Raiders of the Living Dead
Encyclopedia
Raiders of the Living Dead is a 1986
motion picture, a zombie
horror
film directed by Samuel M. Sherman from a script he co-wrote with Brett Piper.
(A Christmas Story
, The Toy
) creates a weapon from a laserdisc
player's laser and pursues the walking dead, aided by his girlfriend and grandfather (western star Bob Allen). A reporter (Robert Deveau) on the trail of the story is helped by the town librarian, played in her final film role by Zita Johann
(Boris Karloff
's The Mummy
, The Sin of Nora Moran). On the prison island, the zombies attack a security guard and tear him apart as the reporter and teenager venture into the prison caverns for a final showdown.
theatrically in the United States
by Independent International Pictures in 1986.
The film was given a 2-disc special edition
release in the United States
by Image Entertainment
in 2003. This version is currently out of print
. This set contains three version of the film:
The film was released on DVD in the United Kingdom
in 2003. This version features solely Raiders of the Living Dead and its commentary.
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
motion picture, a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
film directed by Samuel M. Sherman from a script he co-wrote with Brett Piper.
Plot
In an abandoned prison, a doctor has revived executed convicts as the living dead. Teenager Scott SchwartzScott Schwartz
Scott Schwartz is a former child actor best known for his roles in The Toy and A Christmas Story.-Career:Schwartz co-starred opposite Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason in 1982's The Toy directed by Richard Donner. In 1982, Schwartz filmed Kidco directed by Ronald F. Maxwell...
(A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story is a 1983 American Christmas comedy film based on the short stories and semi-fictional anecdotes of author and raconteur Jean Shepherd, including material from his books In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, and Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories. It was directed by Bob Clark...
, The Toy
The Toy
The Toy is a 1982 American comedy film starring Richard Pryor, Jackie Gleason, Ned Beatty, Scott Schwartz, Teresa Ganzel and Virginia Capers. It is an adaptation of the 1976 French film Le Jouet. The film is directed by Richard Donner.- Plot :...
) creates a weapon from a laserdisc
Laserdisc
LaserDisc was a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. Initially licensed, sold, and marketed as MCA DiscoVision in North America in 1978, the technology was previously referred to interally as Optical Videodisc System, Reflective Optical Videodisc, Laser Optical...
player's laser and pursues the walking dead, aided by his girlfriend and grandfather (western star Bob Allen). A reporter (Robert Deveau) on the trail of the story is helped by the town librarian, played in her final film role by Zita Johann
Zita Johann
Zita Johann was an American actress, best known for her role as Princess Ankhesenamón in Karl Freund's 1932 film version of The Mummy, co-starring with Boris Karloff....
(Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
's The Mummy
The Mummy (1932 film)
The Mummy is a 1932 horror film from Universal Studios directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff as a revived ancient Egyptian priest. The movie also features Zita Johann, David Manners and Edward Van Sloan...
, The Sin of Nora Moran). On the prison island, the zombies attack a security guard and tear him apart as the reporter and teenager venture into the prison caverns for a final showdown.
Cast
- Robert Allen as Dr. Corstairs
- Donna Asali as Shelly Godwin
- Corri Burt as Michelle
- Robert Deveau as Morgan Randall
- Zita JohannZita JohannZita Johann was an American actress, best known for her role as Princess Ankhesenamón in Karl Freund's 1932 film version of The Mummy, co-starring with Boris Karloff....
as Librarian - Bob Sacchetti as Man in Black
- Scott SchwartzScott SchwartzScott Schwartz is a former child actor best known for his roles in The Toy and A Christmas Story.-Career:Schwartz co-starred opposite Richard Pryor and Jackie Gleason in 1982's The Toy directed by Richard Donner. In 1982, Schwartz filmed Kidco directed by Ronald F. Maxwell...
as Jonathan
Release
The film was given a limited releaseLimited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
theatrically in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Independent International Pictures in 1986.
The film was given a 2-disc special edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
release in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment
Image Entertainment, Inc. is an independent licensee, producer and distributor of home entertainment programming and film & television productions in North America, with approximately 3,000 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 250 exclusive CD titles in domestic release, and approximately 450...
in 2003. This version is currently out of print
Out of print
Out of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
. This set contains three version of the film:
- Version 1: the first cut called Dying Day, directed by Brett Piper
- Version 2: the second cut called Dark Night, directed by Brett Piper
- Version 3: the third cut called Raiders of the Living Dead, featuring new footage shot by Sherman
The film was released on DVD in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2003. This version features solely Raiders of the Living Dead and its commentary.