Anchor Bay has spread the extra features for this release across the two discs in this set. Here's what you'll find and where you'll find it:

Disc One:

Aside from trailers for a few other Anchor Bay DVD releases, static menus, an audio setup menu and a chapter stop menu, the extra features on the first disc are limited to a pair of audio commentaries, the first of which is courtesy of director Stuart Gordon. Carried over from the previous releases, this track remains an informative and educational listen as Gordon covers his involvement in the film in a fair bit of detail. In addition to covering technical details such as shooting on location and budgetary restraints, he also talks about how some of the effects were done and why certain cast members were chosen for their respective parts.

The second audio commentary features producer Brian Yuzna, and actors Barbara Crampton, Bruce Abbott, Jeffrey Combs and Robert Sampson. Also carried over from the previous Elite special editions, this is a very involved discussion with only a few quiet moments. There's a lot of humor and good-natured ribbing in here with the cast poking fun at one another and generally just enjoying themselves as they watch the movie. The isolated music track that was included on the previous Elite release has, unfortunately, not found its way to this Anchor Bay release.

Disc Two:

The main reason those who already own the previous Millennium Edition will want to consider this release is the inclusion of an all new seventy-minute documentary (it's split up into twelve chapters) on the making of the picture entitled Re-Animator: Resurrectus, which was written and directed by Perry Martin. Gordon starts things off by saying that they really were trying to go beyond what people were used to seeing. He shows up here alongside Yuzna, Crampton, Combs (who refers to the film as the movie that will not die), Carolyn Purdy-Gordon (who has a supporting part as one of the doctors), Dennis Paoli, Bruce Abbott, and more. Gordon talks about the influence of Lovecraft, his background in theater, and how he originally thought of doing Re-Animator as a television series. Yuzna covers casting, and rehearsals (something which Abbott praises him for), and Gordon talks about how he brought the cast to a real morgue in preparation. They cover the controversy surrounding Band's score, and Abbott and Crampton talk about their love scene. Mac Ahlberg shows up and talks about his work on the film, and Gordon explains how he learned a lot from watching him work. Some of the effects guys cover their work, and we learn how some of the more memorable scenes were put together. This documentary covers a lot of the same ground that's already been covered in the commentaries and the interviews which were ported over from the last release, but the behind the scenes photos and clips from the movie make it entertaining and it's nice to see everyone reminiscing about the picture so fondly. At over an hour in length, this is a pretty in-depth and comprehensive piece and behind the scenes junkies will definitively enjoy this documentary.

Up next is a lengthy Interview with Stuart Gordon and Brian Yuzna (48:34) which finds the director/producer team strolling down memory lane and explaining how the film came together. They talk about casting, about the initial response that the film received and what it was like working together for the first time, chalking much of it up to beginners luck. From there we're treated to an Interview with writer Dennis Paoli (10:41) who talks about how he was working on a dissertation on gothic fiction when Gordon brought him on board, and how he feels everything came together when given the shot to work on a Lovecraft adaptation. He talks about Bill Norris' involvement and how he was responsible for making the film contemporary and creating the campus. An Interview with composer Richard Band (14:28) is up next, and he sits in his studio and talks about how Gordon and Yuzna brought him on board and how Empire worked as a distributor on the movie. They liked his music from past films and they got to talking with one another, and from there they decided to work together. Band talks about the funnier aspects of the movie and how they appealed to him and what he was trying to get across with his score. He admits to borrowing heavily from Psycho and goes so far as to say that he thought it was obvious he was using those cues in order to twist them. The Music Discussion with Richard Band (16:28) allows the man to talk about the music used in various parts of the movie by introducing and talking about various clips from the movie. All the key cues from the score are discussed here, including the memorable main theme. The last piece in this section is an Interview with Fangoria editor Tony Timpone (4:31). Tony talks about the first time he saw the movie in 1985, which was the first week he started at the magazine and how it was the first screening he was invited to. It took him by surprise and how he was quite taken by it. Fangoria went on to really champion the movie and Timpone's input on the merits of the film and why the magazine embraced the film are quite interesting. All of these interviews were previously available on the Elite Millennium Edition release.

Up Next is one deleted scene (2:39, Abbott wheels a very naked and rather dead Barbara Crampton into the morgue where Combs injects her with Re-Agent) and a series of extended scenes. Like the deleted scene, we've seen these before on other releases but basically, they play out like this: a discussion about Dan asking for a letter from the Dean; Dan and Meg in bed together; more of Dan and Meg in bed together talking about the Dean; Dan and Meg at the dinner table with Hill and the Dean, Dan and Meg studying and discussing West; Dan and Meg confronting West at the house; Dan and West in the basement lab; Dan and Meg talking about West's past; Dan and the Dean in his office; Dan and Meg talking about the Dean; West telling Dan the truth of what happened to the Dean; Hill talking to Meg about her father's treatment; Hill pondering the Dean's condition; Hill talking to West in the basement; Dan talking to West in the basement; Dan and West in the house awaiting a certain character's arrival. These deleted scenes run 23:27 in total.

From there we're treated to a wealth of promotional material starting with the film's theatrical trailer (1:58), a collection of five TV spots, trailers for a few other Anchor Bay DVD titles, a Production Still Gallery, a massive Behind The Scenes Still Gallery, a brand new Fun On The Set gallery, an extensive Posters and advertising gallery and finally a Storyboard gallery.

Rounding out the extras on the second disc are a Stuart Gordon text biography, some nifty menus and, for those who are DVD-Rom equipped, a PDF version of Lovecraft's original story, Herbert West: Re-Animator (the basis for this film) and the film's original screenplay.

Inside the keepcase is an insert that contains a reproduction of the original North American poster art on one side and the chapter listing on the other. The keepcase comes inside a cardboard box with some alternate cover art on the front which has a clear plastic window on the left hand side which gives the illusion of the illustrated Herbert West holding a syringe full of Re-Agent. The syringe is actually a little highlighter – a nice touch!

If you've already got the previous two disc release from Elite, then whether or not you'll want to upgrade will hinge mainly on how much you value the new documentary and the nifty packaging. For those who haven't already picked up the prior release, however, Anchor Bay's Re-Animator is a no-brainer. The film still holds up remarkably well and it's as funny and as twisted today as it was the day it was made. The transfer and the audio are top notch and the extras are extensive, interesting, and entertaining. Highly recommended!

Ian lives in NYC with his wife where he writes for DVD Talk, runs Rock! Shock! Pop!. He likes NYC a lot, even if it is expensive and loud.