I was fifteen in 1985, and already really into horror films – Evil Dead, Halloween, Friday the 13th, Italian horror—the genre felt very alive at that time. Then I saw Mad Movies magazine and this incredibly graphic film, inspired by a short story by Lovecraft, was announced as coming soon. I went to see it when it opened at 2pm, and ended up seeing it seven times in three days. The acting is wild (!!!), particularly Jeffrey Combs’ performance, but Bruce Abbott does well trying to hold onto his sanity while dealing with the terrible things that happen. Barbara Crampton will likely be known for the scene where a severed head licks her, though she portrays a very believable character. The couple attempts to preserve what they can—their sanity and their lives—and provide a contrast to West’s descent into madness as he tries to conquer death, regardless of the repercussions. Most of the film takes place in the Arkham faculty buildings, with some scenes at Dan's apartment. This setting actually adds to the feeling of insanity because it is an ordinary location where you wouldn't expect anything bad to occur. The special effects are still very striking. Sure, modern CGI looks more polished now, but those practical rubber body parts covered in lots of blood were really effective—I’d describe them as visceral. Computer-generated effects often miss the physical reality of holding a severed hand or head that actors have to work with now (it must be difficult for them to interact with nothing but a green screen). Taken together, these elements make for a very entertaining and impactful film.

Source on TMDB