History Film / ReturnOfTheLivingDead

** At least in the first movie getting bitten doesn't make you an infectee. Only a direct exposure to the chemical does the trick. Too bad that it can spread with rain falling on your skin.

*** It's ambiguous whether a bite does it, actually. Trash is exposed to Trioxin-laced rain, but so are the other punks, none of whom develop the same symptoms as the first two who get exposed. Several other zombies (including the aforementioned "more paramedics" and "more cops") weren't present for the rain, but rise again all the same. In contrast, Suicide is the first known fatality of the new outbreak, his brains devoured by Tarman (who was drenched in Trioxin to the point that his body decayed into, well, Tarman), but he doesn't rise again despite both heavy exposure AND bites.

* IfYouCanReadThis: There is an eye chart in the background in the first movie that reads, "Burt is a slave driver and son of a bitch who's got you and me here."

** Probably because unless you want a certified DownerEnding, it's impossible to use the original series zombies (can't be destroyed save by fire, produce zombifying ash when destroyed, continue fighting even when dismembered).

-->'''Freddy:''' [to Tina] See? And now you made me hurt myself again! You made me break my hand completely off this time, Tina! But I forgive you, Darlin', because I love you, and that's why you have to let me EAT YOUR BRAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIINS!

-->'''Freddy:''' [to Tina] See? You made me hurt myself again! I broke my hand off completely at the wrist this time, Tina! But that's okay, Darlin', because I love you, and that's why you have to let me EAT YOUR BRAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIINS!

''The Return of the Living Dead'' (1985) is a horror-comedy {{film}} [[Film/{{Alien}} written by Dan O'Bannon]], starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph and Linnea Quigley. ''Return'' is based on the premise that ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead'' was based on actual events, caused when a gas called 2-4-5 Trioxin was released into the morgue in the basement of a VA hospital in UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, causing the bodies to jerk around as if they were alive. Unable to contain the undead threat, the military stored the lively corpses in sealed barrels. When the story leaked out, the government allowed ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' to be made, but they ordered the filmmakers to alter the story and claim it was fictional.

* OlderThanTheyThink: The zombies in this film arguably originated the idea of zombies that could use tools effectively (predating ''DayOfTheDead'' and its famous gun-wielding Bob) and actual zombies that can run (predating the 2004 ''DawnOfTheDead'' remake).

* TheDeadHaveEyes.
* DemBones: A couple zombies, including Tarman.

* ItCanThink: The ''Return'' zombies show signs of intelligence, like puzzle-solving (Tarman rigs a chain winch to tear open the doors of a closet a potential meal is hiding in), speech (they know more words than just "Brains", but this one seems to be their favorite), and awareness of their condition (leading to a couple TearJerker moments with infected heroes), traits not found in their shambling, mindless cousins from other zombie franchises.

* PipePain: Burt uses a pipe as a weapon when the zombies try and break into the mortuary.

* BetterToDieThanBeKilled: Later in the film, Frank immolates himself in the retort, as he has become a zombie and has no other means of ending his agony that would be certain to work.

* DistressCall: One of the brain-hungry zombies uses a fake distress call to request more food: "Send more paramedics."

* DropTheHammer: Spyder uses a sledgehammer to try and fend off the zombies.

*** If you look at her as a zombie, the only things to indicate that she's undead are her now bleach-white skin and the fact that she's gnawing your arms off. Of course she also looks vaguely like a rabid Ronald [=McDonald=].
**** And the gigantic monster jaw.

-->'''Ernie:''' It hurts... to be dead.

[-''"[[GonnaNeedMoreX Send more paramedics.]]"''-]

''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' (1985) is a horror-comedy {{film}} [[{{Alien}} written by Dan O'Bannon]], starring Clu Gulager, James Karen, Don Calfa, Thom Mathews, Beverly Randolph and Linnea Quigley. ''Return'' is based on the premise that ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' was based on actual events, caused when a gas called 2-4-5 Trioxin was released into the morgue in the basement of a VA hospital in UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, causing the bodies to jerk around as if they were alive. Unable to contain the undead threat, the military stored the lively corpses in sealed barrels. When the story leaked out, the government allowed ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' to be made, but they ordered the filmmakers to alter the story and claim it was fictional.

''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' was followed by four sequels, one of which featured a tragic romance between [[ABoyAndHisX a boy and his zombified girlfriend.]]

* {{Fingore}}: The third movie has two obvious examples: once in the beginning, where a lab tech's fingers are torn off by a zombie, and once about 2/3 of the way through where Julie '''rams a glass shard through her hand'''.

* ItCanThink: The ''Return'' zombies show signs of intelligence, like puzzle-solving (Tarman rigs a chain winch to tear open the doors of a closet a potential meal is hiding in), speech (they know more words than just "Brains", but this one seems to be their favorite), and awareness of their condition (leading to a couple TearJerker moments with infected heroes), traits not found in their shambling, mindless cousins from other zombie franchises. YMMV whether this makes them more or less scary.
* ItGotWorse: Throughout the series, the ultimate example being either the unintentional Trioxin rain from the first film or the appearance of ''mech suit equipped'' zombies in ''Necropolis''
** Subverted with the mecha-zombies of Necropolis, who are inexplicably vulnerable to headshots, despite every zombie in previous installments being unphased by them.
*** Possibly a bullet to the brain leaves the zombie itself still functional, but destroys the components that link it to the suit?

