Straight Up Reviews: Bride of Re-Animator

 

Lovecraft is- You know what? Just to fuck with you I'm saying it.  He's not Racist, he's been trolling racists the entire time.  This is Bride of Re-Animator.

This was the first Re-Animator movie in which neither Stuart Gordon nor Charles Band was involved in.  

After the success of the first Re-Animator, a sequel was bound to happen. Originally the idea was that much like the ending of the first suggested, Dan Cain was gonna be the next Re-Animator. He was gonna take a job as a building superintendent, while working on trying to bring Meg Halsey back from the dead.  With Government agents capturing him, re-uniting him with Herbert West.  Both assigned to Re-Animate a recently deceased president.  Unfortunately since Barbara Crampton wasn't available at the time due to obligations with her role as Leanna Love on the Soap Opera, The Young and The Restless; that idea was scrapped and later became the basis of the rumoured fourth film "House of Re-Animator".  So a new story took it's place.  

The story opens with a dark background with a slow zoom into a familiar Talking Head. Dr. Carl Hill.  Whom vows revenge on Herbert West for the events of the first movie. That's strange, I thought he already killed him.  A bit of an explanation here.

Originally the movie was gonna open with a deleted scene, taking place exactly where the end of the first movie left off.  With another actress replacing Crampton as Meg, to show that Daniel Cain failed to revive her as the dosage was not enough to keep her alive.  West shows up covered in blood explaining that Hill didn't have the guts to finish him off.  This implies that the overdose he gave, Hill's headless body, which turned his intestines into tentacles, eventually died off. However since this scene is deleted I offer an alternate theory.  

The actual explanation is that because Herbert West proved to be a popular character, they made him contractually immortal.  However if you put the extended edition of the first movie into play, where he injects a diluted version of his Re-Agent into himself, to keep him awake and his brain sharp; you'd think as much as I do, that it made him more durable than the average human being.  

The movie then opens proper, 8 months after the events of the first movie. The events dubbed "The Miskatonic Massacre" despite only three people being officially killed.  4 if you count West as presumed dead.  The other three being Meg Halsey, Dean Alan Halsey and Dr. Carl Hill.  West and Cain volunteer as medics during the Peruvian Civil War,  which West uses as a means of getting more test subjects, while at the same time finding ways to perfect his Re-Agent.  Which he discovered in the form of a Cusco Iguana that was native to Peru.  He explains to Dan, that they've gone beyond simply re-animating the dead and that the events of the previous film, proved that reticular consciousness, doesn't just exist in the brain, but also in every part of the body. 

The front lines have weakened and enemy soldiers come in, prompting Dan to kill one at the cost of being wounded and West finishing off the other two.  Unlike the first movie, where he had no weapons to defend himself, Herbert became wise enough to carry a pistol with him to kill the Re-Animates quickly when they go rogue. Which he used earlier to put down an unruly subject before taking out the other two soldiers.  Herbert packs his notes, Re-Agent and the Iguana before literally dragging Dan home to Arkham.

Now you'll find the opening credits to be different in many ways. For starters, the graphics use have more diagrams on the female human anatomy than just unisex.  To foreshadow the titular bride. The music itself is also less of a rip off of Bernard Hermann's Psycho score and somewhat of a rip off of this:

Romeo and Juliet's Fantasy Overture. The most cliched romantic music int he world.

The movie has West and Cain, working as Doctors in Arkham Hospital. Having graduated last year.  Dan is taking care of a terminal patient named Gloria, whom by her own judgement and Herbert's confirmation, is sick everywhere but her head.  Now Gloria is one of the more interesting characters, because she and Dan seem to share a bond that borderlines on the Florence Nightingale Effect.  On Dan's side of things, Gloria reminds him of Meg and he fears losing Gloria would lose Meg all over again.  While Gloria, possibly due to knowing her number will soon be up, is eternally grateful that a kind doctor like Daniel Cain is able to help her through it.  However Herbert has other plans.  Wanting to use her as the next test subject for their continuing experiments. 

