<p>Since its release at the mid-point of the 1980s American horror boom, Stuart Gordon's <em>Re-Animator</em> (1985) has endured as one of the most beloved cult horror films of that era. Greeted by enthusiastic early reviews, <em>Re-Animator</em> has maintained a spot at the periphery of the classic horror film canon. While it has not entirely gone without critical attention, <em>Re-Animator</em> has often been overshadowed in horror studies by more familiar titles from the period. This book, which represents the first book-length study of the film, repositions <em>Re-Animator</em> as one of the more significant American horror films of its era. For Falvey, <em>Re-Animator</em> epitomises various developments that were taking place within the context of 1980s American horror. He uses <em>Re-Animator</em> to explore the rise and fall of Charles Band's Empire Pictures, a prolific if short-lived studio specialising in genre B-movies, the revival of the mad science sub-genre, the emergent popularity of both gore aesthetics and horror-comedies, as well as a new appetite for the works of H.P. Lovecraft in adaptation. This book tracks the film's various legacies, observing not only how <em>Re-Animator</em>'s success gave rise to a new Lovecraftian cycle initiated by Gordon’s success here, but also how its cult status has continued to grow, marked by sequels, spin-offs, parodies and re-releases. As such, this book is both about <em>Re-Animator</em> itself and about the various contexts that birthed it and continue to reflect its influence.</p>