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Return of the Living Dead 3
(IMDB) OT: Return of the Living Dead 3




Compared are the US R-Rated DVD by Vidmark/Trimark and the Uncut Unrated Version which was taken from the German DVD by Laser Paradise (not rated).

There are 37 differences with a total length of 18 seconds:

4 cuts in the R-Rated Version = 7.5 seconds.
1 extended scene in the R-Rated Version = 2.5 seconds.
1 alternate scene = 8 seconds.
31 alternate scenes without difference.

Brian Yuzna's third of the five-part movie series is by far the best one of the entire series. While RotLD 1 + 2 were average horror flicks and RotLD 4 + 5 were on the lowest possible level, RotLD 3 is pretty convincing and worth being watched. One of the reasons are Steve Johnson's incredibly awesome SFX (he also did the SFX for A Nightmare On Elm Streeet 4 for instance). In the US, two versions were released: an R-Rated and a longer Unrated Version. There aren't many cuts in the R-Rated Version. In most cases, the R-Rated Version contains more harmless alternate takes of the violent scenes.


12 Min
Shot of John and the other staff members in the control room. After the scientist raised his wounded hand, blood splatters - but only in the Unrated Version.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

12 Min
The end of the shot of the zombie with the fingers in his mouth plus the beginning of the shot of the screaming scientist holding his wounded hand is longer in the Unrated Version.
The R-Rated Version contains an extended shot of the monitor instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

12 Min
The zombie stabs the scientist one more time.
0.5 sec

12 Min
Shot of the horrified staff behind the glass and the second scientist. All of them are watching what's going on.
In the Unrated Version, the scientist gets stabbed more often instead (four times).
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

13 Min
In the R-Rated Version, the second scientist opens the suitcase to reach for the gun.
Shot through the glass in the Unrated Version: the zombie smashes the scientist's face against the glass twice.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

13 Min
The head gets smashed twiced against the glass. The R-Rated Version only contains the first one, then a cut to John.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

14 Min
Extended shot of the dead scientist in the R-Rated Version.
The Unrated Version contains a shot of the bubbling wound on the scientist's back of the head instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

14 Min
Alternate shot of the zombie scientist crawling to the others in either of the versions.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

14 Min
The R-Rated Version stops down just before the zombie bites the scientist's leg, followed by a shot of another scientist.
The Unrated Version continues with the actual shot and shows the zombie biting the scientist's leg. Blood splatters.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

14 Min
Alternate footage of the zombie attacking the scientist on the ground in either of the versions.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

14 Min
Same here.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

15 Min
The zombie bites his leg. In the R-Rated Version, the other scientist reloads his gun.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

31 Min
The zombie puts a piece of flesh from the dead guard in his mouth only to let it drop again.
The R-Rated Version contains shots of Curt, Julie and the zombie without flesh in his mouth.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

31 Min
In the Unrated Version, the zombie keeps eating the dead guard.
The R-Rated Version csticks with the camera instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

38 Min
In the Unrated Version, Julie puts the needle in her hand more often.
The R-Rated Version contains a shot of Curt behind the steering wheel.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

38 Min
Alternate footage of the Asian salesman getting his head blown off in either off the versions.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

38 Min
The body with the mutilated head drops on the ground of the van. The Unrated Version contains a close-up whereas the R-Rated contains a distance shot.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

39 Min
In the Unrated Version, Julie eats the salesman's brain.
The R-Rated only contains a distance shot of that plus an intercut to Curt.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

39 Min
Curt grabs Julie and tells her to stop but she keeps eating anyway. The R-Rated is slightly different here.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

40 Min
The zombie rams an iron bar in the cop's eye while he's firing off some shots.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

40 Min
The cop goes down while the zombie keeps pushing the iron bar in his eye.
Therefore, the R-Rated Version contains an extended shot of the other cop.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

40 Min
Extended shot of the cop in the R-Rated Version.
2.5 sec

41 Min
Extended shot of the zombie eating the cop.
1.5 sec

41 Min
Same here.
0.5 sec

41 Min
Extended shot of the zombie in the Unrated Version.
Shot of the cop in the R-Rated Version instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

41 Min
Close-up of the bloody shot wounds when the cop shoots at the zombie.
The R-Rated Version only contains a shot of the zombie's upper body.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

43 Min
In the Unrated Version, Julie pushes a aspiral spring in her arm.
The R-Rated only shows her face plus Curt.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

60 Min
Julie shoves a piece of glass up her hand.
The R-Rated shows Curt instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

67 Min
Julie reaches for the dead baddie's head and rips it off, including the spine.
The R-Rated Version contains a shot of Curt and Julie instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

68 Min
Julie smashes the baddie's belly with a stone one more time while the R-Rated shows a shot of the woman.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

68 Min
Julie tears the baddie's lips off. And again some alternate footage in the R-Rated Version.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

69 Min
The zombie snaps off a piece of flesh of the woman's neck. Riverman in the R-Rated instead.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

71 Min
Alternate footage in either of the versions when the baddie's head and spine gets tossed in the corner.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

72 Min
The last shot of the zombie's face getting steamed is missing in the Unrated Version.
Instead a shot og Julie in Riverman's arms in the R-Rated Version.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated

74 Min
Alternate footage of Julie eating Riverman.
R-Rated: +4 sec
Unrated: 12 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

74 Min
Julie puts a piece of Riverman in her mouth and licks her bloodstained lips with the tongue.
5 sec

86 Min
Tracking shot of Riverman as zombie in the Unrated Version.
The R-Rated Version contains more harmless alternate footage again.
no difference

R-Rated	Unrated