & Nominations
The Return of the Living Dead earned 3 award nominations, including Best Actor at the Saturn Awards 1986.
3 nominations1 ceremony
-
Saturn Awards 1986 3 nominations- Nominated Best Actor
- Nominated Best Director
- Nominated Best Make-up
The Return of the Living Dead Trailers & Videos
13 videos: 1 trailer and 12 clips.
- Clip The Return of the Living Dead (1/10) Movie CLIP - Fresh Cadavers (1985) HD
- Clip The Return of the Living Dead (2/10) Movie CLIP - 245-Trioxin (1985) HD
- Clip The Return of the Living Dead (3/10) Movie CLIP - Breaking the Seal (1985) HD
- Clip The Return of the Living Dead (4/10) Movie CLIP - We Have a Little Problem (1985) HD
How Well Do You Know The Return of the Living Dead?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What company does Freddy work for?
Cars in The Return of the Living Dead
11 cars on screen, including the 1960 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible and the 1979 Chrysler Newport.
-
1960 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible Important role -
1979 Chrysler Newport Important role -
1980 Cadillac Seville Minor role -
1971 Chevrolet Chevy Van Minor role
The Return of the Living Dead Also Known As
33 alternative titles, including “Return of the Living Dead I” and “Return of the Living Dead - Verdammt, die Zombies kommen!”.
- Also known as
-
- Return of the Living Dead I
- Return of the Living Dead - Verdammt, die Zombies kommen!
- Ze Zijn Terug en Hebben Honger
- El regreso de los muertos vivos
- バタリアン
- Battalion
- Powrót Żywych Trupów
- Τα Ζόμπι δεν Είναι Χορτοφάγα
- Návrat živé smrti
- El regreso de los muertos vivientes
- Verdammt, die Zombies kommen
- Il ritorno dei morti viventi
+21 more Show fewer
- O Regresso dos Mortos Vivos
- Le Retour des morts-vivants
- Az élőhalottak visszatérnek
- Возвращение живых мертвецов
- Návrat oživlých mrtvol
- חזרתם של המתים-חיים
- 바탈리언
- Yaşayan Ölülerin Dönüşü
- A Volta dos Mortos Vivos
- Elävien kuolleiden paluu
- Завръщането на живите мъртви
- Ligene er ligeglade
- Povratak živih mrtvaca
- 活死人归来
- Návrat živých mŕtvol
- 芝加哥打鬼
- ผีลืมหลุม
- Le retour des morts vivants
- Numirėlių sugrįžimas
- El retorn dels morts vivents
- Повернення живих мерців
Seen The Return of the Living Dead?
Movies Like The Return of the Living Dead
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis, Return of the Living Dead II and Return of the Living Dead III.
-
Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis 2005 -
Return of the Living Dead II 1988 -
Return of the Living Dead III 1993 -
Return of the Living Dead: Rave to the Grave 2005 -
Return of the Dead 1979 -
The Dead Hate the Living! 1999 -
The Living Dead Girl 1982 -
The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue 1974 -
Dead Alive 1993 -
Revenge of the Living Dead Girls 1987 -
Land of the Dead 2005 -
Dead Moon Rising 2007
The Return of the Living Dead FAQ: Cast & Box Office
Runtime, release date, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Return of the Living Dead, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Return of the Living Dead?
The Return of the Living Dead runs 1 hour 31 minutes (91 minutes).
When was The Return of the Living Dead released?
The Return of the Living Dead was released on August 16, 1985.
Who is in the cast of The Return of the Living Dead?
The Return of the Living Dead stars James Karen, Thom Mathews and Linnea Quigley, among 10 credited actors.
How much did The Return of the Living Dead make at the box office?
The Return of the Living Dead grossed $14.2 million worldwide ($14.2 million domestic, $665 international).
How is The Return of the Living Dead rated?
The Return of the Living Dead has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 66 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.
Was The Return of the Living Dead nominated for any awards?
The Return of the Living Dead received 3 nominations across 1 ceremony.
Does The Return of the Living Dead have a post-credit scene?
No. The Return of the Living Dead has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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