‘Re-Animator’ Review: Celebrate 40 Years of Genius in Glorious 4K

Jessica Rose   |  

Jun 19, 2025

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Coming back from the dead never looked so good! Then again, when it comes to Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator, it’s never really gone anywhere. Forty years since its release, the cult classic splatter comedy is just as popular and, now, influential as it was when it premiered to audiences in 1985.

Based on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Herbert West, Re-Animator”, “Re-Animator follows Herbert West, a brilliant yet unhinged medical student who creates a serum that reanimates the dead with horrifying consequences.”

The film stars Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott, David Gale, and Robert Sampson and is produced by Brian Yuzna. Whether it’s a syringe full of an unsettling green elixir, a very angry undead cat, or an unfortunately evil severed head, Re-Animator pushed the boundaries of genre experimentation mixing comedy and horror to create the ultimate agent of chaos.

Spawning two sequels, Bride of Re-Animator in 1990 and Beyond Re-Animator in 2003, the film continues to thrive amongst long-standing horror fans and genre newcomers. Now the film turns 40 years old and what better way to celebrate that than with a little reanimation?

Ignite Films gives life to Re-Animator with an all new 4K UHD/Blu-ray release that not only takes the viewing of the cult classic to the next level, but comes with plenty of first-rate extras. Between trailers and TV spots to short documentaries to physical collectibles, the folks at Ignite have thoroughly put together the ideal Re-Animator packages that would impress even Herbert West himself.

The Packaging

I received the Ultimate Limited Edition Box Set package (minus the collector bobblehead in a delay due to tariff complications) and it is a tremendous injection of Re-Animator appreciation in form and content. It tickles all the senses, assembling tangible, auditory, and visual fun.

The matte smooth slipcase and disc box are made with quality and aesthetics in mind. The slipcase and each individual disc inside boast incredible new artwork by Zachary Jackson Brown depicting West in all his demented glory wielding a dose of bright green re-agent against zombified collateral highlighted in neon purple. Accenting the artwork is a 40th anniversary Re-Animator logo, marking this special restoration milestone. Accompanying the discs is a book of interviews with the cast and crew making it a valuable companion piece complete with bright, beautiful photos and printed text. Five glossy cardstock images from the film tie the selection together, a great addition for all physical media lovers.

The Restoration Itself

As expected, watching the 4K restoration version of Re-Animator is an experience in and of itself. The color is vivid with the picture quality establishing a new visual clarity highlighting the noteworthy special effects and gore. I anticipated a notch of improvement from its original composition, but was pleasantly surprised by how impressive the 4K edition is compared to basic formats.

The box as a whole is beautiful enough to display, but what really elevates this set apart from anything, other than the brilliant 4K restoration, lies in the extra features of the Newly Produced and Legacy bonuses. Hours and hours of interesting commentaries, interviews, and discussions, amongst so many others, revolving around the film is sure to scratch the itch any fan may have when it comes to Re-Animator. Ignite Films and all involved with curating this perfect package of depravity have left no stone unturned. The variety of options to purchase based on budget and materials desired is an inclusive move and one I am sure all consumers will appreciate. The fan service and attention crafted into each of these editions is clear and considerable. 

With this fantastic Re-Animator collection, Ignite Films proves there is still knowledge to be discovered and life to be lived when it comes to this fan favorite study of mad science gone awry. If you are a fan of Re-Animator, 80’s horror, cult classics, sci-fi horror, and everything in between and beyond, I recommend getting your hands on Ignite Films’ latest spectacular release to upgrade your collection.

Sold exclusively at Ignite-Films.com, fans can choose from four editions of Re-Animator

The Ultimate Limited Edition Box Set ($129.95)

• 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo
• Newly produced Bonus Features and legacy Bonus Features
• A 150-page hardcover book featuring interviews with Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, writer Dennis Paoli, and composer Richard Band, with essays by Scout Tafoya, Kate Rife, Will Sloan, Alex Kittle, and Ben Sachs, with a preface by Brian Yuzna, and collector’s art cards
• A limited edition Dr. Hill Collector’s Bobblehead (this is an exclusive hand-painted collectible available in a limited quantity and will not be restocked, so get it while you can!). 
• For those who choose the Ultimate Limited Edition Box Set, some lucky fans will discover green “re-agent” in their order! That means they will receive an exclusive signed poster by Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and Brian Yuzna, plus a special Re-Animator gift pack from Middle of Beyond. 

The Deluxe Edition Box Set ($79.95)

• 4K UHD/Blu-ray combo
• Newly produced Bonus Features and legacy Bonus Features
• A 150-page hardcover book featuring interviews with Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, writer Dennis Paoli, and composer Richard Band, with essays by Scout Tafoya, Kate Rife, Will Sloan, Alex Kittle, and Ben Sachs, and preface by Brian Yuzna, and collector’s art cards. 

The 4K Standard Edition ($49.95)

• 4K UHD Blu-ray
• Slipcover
• Newly produced Bonus Features and legacy Bonus Features.

The Blu-ray Standard Edition ($39.95)

• Blu-ray
• Slipcover
• Newly produced Bonus Features and legacy Bonus Features.

Newly Produced Bonus Features

• Re-Animator at 40: A Conversation with Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, and Brian Yuzna
• Piece By Piece: Cutting Re-Animator with Lee Percy
• The Horror of It All: The Legacy and Impact of Re-Animator, Sorority and The Good College Boy: An Interview with Carolyn Purdy-Gordon
• I Give Her Life: A Look Back at Re-Animator: The Musical
• Re-Animating a Horror Classic: The 4K Restoration of Re-Animator
• The Organic Theater Company of Chicago: A 1977 documentary featuring rarely seen interview footage of Stuart Gordon and other members of the theater
• New 40th Anniversary 4K trailer.

Legacy Bonus Features

• An Integral Version (105 mins)
• Isolated Score
• Audio commentary with director Stuart Gordon and actors Graham Skipper and Jesse Merlin of Re-Animator: The Musical
• Audio commentary with Stuart Gordon, Audio commentary with producer Brian Yuzna, actors Jeffrey Combs, Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott and Robert Sampson
• Re-Animator: Resurrectus: A feature-length documentary on the making of the film, featuring extensive interviews with cast and crew
• Interviews with director Stuart Gordon and producer Brian Yuzna, writer Dennis Paoli, composer Richard Band and former Fangoria editor Tony Timpone
• Music discussion with composer Richard Band
• The Catastrophe of Success: Stuart Gordon and The Organic Theater: Director Stuart Gordon discusses his early theater roots and his continued commitment to the stage
• Theater of Blood: Re-Animator: The Musical composer and lyricist Mark Nutter on adapting the cult classic for musical theater
• Barbara Crampton In Conversation: The Re-Animator star sits down with journalist Alan Jones for this career-spanning 2015 interview
• A Guide to Lovecraft Cinema: Chris Lackey, host of the H.P., Lovecraft Literary Podcast, provides a comprehensive look at the many cinematic incarnations of Lovecraft’s work
• Doug Bradley’s Spinechillers: Herbert West, Re-Animator actor Jeffrey Combs reads H.P. Lovecraft’s original classic story
• Extended Scenes
• Deleted Scene
• Trailer & TV Spots
• Still Gallery
• Screenplay (Multi Angle Storyboards)