Meanwhile, a police officer, named Lieutenant Leslie Chapman is investigating the events of the Massacre, believing that Dan Cain and Herbert West are the prime suspects.  He interviews pathologist Dr. Wilbur Graves regarding the case.  Where he shows him the apparently dead head of Dr. Carl Hill. Which was found at a Carnival Sideshow.  Bringing Herbert's most famous joke full circle.  Intrigued, Graves takes him to the evidence wing of the hospital, showing other body parts. Stating that like Hill's Head, not a single piece has shown any sign of further decay. As though the Re-Agent has preserved their cells. Making them effectively immortal. He also has a sample of the Re-Agent which he assumed to be a secret project Hill was working on.  The only other evidence being debris which was burned in the incinerator.  As they further investigate, Graves informs him of a suicidal ballet dancer who cut her own feet off, when she thought she wasn't good enough.  Said feet being missing. He also notes that some parts are missing, which leads to both wondering who would steal body parts.

West later sneaks into the evidence section and finds among most things Meg Halsey's heart.  I love this scene, because you can easily see the wheels of creativity turn in his head.  Before he leaves he discovers Hill's head and taunts him for his plagiarism and current state.  The head apparently showing some signs of life.  West however, after a brief glance, ignores it.  Leaving the room and passing by a suspicious cheese eating Chapman. I always loved this scene not just because Combs knew how to break out the puns, but also because of the quick cuts from Chapman and Grave's conversation to West doing his thing.  Seriously "Who would steal body parts." Followed by Herbert peering in almost out of nowhere is excellent comedic timing. 

Dan is later informed by a nurse that Chapman was looking for him, while he tries to offer good bedside manner to Gloria

The next scene takes us to Herbert and Dan's new home. Which is a large former funeral home next to a filled cemetery, Dan catches west messing around with a crypt that shares a wall with their basement.  Which he later covers up with a cabinet. Unlike their previous home, which had a small basement, barely any room for anything more than Herbert's small scale experiments. This home has a larger basement with better lab space. More room for bigger bodies and an even bigger supply of Re-Agent.  Herbert shows Dan two things. The first, a chemical that simulates a heart attack, which he uses on the Cusco Iguana they took from Peru.  The second, using said Iguana, a means of improving his Re-Agent with the following ingredients.  Take it away S.T.

S.T.: While this movie is a B-Movie, I found that much like the first movie, they managed to have somewhat accurate way of showing us that with the right stuff something like what Herbert West is doing can in fact exist  in real life.

1. The Amniotic Fluid of the Cusco Iguana.  Which he especially picked because it's one of the few animals in the world that hasn't evolved in over 100 million years.  This is an especially important ingredient, because that's the closest you'll ever get to having a sample of the primordial ooze from whence we came.
2. Myosin.  A muscle protein that converts chemical energy into mechanical energy.  Basically it's the protein that keeps us moving.
3. Actin. Another muscle protein, which is responsible for various functions including muscle contraction, cell motility, cell division and cytokinesis, vesicle and organelle movement, cell signaling, and the establishment and maintenance of cell junctions and cell shape.
4. Tropomyosin which which regulates muscle relaxation and contraction.  Putting all three proteins together causes this one to act as a bridge between the other two. Preventing over-strenuous activity.  In layman's terms, it means this thing stops the Myosin from using too much energy and the actin from using too much of it's functions.
   
5. The Re-Agent.  Redubbed by West to Dan as "Our Re-Agent." While the chemical process is unknown, as mentioned in the previous movie, it's based on an old theory regarding recharging the chemical process of dead cells.  Back to you Straight Up.
   

Straight Up: The cool thing about the last part was that while we all know that the prop for the Re-Agent is Glow-Stick Fluid. Which is basically Hydrogen Peroxide, Tert Butyl Alcohol and Flourescent dye, the filmmakers were stumped at first on how to create a lab setting that would simulate the creation of the Re-Agent on a larger scale. That was until Jeffery Combs came to the rescue.  Specifically, his father-in-law.  His father-in-law was a chemistry professor and he helped set up the lab that was used in the movie.  He suggested that the end of said lab would be comprised of the separate fluids that created the Glow-Stick fluid.  So that when one poured into the other, we would see it light up before our very eyes.  Simple, yet great effect.  

