The Return of the Living Dead

"MGM has created another impressive entry in their line of low-cost Special Edition DVD's with Return Of The Living Dead. The video transfer is good for a film this age: a few night shots suffer from graininess (probably an inherent problem with the original elements) but the image is otherwise sharp, vivid and a vast improvement upon previous video editions of this film. The mono audio track doesn't offer the fun a stereo remix would have added to this soundtrack but delivers solid, clean audio that suits the film nicely. What makes this disc a true treat for the fans is its generous array of special features. The most interesting of these is a feature-length commentary with writer/director Dan O'Bannon and production designer Bill Stout. Both men mix good cheer and dark wit in equal measure as they discuss the project from all angles. Stout comments mainly on the challenges of designing the film's look (his most interesting comments detail how they created the film's infamous half-body female zombie) while O'Bannon delivers plenty of fascinating info on the artistic process, including how he modeled his frantic dialogue scenes on the screwball comedies of Howard Hawks and his love/hate working relationship with actor Clu Gulager. There is also a nice interview short called ""Designing The Dead"" that uses interviews with O'Bannon and Stout to cover information not mentioned in the commentary. The package is rounded out by an array of fun trailers for the film and an eye-popping still gallery of Stout's conceptual art. All in all, MGM's DVD of Return Of The Living Dead is a ghoulish treat for the film's fans."