Re-Animator

Overview

Think you've seen every great '80s movie, from the genuinely excellent to the so-bad-it's-awesome to the downright terrible? We don't doubt that you've sat through the classics, and plenty of not-so-classic efforts too. If you haven't watched Re-Animator, though, then you haven't really experienced all the decade of excess had to offer.

Loosely based on a short story from famed horror writer HP Lovecraft, this isn't your usual pulpy, low-budget outing. The author wrote the tale as a parody of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, and the film ramps up the comedy — and the gore — of bringing the dead back to life to extreme levels.

The special effects department reportedly went through 25 gallons of fake blood during the shoot, which should give you an indication of plasma-dripping sights on offer. There's also an undead cat, a headless professor, and mind-controlled corpses, in the type of demented effort that earns the term horror-fest. And if you love it, you can buy your own copy afterwards, with the screening celebrating the film's 30th anniversary release on Blu-Ray.