Now with all those combined together Herbert may have cracked the secret to life itself.  To test the formula, he has a set of fingers as well as an eyeball.  Inspired by the events of the first movie, he starts sticking the pieces together. It was around this time, Dan announced that he's moving out of the house. West tries to sway him, by convincing him that they can create new life.  Rather than inject it like his previous Re-Animates, Herbert can use this concoction by directly applying it to the dead pieces.  In this case he created this:

While this thing is cute in it's creepy way, it wasn't enough to sway Dan. Instead it enrages and disgusts him enough that he insists on moving out.  An argument prompts between them, with West pointing out Dan's hypocrisy on being holier than thou, when moments before he was willing to use the Re-Agent to bring Meg back to life.   That's when Herbert reveals that he is in possession of Meg's heart.  Convincing him that with it at the centre, he can create a new life. Since Dan wants Meg back so badly, he agrees.  Not without warning West of the police.  Just as Herbert scoffs at the idea, Chapman rings the doorbell.   While they were busy, the finger spider gets loose in the house.  So in an attempt to get Chapman to leave, Dan and West try to catch the thing without him looking.  However their strange behaviour prompts him to leave, before unknowingly dropping a heavy book onto the poor little thing. Killing it and killing whatever it used to be twice. 

Back at the hospital, graves discovers what the Re-Agent can do and tests it on a dissected bat. Naturally it springs to life and attacks him, so he subdues it by cutting it's wings off. That reminds me. I wonder how Herbert West would deal with the Covid Situation.   Ah well.  

Graves, getting an idea, brings Hill's head back to life.  Hill recognizes him for his apparently stupid theory of reconciling creationism with the origin of disease. As much as I hate Hill for being a plagarist and a rapist, he does have a point here.  I mean what the fuck does Creationism, literally the belief that one comes from God have to do with disease?  Unless God created the disease or the disease is what caused us to believe in God, it makes less fucking sense.

Meanwhile, West and Dan send Ernest the orderly on a false summon so they could steal the most recent cadaver for their new project. This was exceptionally perfect timing because Graves wanted to show someone, anyone Hill's head talking.  Hill on the other hand plays possum, making it look like Graves flipped his lid.  His reasoning is that he needs Graves' help in his revenge against West. So naturally if he wanted too much attention on a Talking Head, he'd tell them to go see David Byrne.

On their way out, under the guise of taking a catatonic patient out for some fresh air, a dog knocks the corpse's sunglasses, off nearly exposing them.  Dan follows it, and finds himself reunited with an old friend from The Peruvian Civil War. Francesca Danelli, played by Fabiana Udeno. An Italian Journalist who was trying to convince the duo to retreat, before she fled herself.  Herbert shows clear jealousy over her as he wheels the patient out, but they ignore him in favour of catching up. Her dog named Angel used to get his attention.  Wait a minute.  She looks very familiar, but I can't quite put my finger on it. Italian, speaks with a heavy accent, extremely beautiful and looks like she's in the wrong kind of movie.  If anything she looks like someone out of a James Bond mo-- Wait.  No. NO? NO!! NO FUCKING WAY!!! 

 

Daniel Cain is dating Alotta Fagina from Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Daniel fucking Cain, is dating the Bond Girl Parody of  Pussy Galore from Goldfinger.  Now in terms of actresses, it's hard to choose.  Barbara Crampton, is gorgeous, but also has the capacity of being adorable as well as sexy.  Whereas, Fabiana is more of a serious stunning type. In terms of the characters they were famous for playing though I would consider her a step down.  Meg only loved one person.  In Austin Powers' words, Miss Fagina is the Village Bicycle.  Everyone's had a ride and well compared to Elizabeth Hurley's character, Mrs. Vanessa Powers nee Kensington, she is way under. However she's not Fagina in this, so let's just assume for a moment that Dan was her one love for the sake of a review.

