Re-Animator: More Than Just Gore, Right?

Okay, so I finally got around to watching "Re-Animator" (I know, I'm late to the party!). Honestly, I went in expecting just buckets of blood and cheesy 80s effects, and while it definitely delivered on that front, I was surprised by how well it was actually directed overall. I mean, Stuart Gordon (totally blanked on the director earlier!) really understood how to build tension and then just release it in the most gloriously grotesque ways. That scene in the morgue, when West first reanimates the cat? The slow push-in on its eyes, the twitching… it’s genuinely unnerving! And Jeffrey Combs as Herbert West? Perfection. He’s so smug and clinical, yet you can tell he's teetering on the edge of complete madness. I especially loved the lighting choices during his experiments – that harsh, sterile white contrasting with the crimson… Chef's kiss! And the pacing is so relentless, it just doesn't let up, which I really appreciate in a horror film. Of course, the effects are so dated now that they're almost funny, but I think that's part of the charm. The head-on-a-tray scene? Absolutely bonkers! I am not sure I was prepare for it. Anyway, I'm curious what you all think? Did anyone else pick up on the stylistic choices beyond the gore, or am I just overanalyzing a brilliantly schlocky B-movie? What are some of your favorite moments or directing tricks Gordon used? Let me know!