Did Anti-Bush Politics Killed House of Re-Animator?

Did politics kill “House of Re-Animator”? Or more accurately, did fear of politics helped kill the latest “Re-Animator” sequel, to be called “House of Re-Animator”? Yes and no. According to the franchise’s star, Jeffrey Combs, the film’s plot as proposed by the franchise director, Stuart Gordon, did have something (re: everything) to do with politics, and yes, it did scare off some people. Which is kind of surprising, as you’d think everyone even remotely associated with filmmaking (or at least 99.999%) in any way already hates George Dubya Bush’s guts, so why would anyone be scared off by the idea of making a movie that spits in the Bush Administration’s eye? That sure as hell didn’t stop the 5 billion other anti-Bush movies that have been coming off the Hollywood assembly line like cheap KIA cars.

Here’s what Combs said:

Combs (USA’s The 4400) described the movie’s problem: “The latest idea is too on the nose, because it’s about a vice president who has a heart attack and dies, which is terrible, because he runs the country, and a kind of Karl Rove-ian character brings Herbert to the White House to revive him. All is well for a little while, and then, of course, havoc has its day. A lot of people they took the idea to didn’t want to touch it. And, of course, the real power in it would be to get it out before they are out of power.”

Combs has discussed with Gordon the idea of masking the people in the White House. “My argument is that you can make it a corrupt [presidential] administration, but not necessarily this one, and then it’s in Dr. Strangelove territory and the people are not so recognizable,” Combs said. “Believe me, I’ve had this conversation many times with Stuart.”

In any case, Combs said that he doesn’t really agree with mixing politics and Re-Animator. “Melding political humor and reanimation hasn’t happened before, so why now all of a sudden is it Michael Moore Meets Re-Animator?” he asked. “I’m as outraged as the next guy about what’s going on in the country, but I think we can be less on-the-nose about it and still make the same points. But Stuart is rather tenacious, so he may still get his way someday.”

I still don’t buy it. Hollywood hates Bush with a fury. Why would any investor or company shy away from yet another in a long line of movie that criticizes him? Sounds like the money men just didn’t want to make this thing. Which is a shame, as I’m a fan of the “Re-Animator” franchise, and would love to see another gory turn.