After Dan invites her to dinner at their place. One of the dumbest things he's ever done despite being the sane one, but we'll get to that later. Chapman approaches Francesca, showing her the mental wing of Arkham Hospital while explaining to him Dan and Herbert's involvment with the Miskatonic Massacre. Where what was left of Hill's Re-Animates reside. Including, Chapman's wife, Elizabeth.  Now it kind of irks me that they would blame West for this, but then again aside from no one knowing, but Dan and Herbert what really happened it is his fault.  Had he not bring Hill back, Hill wouldn't have created his army of Re-Animates.  Including Chapman's wife.  Now the Re-Animates seem to mostly keep to himself, but when Francesca approaches Elizabeth, she suddenly attacks her. Which Chapman notes, she's never done to anyone that visited her before. Now on the surface, it seems easy to feel bad for the guy as through unknown circumstances to him, his wife is now an undead monster. However don't feel bad just yet. 

Back at home, Dan and West, work on the partial construction of the new body. Using artificial bones, skin grafts and blood vessels to keep it patched together.  Dan argues that they should publish their findings, but Herbert counters that on top of not understanding their methods, they'd try to steal the work, much like Hill. Dan does raise a point that if the limbs aren't Re-animated at the same time, the body will tear itself apart. Herbert suggests injecting directly into the heart with the Circulatory system to do just that. Dan doesn't want to risk Meg's heart. 

Before they continue to discuss it Francesca comes over. While they cook dinner and get to know each other more, Chapman stakes out the place. Of course in what is now the true tradition of the Re-Animator Franchise, Dan has another sex scene with a love interest. All the while, out of boredom, West fuses an arm and a leg together, bringing them to life.  Naturally the first thing they do is start kicking his ass, before he throws them into the hole in the wall that leads to the crypt.  While this is a random funny moment, it sums up West's character as a whole. He does experiment, experiment comes to life, experiment turns on him and he throws it away like nothing happened. 

Herbert catches Chapman in his house, who forgoes all police procedure and violently interrogates him. Stumbling upon his lab and questioning him regarding his wife.  Herbert retorts that his wife died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries. Suggesting that Chapman, beat his wife to death during a domestic argument.  Now one could think that Herbert was just bullshitting to save his skin, but considering that his wife attacked Francesca because he happened to be near her, it leads me to this conclusion. His wife caught him cheating on her with a younger woman. They fought, he beat her to death.  Plus it doesn't help his case when upon bringing it up, he tries to Dr. Hill West with a shovel.  Using the chemical he used on the Iguana before, West kills Chapman.  Dan finds out, but Herbert claims his heart gave out. In a bid to cover up killing a cop and testing the re-agent, West injects the Re-Agent into the cop's heart rather than in the brain.  Causing him to come back but like the rest, go nuts and rampage out of the house.  Killing Angel on the way, by ripping one of his paws off after he himself loses an arm from a machete attack courtesy of West and Dan.  

Francesca is devastated and Dan tries to comfort her, but she is suspicious of West and asking why Chapman would suddenly attack like that. Herbert then takes Angel away, dismissing her as hysterical. 

The next morning, Francesca hears a dog bark and goes snooping down to the basement, to investigate. Finding West in the lab, but before he could ask her to leave, she spots angel back from the dead.  She seemed happy to see him at first and vice versa.  However upon seeing Chapman's hand in place of his missing paw, the dog starts growling and Francesca is further traumatized. She breaks up with Dan and runs out of the house.

Back at the hospital, West tries to tell him that he needs one last part to complete the new body.  However Dan is more focused on helping Gloria.  After trying to speak to her, he noticed that she has flat-lined and with the help of West and the nurses, they desperately try surgery to revive her. However it was too late. Gloria was dead.   In a surprising bit of comfort, West tells Dan to go home.  Knowing full well, staying in the hospital would just make him go more crazy with grief.  Poor Dan, first the lady he was helping in the beginning of the first movie, then Meg, now Gloria.   Poor guy probably wanted the hat trick in his youth, but not like this. NEVER LIKE THIS!!

At pathology, Graves turns to booze to cope with Hill tormenting him.  Hill demands that he be brought to West, so he could have his revenge, but Graves refuses.  Hill tries to use his psychic abilities to call his fellow Re-Animates. Somehow Chapman gets the call too. However Graves has finally had it with Hill and restrains him with an apple gag and a towel. Then throws him in the trash bin.