* GenreSavvy: Good news: Some of the men are aware that ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' was based on true events. Bad news: The movie was ''loosely'' based on actual events, and the "real" zombies are completely different.

* CaptainErsatz: Hydra Tech is pretty much [[ResidentEvil The Umbrella Corporation]].

''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' (1985) is a horror-comedy {{film}} [[{{Alien}} written by Dan O'Bannon]], [[{{Airwolf}} starring Clu Gulager,]] [[AptPupil James Karen,]] [[StayTuned Don Calfa,]] [[FalconCrest Thom Mathews,]] [[QuincyME Beverly Randolph]] [[NightOfTheDemons and Linnea Quigley]]. ''Return'' is based on the premise that ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' was based on actual events, caused when a gas called 2-4-5 Trioxin was released into the morgue in the basement of a VA hospital in UsefulNotes/{{Pittsburgh}}, causing the bodies to jerk around as if they were alive. Unable to contain the undead threat, the military stored the lively corpses in sealed barrels. When the story leaked out, the government allowed ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' to be made, but they ordered the filmmakers to alter the story and claim it was fictional.

[-''"[[GonnaNeedMoreTrope Send more paramedics.]]"''-]

** Also DidNotDoTheResearch: [[{{BFG}} heavy artillery]] ammo, nuclear or not, is never like a one-piece, round-nosed, giant rifle cartridge, it comes in either two parts or more before loading.

''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' (1985) is a horror-comedy {{film}} [[{{Alien}} written by Dan O'Bannon]], [[{{Airwolf}} starring Clu Gulager,]] [[AptPupil James Karen,]] [[StayTuned Don Calfa,]] [[FalconCrest Thom Mathews,]] [[QuincyME Beverly Randolph]] [[NightOfTheDemons and Linnea Quigley]]. ''Return'' is based on the premise that ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' was based on actual events, caused when a gas called 2-4-5 Trioxin was released into the morgue in the basement of a VA hospital in {{Pittsburgh}}, causing the bodies to jerk around as if they were alive. Unable to contain the undead threat, the military stored the lively corpses in sealed barrels. When the story leaked out, the government allowed ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' to be made, but they ordered the filmmakers to alter the story and claim it was fictional.

'''Frank''': ''[[CrowningMomentOfFunny You mean the movie lied!?]]''

-->'''Burt''': So you're absolutely certain that this will get rid of everything and do the trick--I mean, nothing left?\\

* TheAllegedCar[=/=]ThePreciousPreciousCar: A minor character has a vintage Cadillac which he states is "cherry" as a reason not to let the heroes use it as a getaway car. Too bad it has a few problems starting up [[strike:at crucial moments]] all the damn time...

* PostMortemOneLiner: This gem after Jesse kills Billy:
-->'''Jesse:''' That's why you're dead, asshole; no brains and a big mouth!

* OneOfUs: Perhaps the filmmakers took a cue from LucioFulci's ''Film/{{Zombi 3D}}'' (which was inspired in part by the first film, mind you) when writing the zombies of this film.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: As Burt and Ernie burn evidence of the Trioxin leaking, Frank sneers, "Some big favor. I can operate that goddamn thing." In one version, Freddy asks in reply, "But who'd want to?" [[spoiler:Frank would, later in the film, to take himself out of the equation before he can eat any brains.]]

-->'''Frank''': Hell, no! This was built by the Army Corps of Engineers!

* ThrowItIn: Frank's self-immolation scene was suggested by James Karen.

* AshesToCrashes: Don't cremate the living dead.

** Remember that the zombies here are only interested in her brain, and so she should only have head wounds.
* BlackDudeDiesFirst: Averted. Spyder, the only black member of the crew, is among the last to die at the end of the film.

* DrivenToSuicide: Frank cremates himself before having a chance to "turn".

* {{Foreshadowing}}: When burning the evidence of the Trioxin leaking in Ernie's crematorium, Frank sneers, "Some big favor. I can operate that goddamn thing." [[spoiler:He later uses it to kill himself.]]

* MurderByCremation: In a self-destructive variant, a character does this to himself, as he has become a zombie and has no other means of ending his agony that would be certain to work.

** Not to mention that Clu Gulager and Don Kalfa sort of look like that other Burt and Ernie.

* HeyItsThatGuy: Jesse Wilson is Michael Kenworthy, who would later appear in TheBlob, is also in this film [[spoiler: and survives]].

* PostMortemOneLiner: This gem after Jesse kills the zombie bully:

* YouLookFamiliar: Thom Matthews, who played Freddy in the first movie, returns as an unrelated character named Joey in the second. Both directly witness the beginning of the ZombieApocalypse, and both get a dose of Trioxin in the beginning of their respective movies. Likewise, James Karen played Frank in the first film and Ed in the second. Joey even lampshades this in the second as he laments that he feels like he's been through this whole thing once before, and Ed was there too.
-->'''Joey:''' I just feel so…I got this feeling

* NamesTheSame: O'Bannon swears it's a coincidence that the main heroes of the first film include a man named [[SesameStreet Burt and his old friend Ernie]].

* AnimeAnatomy: The actress playing Trash (LinneaQuigley) was wearing a prosthetic crotch cover, the result of [[ExecutiveMeddling meddling executives]] wishing to avoid an "X" Rating.

* {{Masquerainment}}: The original ''NightOfTheLivingDead'' was meant as a cover-up of a zombie outbreak.