Obsessed with the idea of overcoming the obstacle of death and determined to vindicate himself by backing up his theory, ambitious medical student Herbert West arrives in New England after surviving a horrific incident at the Institute of Medicine in Switzerland. And before long, Herbert picks up where he left off; at first, experimenting with dead feline tissue, and then with fresh human cadavers, talking his sceptic roommate Dan Cain into joining his audacious project.

But as the two visionary scientists burrow deeper and deeper into uncharted territory, West’s reanimated corpses start walking around the campus, catching the eye of Dr Hill: Herbert’s old arch-nemesis, who yearns to take credit for the astounding discovery. Now the dead rise again, even with a bit of help. However, can the young re-animator harness the power of his phosphorescent green reagent?

The film was controversial for its shocking and graphic content, including explicit violence, nudity, and dark humor. It was initially given an R-rating by the MPAA but was later cut for its release in some markets.

Despite the mixed reception at first, Re-Animator has since achieved cult status and is considered one of the best horror films of the 1980s. It is often cited as one of the key films that helped to define the horror-comedy subgenre.