As it turns out though, West wanted Dan out of the way do he could collect Gloria's head. Using Ernest again, he has the rest of her taken to the crematorium for disposal while he sneaks the head out with a bucket.  

Francesca came to the hospital to return Dan's Miskantonic University shirt. Basically the universal 80s "It's over." Gestu-- You stupid bitch. No no no, I mean it, you stupid bitch. I know this is a B-Movie and that there are certain liberties, when it comes to realism, but hear me out.  She just witnessed, a Zombie Cop, go on a rampage, kill her dog.  Then witnesses a mad scientist, whom said cop is questioning for murder among most crimes, bring her dead dog to life with the Cop's arm grafted to him.  Yet, rather than call the police and report a possible dead cop and confirming the suspicions Arkham Police have on him Dan, she simply just tries to break up with him?   Now just when you think she can't get any dumber, when she finds out what happened with Dan losing Gloria, she has this look on her face that screams "Maybe he's not such a bad guy after all."  I mean god damn.  I've seen some dumb, female characters in horror movies. Yet this is the dumbest thing she's ever-- You know what, they belong together.  They make the Baka Couple from Hare + Guu look smart by comparison.

 

Anywho, back at the house yet again.  Herbert presents Gloria's head as the finishing touch, before obsessively possibly  sexually describing each part of the body they used.

1. The feet of a young ballet dancer. Whom committed suicide out of lack of ambition.
2. The legs of a prostitute who was killed by her pimp. (Possible reference to Frankenhooker)
   
3. The womb and torso of a virgin. Who died before she could experience the pleasures of life.
4. Meg's Heart.
   
5. The arms of a waitress.
6. The left hand of a lawyer.
7. The right hand of a sculptress/harpist possible murderer.
8. Glroia's head, which Herbert complimented on it's beauty and usefulness.

Now I'd like to stop this review for a moment and address something I forgot to acknowledge in my previous review.  Despite being a B-Movie series, with misogynistic villains and a gratuitous amount of hetero sex scenes, this franchise has attracted two kinds of groups. The first being a legion of fans, both men and women, who find Herbert West and to an extent Jeffery Combs attractive. Due to his awkward dorky yet maniacal personality.  It also seemed to resonate well with the LGBTQ+ crowd, due to at least in their interpretation, that Dan and Herbert are meant to be a homosexual couple.  Or as fans of TV Tropes would call it, a One True Pairing.  Now bare in mind, I have nothing against this interpretation in the negative, but I would like to take a moment to play devil's advocate and deconstruct this for a moment.  Now this is my interpretation and you are welcome to debunk and contradict it if you can.  However, here goes:

In terms of sexuality, I believe Herbert West is Asexual.  As his quest to beat Death outweighs even the most carnal desires.

In terms of physical attraction, I believe he's Bisexual and I'll tell you why. 

While there have been many moments that point out that he may strictly be Homosexual, both within the movie and behind the scenes:

1. When Herbert and Dan fight Rufus, he's seen cowering behind the bigger stronger Dan as if he is the damsel in distress (Or the submissive in sex terms.) while Dan is the strong hero rescuing him.
2.  Herbert putting a blanket over Dan after the incident with Dean Halsey to cope with his shock.
3. Herbert acting crazy jealous when Dan reuinites with Francesca.
4. As well as many times during the commentary of this movie alone where their actors, Jeffery Combs and Bruce Abbot jokingly act like a campy couple.

This scene seems to prove that he has an attraction to women as much as he does to men.  But much like how part of the attraction to Dan, is because both can speak intellectually about the work while still able to maintain manipulative control over him; he probably has certain tastes when it comes to women as well.

Let's run by the list of parts again and you'll see what I mean, but imagine it in the filter of someone with relationship goals:

1. The feet of a young ballet dancer. Whom committed suicide out of lack of ambition. Which means he's into someone who's graceful.
   
2. The legs of a prostitute who was killed by her pimp.Which means, he is into someone with experience in sex.
   
3. The womb and torso of a virgin. Who died before she could experience the pleasures of life. Which means despite the above he does value in his POV, purity.
4. Meg's Heart. This could mean one of two things.  Either he misses Meg or deep down wants what Dan had.
   
