Return of the Living Dead 4: Necropolis (2005) was the first addition to the franchise in a dozen years. Not that it was much of a franchise to begin with; the only continuity between them was (a) there was a zombie-making toxin called “trioxin,” usually found in ill-disposed canisters; and (b) “Brrrraaaaaaiiiinnnnss!”

The fourth and fifth entries were shot back-to-back and premiered on the Sci-Fi Network, with later DVD releases planned for gorier cuts of the films. The fifth one, which actually shares continuity with the fourth (!), has finally hit DVD:

Julian and his few friends that actually managed to escape Necropolis have all enrolled in college and are trying to put their experiences with Hybratech behind them forever. Soon after, Jenny and Julian find a strange chemical container in a hidden room. In an effort to find out what this chemical, labeled as Trioxyin-5 is, they take it to their friend Cody for screening. However, Cody soon finds a way to make party drugs from it and try to earn some quick cash. Cody then makes a huge quantity of a drug called ‘Z’ that he begins to sell to the college kids. Soon, Halloween approaches, and almost all of the college kids have already taken ‘Z’. After the drug takes effect and turns the kids into zombies, the Halloween costumes everyone is wearing make it hard to distinguish the living from the undead.

Absolutely nothing original here, but at least they’re going further afield in the zombie genre for ideas to rip off. (There’s a joke in there to be made about college kids, raves, and brains, but I’ll let you put it together on your own.)

The DVD’s got no extras listed except Spanish subtitles. Available for $19.99 at Amazon.com.