Return of the Living Dead Part II

The goofy zombie sequel Return of the Living Dead Part II makes its way to DVD for the first time with this slick but flawed release from Warner Home Video. Presented in its original 1.85:1 widescreen image, the picture looks remarkably clear, with colors enhanced from previous VHS and laserdisc copies. Included is a commentary from writer/director Ken Wiederhorn and none other than Part II's zombie kid himself, Thor Van Lingen. Recorded separately, the two have fun with the film, with Thor easily guiding the viewer through the film like it was the back of his hand. He's also the one that admits to what will obviously be the biggest beef with this DVD -- its newly created Dolby Digital Stereo soundtrack. Much of the film's original synth score has been replaced with either new ambient creepy music or '80s-style party music. It's possible that there could have been some song rights issues, but you can toggle over to the French audio track easy enough to hear the old score in all its glory. Other added sound effects and even a voice-over will also be a distraction for fans of the original version, though first-time viewers won't be affected too much by it. The theatrical trailer rounds out the extras on this disc.