5. The arms of a waitress. He values hard working.
   
6. The left hand of a lawyer. He values a sense of Justice.
   
7. The right hand of a sculptress/harpist possible murderer. He values an artist willing to get their hands dirty.
   
8. Glroia's head, which Herbert complimented on it's beauty and usefulness. He values the overall beauty of it.

I admit I'm not an expert on the differences between homosexuality and bisexuality, but if he were only homosexual I'd doubt he'd fondle that body the way he did.

Back to the review.

He finally convinces Dan and the main event is about to begin.

Back at the Hospital, Graves discovers the trashbin empty and the apple used to gag Hill gone. Along with Hill himself.  With Chapman's help, Hill restrains him and forces him to perform surgery on the sides of his head.

Francesca tries to call Dan, but there is no answer. She catches Chapham sneaking Hill out before he decides to assault her.  Asking her if she likes him. Proving further that he may have cheated on his wife.  Francesca escapes, while Graves vows revenge on West and Cain.  

Graves is locked in the freezer, while the mental ward of the hospital has been massacred.  Hill's Re-animates have escaped.

Herbert and Dan put the finishing touches on the Bride and prepare to bring her to life.  West is momentarily distracted by the loose bricks in the hole in the wall, shaking up.  However Dan assumes  it's just rats.  West was about to use the Re-Agent, when Dan stops him. Insisting he be the one to do it.  In a surprising bit of humility, West let's him. Finally believing that Dan sees things his way.  Nothing seems to happen at first. However the doorbell rings, prompting West to answer it.  He finds a package at his door, but no delivery man.  He takes it inside, despite his confusion. 

Francesca arrives at the house to try to warn Dan.  She sneaks through the Cemetery and notices one of the Re-Animates from the hospital standing guard.  West opens the package to see a pair of eyes staring at him and something flying out.  We barely see anything but a shadow of what it is.  Francesca tries to sneak past the Re-Animates only for Chapman to find and restrain her once more. However in a surprising twist, his Re-Animated wife inadvertently saves her from him, hoping for round 2 of their fight. Causing Francesca to run for it.  Getting closer to the house.

Dan watches over the Bride waiting for some kind of reaction.  She wakes up, but can barely breathe prompting him to perform CPR on her.  Figuratively and literally breathing life into her.  Now before I continue with the recap I'd like to point something out.

H.P. Lovecraft admitted that he only did Re-Animator for a quick buck and further admitted to ripping off Mary Shelly's Novel Frankenstein to do so.  So naturally Gordon and Yuzna went with it and the latter especially invoked it with this scene which also pays homage to the movie "Bride of Frankenstein."  In said movie, when the Bride comes to life, she immediately is repulsed by the Monster which causes him to commit murder suicide out of grief.  

In a surprising Role-Reversal of that scene, upon being able to breathe properly, you can tell by the look on the Bride's Face, that she fell in love with Dan at first sight. 

Dan helps her walk for the first time, before kneeling before her in awe and worship.  It seems he really think he brought Meg back. 

It starts to rain causing the Re-Animates to briefly flee. Allowing Francesca to sneak into the house with Chapman's wife stalking her. Francesca manages to barricade the door preventing, Chapman's wife from entering.   I wonder if the "Itchy Tasty" woman from Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City was inspired by this design. I'm not kidding, they look exactly alike right down to the hospital gown.

As Chapman scales the building looking for a way in, West is searching for the thing that attacked him earlier.  Before he could shoot it though, Dan informs her that the Bride is alive.  Herbert takes a moment to admire her, but she clearly is more interested in Dan.  Much to Herbert's jealousy.  Though jealous of whom more?

Francesca arrives in time to see the Bride herself, but before anyone can do anything, Chapman busts in flashing his badge while that thing flies around.  I always loved that moment, because even though he's dead, he still sticks to his duties as a cop first before forgoing it and trying to kill them, with the Re-Animates in tow.  

