Melinda Clarke is reanimating at 2019 Chicago Flashback Weekend

Melinda Clarke has been added to the lineup for Flashback Weekend Chicago Horror Con. The con takes over the Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, IL August 2 – 4, 2019.

Melinda Clarke has starred in Nikita, The Vampire Diaries, and Gotham. When she visits Chicago Flashback Horror Con next August, the film most fans will likely want to talk about is Return of the Living Dead III.

The 1993 film was written by John Penney (Hellgate) and directed by Brian Yuzna (Necronomicon). In it, Clarke plays Julie. She learns an important lesson about motorcycle safety when she puts the moves on boyfriend Curt (J. Trevor Edmond).

Unfortunately, that lesson is pretty harsh. Julie is thrown from the bike and killed. Distraught, Curt decides to use Trioxin gas to reanimate her. It works! Except now Julie has a fever. And the only thing that can cure it is brains. Sweet, delicious, gray brains.

Return of the Living Dead III was different from its predecessors in that it focused strongly on the emotional aspects of reanimation. It was a zombie romance flick. Curt and Julie try to navigate the world and their relationship. Instead of someone dying of cancer or coping with a Julia Roberts level existential crisis, the couple have to deal with Julie’s growing hunger for brains.

Eventually, Julie learns that she can stave off her craving with pain. She rams foreign objects into her body. The end result is something like Pinhead but in the Mad Max Universe.

Melinda Clarke-Return of the Living Dead III-Courtesy of Trimark Pictures

This is not a full review, but Return of the Living Dead III is a neat little film. You should check it out. And since Melinda Clarke has had a consistent career in the 25 years since Return was released, there will be plenty more to talk about when I meet her at Flashback Weekend.

The celebrity lineup is already pretty strong. Bruce Campbell, Robert Englund, and Ted Raimi have already been announced. Chicago is looking like the place to be for horror fans early next August.

Discount hotel accommodations are already available at the Crown Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois. There is a free shuttle service to and from O’Hare Airport.

One of the newest additions to Flashback Weekend is the Murray Brothers Caddyshack restaurant located within the hotel. It’s owned and run by Bill Murray and his brothers. It’s named and themed after the classic 1980 comedy Caddyshack. They offer a special horror oriented menu during the con.

Tickets and VIP packages aren’t on sale, yet. Check back with Flashback Weekend over the coming months. This is going to be a good one.

Have you ever attended Flashback Weekend before? Is Melinda Clarke’s appearance making you consider the trip? Let’s discuss in the comments!