Return of the Living Dead II (1988)

Curious kids unearth the barrels that previously helped revive the dead, which proves the second time's an undead charm.

Director:

Ken Wiederhorn

Writer:

Ken Wiederhorn

Stars:

James Karen, Thom Mathews, Michael Kenworthy

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Kenworthy	...	Jesse Wilson
Thor Van Lingen	...	Billy
Jason Hogan	...	Johnny
James Karen	...	Ed
Thom Mathews	...	Joey
Suzanne Snyder	...	Brenda
Marsha Dietlein	...	Lucy Wilson
Hanala Sagal	...	Aerobics Instructor (as Suzan Stadner)
Jonathan Terry	...	Colonel (as Jonathon Terry)
Dana Ashbrook	...	Tom Essex
Sally Smythe	...	Billy's Mom
Allan Trautman	...	Tarman
Don Maxwell	...	Billy's Dad
Reynold Cindrich	...	Soldier
Philip Bruns	...	Doc Mandel

Storyline

In this first sequel to The Return of the Living Dead, a group of kids discover one of the drums containing a rotting corpse and release the 2-4-5 Trioxen gas into the air, causing the dead to once again rise from the grave and seek out brains.

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Plot Keywords:

cult film | zombie | psychotronic film | zombie comedy | grindhouse film | 

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Taglines:

They're Back, And They're Not Happy!

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Michael Jackson zombie make up took 3 and a half hours to apply.

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Goofs

When the movie opens and the two barrels containing dead bodies fall out of the cargo trucks there are no military vehicles following the cargo trucks to maintain the transfer.

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Quotes

Brenda: [the hospital is empty] Anybody here?
Jesse Wilson: [tries phone] Dead.
Lucy Wilson: Don't say that word.
Tom Essex: Why? Dammit why? Where'd they all go?
Brenda: Hello? Where is everybody?
Jesse Wilson: When are you guys going to wake up? Nobody can help us except...
Doc Mandel: A trained physician, such as myself. Hold this my son, thank you very much. Ah, yes yes yes.
Brenda: What what what?
Doc Mandel: [to Joey and Ed] When did you two have your last bowel movement? Hmm? Do you happen to know what a catheter is?
Jesse Wilson: They gotta have police here, emergency stuff, somebody somewhere!
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The Blu-ray release from Scream Factory restores the original theatrical soundtrack. Plus it restores the original Lorimar Pictures logo that was plastered on the Warner DVD release.

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Connections

Featured in 31 Days of Horror: Return of the Living Dead Part II (1988) (2017)

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Soundtracks

I'm the Man
Performed by Anthrax
Written by Joseph Belladona, Dan Spitz, Scott Ian, Frank Bello, Charlie Benante (as Charles Benante) and John Rooney
Produced by Anthrax and Eddie Cramer
Antrax Music/Black Lion Music
Recording courtesy of Megaforce/Island Records

User Reviews

Run ! Here Comes The Sequel !

Did we really need a sequel ? We have nearly the same plot, some of the same actors, definitely some of the same lines and practically the same actors. Yet, right when Thom Matthews was about to be type-cast in horror movies, he said, "Sure, I'll do it." Later, you know he screaming, " They drove up to my house and dumped a truck load of money on my front porch......" I mean, what are the odds that two idiots who look exactly alike will befall the same fate ? Admittedly, Thom and James Karen could make a very funny comedy team, but not in the same roles saying the same things like some asinine Martin and Lewis series. That said, this movie is a lot funnier than the first. Phillip Bruns replaces Don Calfa and has some very funny lines. A sub-plot involves juvenile delinquency and acceptance as the zombies horse around, steal the scenes and get in the way. One in particular in a dark suit and a few others just keep returning in other scenes as if that wasn't really obvious. I guess there was a shortage in extras. Mitch Pileggi of the X-Files has a very obvious role and I'm sure I recognized the zombie on the hospital phone as from an old episode of the original Twilight Zone. If I had written the script, I would have tossed in a vampire to spar with the zombies because he sure would have been immune to that bite of their's.

Details

Official Sites:

MySpace

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 January 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Revenge of the Living Dead

Filming Locations:

169 N. Baldwin Avenue, Sierra Madre, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,200,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,647,254, 17 January 1988

Gross USA:

$9,205,924

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,205,924

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lorimar Motion Pictures, Greenfox Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1