Return of the Living Dead Zombie Barrel Build 2.0

[Rusty85]

So years ago I put together a barrel based off of Return of the Living Dead 2, so this time around I’m going for accuracy and am going to be aiming for the original look.

I have a barrel that is screen accurate, and here’s a pic of that as it stands now.

A little back story here, but the original barrel I made I didn’t have room for in my old apartment so I donated it to the local Haunted House that ran every year, which is where it stayed for the last decade or so. Since contemplating putting together this project, I happened to reach out to them the other day about borrowing the Tarman head as I couldn’t locate a copy. By some stroke of luck they happened to have saved the head (they said the barrel got destroyed by patrons) so I’m extremely happy that it is now back in my possession (with some glow in the dark paint they added). I’ll have to repaint it, but now I just need the hands.

I want to try and locate the little locks on the sides of the barrels so if anyone has any production images of the barrels or any good information they could share that would be appreciated! I’d like to make this as screen accurate as possible.

 

[Rusty85]

I cut off the bottom compression ring but didn't have time to remove the bottom yet. I'll probably start that next week on Tuesday.

 

[Rusty85]

I’ve been doing some searching to find the locks on the sides of the barrels but reference is scarce and you can barley see them in the movie. Based on the little glimpses of them in the movie they appear to be these, but if anyone else knows for sure please feel free to correct me.

 

[Metalalien]

You can see the latches better in this pic.. The ones you found look spot on

 

[Rusty85]

Thanks for the pic! Looks like the same two holes on the lid where the screws would go and the wing nut is rounded like that too.

 

[Metalalien]

You can just barely see the top of the latch on the right side of this screen to better match up the screw holes. looks just like the ones you found.

 

[Rusty85]

Thanks for the pics! Hard to believe the barrels were painted black, although I believe that's been confirmed. I always figured they were a dark olive color, or maybe brown bess. Also just noticed there's a Phillips screw in the front, I'm assuming where the tarman was mounted inside on that wooden slab or whatever it was. Wish there was a good ready made option for the dome but I don't see that happening.

 

[Metalalien]

Well Dan O'Bannon probably ment for them to be a cross between an Alien egg and a canister of Zyklon B since the whole movie is filled with Nazi references... Dan's dark sense of humor.

 

[Slave1]

What kind of barrel is that with the weird details around the rim? I just assumed that was a crafted detail added to the barrel and that the barrel didn't come that way.

I do think the dome was likely vacc-formed?

 

[Rusty85]

Yeah the barrels come that way most all the time. All the ones I've seen so far that were the movie accurate model. From what I remember another member said years ago they came with two compression rings, one on top and one on bottom and that they cut off the bottom ring as well as the bottom of the barrel itself, which makes sense because once the ring is removed the barrel is bare below it. The ring took a min to cut though so I'm going to remove the actual bottom of the drum tomorrow. I'll try and post a pic or video of what I mean.

 

[Rusty85]

Oh and on the dome yeah I believe vacuformed. Wish they made accurate ones but no such luck lol.

 

[Slave1]

Yeah the barrels come that way most all the time. All the ones I've seen so far that were the movie accurate model. From what I remember another member said years ago they came with two compression rings, one on top and one on bottom and that they cut off the bottom ring as well as the bottom of the barrel itself, which makes sense because once the ring is removed the barrel is bare below it. The ring took a min to cut though so I'm going to remove the actual bottom of the drum tomorrow. I'll try and post a pic or video of what I mean.

Man, I've been looking all over online and can't find a barrel anything like that at the top.

 

[Rusty85]

Man, I've been looking all over online and can't find a barrel anything like that at the top.

What sort of barrel do you have now? I know the part 2 ones mostly didn't have the rings on the top, I think that's why I went for the part 2 style on my other one.

 

[Slave1]

I just have a standard old white plastic barel I picked up at a flea market, thinking I'd scratch build all the detail at the top.

 

[Rusty85]

Ah,okay. Here’s the bottom ring I removed via cut off tool and what the bottom of the drum looks like without it. I was rushed for time otherwise I’d have removed it that same day.

 

[Metalalien]

You could make a 1/2 or 1/4 mold of that ring and sell it!

 

[Rusty85]

Anyone know what this flat piece is in the middle? Looks like a fastener of some kind to secure the lid? Here’s another angle where it’s unlocked.

 

[Rusty85]

Anyone know the correct font for the stencil? Been sifting but no luck yet.

 

[Rusty85]

These are the closest fonts I've been able to find. Haven't seen an exact match yet though.

 

[Rusty85]

First part of my build is up. Probably end up with four of these by the time it's wrapped up.