NIGHTMARE CITY 1980- aka CITY OF THE WALKING DEAD aka INVASION OF THE ATOMIC ZOMBIES
An airplane carrying passengers infected by a radiation spill turns them into raving, maniacal, blood-drinking crusty faced, hyper assed zombie killers who move from one city location to the next slaughtering everyone in their path. A few survivors try and make it out of the city alive amidst the zombie onslaught.
Umberto Lenzi’s zany zombie favorite was the first film of its type to feature running zombies. They also take up blades, machine guns and anything else they can get their hands on to kill people with. The most energetic zoms to grace the screen pre-28 DAYS LATER (and many argue those are not zombies in that film). Some may even say that there are not zombies in this film, but none of that really matters as Lenzi keeps the film rolling from one great set piece to the next. Some of it is a bit silly but the film is so full of action and sleazy violence that its shortcomings are overlooked.
A very cold, mysoginistic and brutal movie. Like many of Lenzi's movies, it makes one wonder if, like Fulci, Lenzi bore some distaste towards women. The most vicious scenes of violence are all committed on females here with a couple of breast sliced off, eyes gouged out, heads blasted away and throats slashed.
Only Hugo Stiglitz threatens to bring it all down but Lenzi pours on the gore and violence so thick you don't have time to be affected by Stiglitz's half-hearted performance. Lenzi did not want to use him but had no choice in the matter. Mel Ferrer is on hand as the military General trying to get the situation under control. Ferrer must have enjoyed going overseas as he put in numerous appearances in many Italian horror and adventure films. It would be interesting to know his thoughts on working with Lenzi.
Over the course of this action packed film, zombies over run a major city attacking an airport, dance studio, hospital, military installation, etc. Hugo Stiglitz and his wife try and make it out of the city alive as most are either dead or evacuated. For the zombies, Lenzi sticks with the tried and true method of stopping them by shooting them in the head. Even though the plentiful effects are not quite up to Giannetto de Rossi's usual standards, he packs as many of them into the films running time as possible. The look of the zombies is very unique and different if seeming crude, but is effective given the story machinations of how the people came to be blood-starved killers in the first place.
A lot has been made of the films ending. I've never had a problem with it and thought it was quite spooky when I first saw the film back in the 80s attracted to the gory VHS cover from Continental (who had the most gruesome covers imaginable). Many fans say it's weak and a cop-out. I don't see how. I mean the ending fits with the films title. How would they have it end? It was quite nerve jangling to see Miller's wife plummet from that ferris wheel.
LOTS of action and gore. Another great one from Lenzi and I'm sure everyone here has already seen this.
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Topic: Nightmare City / Incubo sulla citta contaminata (Umberto Lenzi, 1980) (Read 18881 times)