West, Dan, Francesca and the Bride all flee to the basement lab, while West tries to hold them off by shooting at Chapman.  Before I never knew why people referred to West as an Anti-Hero as he seems more of a Supervillain. Yet despite not liking Francesca and vice versa, he still takes a moment to push her out of harms way before he starts shooting.  Judging by how Francesca quickly listens to him when anyone else would have taken the time to balk at the Bride or freak out over the Re-Animates, it seems like it's not the first time West bailed her out of a dangerous situation. They were in the same war on the same side after all.Even further proven when West saves her from two Re-Animates ambushing her after.

They make it to the lab and barricade the door. Francesca questions Dan on the identity of the Bride and in a bit of insanity, he insists she's Meg back from the dead.  However Francesca snaps him out of it by reminding him that Meg is dead. 

The Re-Animates start breaking in, with Herbert surprised that they are learning to use tools.  Goes to show that had he not reject his creations so quickly they would have learned to live on their own.  Albeit in a more primitive way of course.

When Francesca tries to comfort Dan, The Bride scares her off briefly.  I don't know how Dan does it. He's such a chick magnet that even the Amalgamation of dead women want him just as much as the living does. Francesca confronts West over the creation and insists that what he's doing is blasphemy.  Which West responds with an epic God Hating Speech that would make Victor Frankenstein proud.

While the Bride tries to put the moves on Dan, Francesca tries to fight her off him while warning him that the Re-Animates are trying to get into the lab.  Of course like any other 80s movie that's ever been out there involving a love triangle between three people. (Four in this case if you count Herbert. Making it a love rectangle.), a cat fight is involved.  West boasts her superiority, but let's face it, you can tell he wishes he has some popcorn with him.  

Dan snaps out of it fully when The Bride dominates the fight.  Calling her a monster. West seems to change his tune right after. Dismissing her as nothing but an assembly of dead tissue. 

The Bride makes one last attempt to make a move on him, putting her hooker legs to work, but Dan rejects her.  Prompting her to attack him, before figuratively and literally fall to pieces, in a spectacular display of gore. West dismissing it as "Tissue Rejection".

At the same time, the Re-Animates break in and Chapman restrains Francesca once again.  As much as I hate this guy, I gotta admit, he does not give up. Of course the wife is ready for Round 3.  

West re-opens the hole in the wall to escape and we see the flying thing.  It was Doctor Hill's head.  He forced Graves to surgically graft the bats onto the sides of his head so he could fly.  Now not many question how he's able to do this because....well B-Movie.  However, I'd like to take a crack at it.

It's been officially established here, unlike the first one that Hill can psychically control the Re-Animates.  Who's to say on top of telepathy he can't be telekinetic either?  He probably uses the Telekinesis to fly, while using the bat wings to stabilize him.  Also Yuzna must have been a huge Castlevania fan, because this looks reminiscent of the Medusa Heads. 

Behind Hill are all the different experiments West made that inspired the creation of the Bride.  Chapman restrains West this time, insisting he's under arrest, before throwing him into the hole to be attacked by his creations.  The closest we ever seen this series use the true ending to the original story. 

Dan and Francesca try to escape, only for Hill, Chapman's wife and other Re-Animates try to drag them into the Crypt with West. The ensuing chaos causing the centuries old tomb to collapse.  Dan manages to get Francesca away from the wife and they make their escape.  All the while West is surrounded by Hill, Chapman, The Re-Animates and his hybrid creations, keeping him still long enough for the Crypt to collapse onto them. Intent on taking West with them. 

Dan and Francesca escape by literally digging themselves out from under the Cemetery.  I love the symbolism here.  Because he and Francesca come out of the graves. In essence escaping what's happened, rejecting West for the last time and moving on with their lives.

However the last shots of the movie show Hill still alive and Meg's heart beating to a stop.

The movie itself seems to veer more on the comedy side. Becoming a bit more like a precursor to what will eventually be the formula for Full Moon Productions as a whole, that Puppet Master started.  However, it does seem to hold up just as well as the first movie, having legit scary moments and is one of the few Lovecraft movies to have a happy ending.  Something Lovecraft himself could never do, but I often wonder how he would. 

That being said, I don't really like it as much as the first movie.  It's not a bad movie, but it's not that good either. However it was successful enough to warrant my personal favourite of the series. Beyond Re-Animator.  Which I will get to soon. 

Until then, stay safe and watch out for dead heads and noBODIES.