Incubo sulla città contaminata (1980)

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

Antonio Cesare Corti (writer)
Luis María Delgado (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

18 November 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

Now They Are Everywhere! There Is No Escape!

Plot:

An airplane exposed to radiation lands, and blood drinking zombies emerge armed with knives, guns and teeth! They go on a rampage slicing, dicing, and biting their way across the Italian countryside.

Plot Keywords:

Blood | Scientist | Blood Drinking | Rampage | Plane

Cast

Hugo Stiglitz	...	Dean Miller
Laura Trotter	...	Dr. Anna Miller
Maria Rosaria Omaggio	...	Sheila Holmes
Francisco Rabal	...	Major Warren Holmes
Sonia Viviani	...	Cindy
Eduardo Fajardo	...	Dr. Kramer
Stefania D'Amario	...	Jessica Murchison
Ugo Bologna	...	Mr. Desmond
Sara Franchetti	...	Liz
Manuel Zarzo	...	Colonel Donahue
Tom Felleghy	...	Lieutenant Reedman
Pierangelo Civera	...	Bob, Jessica's husband
Achille Belletti	...	TV Station Technician
Mel Ferrer	...	General Murchison
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nick Alexander	...	Commander Davidson / Radio Announcer (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Frank Clement	...	Dr. Kramer's Assistant (uncredited)
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	...	Zombie outside TV station (uncredited)
Roberto Dell'Acqua	...	Zombie outside TV station (uncredited)
Larry Dolgin	...	Dean Miller (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Alejandro de Enciso	...	Captain (uncredited)
Umberto Lenzi	...	News Reporter (uncredited)
Fiamma Maglione	...	Mr. Desmond's Secretary (uncredited)
Edward Mannix	...	Major Warren Holmes (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Carmen Martínez Sierra	...	Woman in Elevator (uncredited)
Antonio Mayans	...	Cameraman (uncredited)
Benito Pacifico	...	Zombie at TV Station (uncredited)
Edmund Purdom	...	Man in Elevator (voice) (uncredited)
Silvana Scandariato	...	Woman at TV station (uncredited)
Susan Spafford	...	Liz (voice: English version) (uncredited)
Pat Starke	...	Dr. Anna Miller (voice: English version) (uncredited)
José Yepes	...	Air Traffic Controller (uncredited)
Rinaldo Zamperla	...	Zombie at TV Station (uncredited)

Directed by
Umberto Lenzi

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Antonio Cesare Corti		writer
Luis María Delgado		writer
Piero Regnoli		writer

Produced by
Diego Alchimede	....	producer
Luis Méndez	....	producer

Original Music by
Stelvio Cipriani

Cinematography by
Hans Burman

Film Editing by
Daniele Alabiso

Art Direction by
Mario Molli

Costume Design by
Silvana Scandariato

Makeup Department
Maria Teresa Carrera	....	hair stylist (as Maria Teresa Garrera)
Franco Di Girolamo	....	makeup artist (as Franco de Girolami)
Giuseppe Ferranti	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Rodolfo Martello	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Riccardo Petrazzi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Wolfgang Burmann	....	set designer

Sound Department
Nick Alexander	....	dubbing editor
Raul Montesanti	....	sound mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Giulio Battiferri	....	camera operator
Renato Palmieri	....	assistant camera
Alfio Quattrini	....	still photographer: action stills
Mario Sbrenna	....	camera operator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Antonella Maziotti	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Brigida Mastrolillo	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Antonio Corridori	....	set technician
Christian Hansen	....	assistant to director
María Isabel Pérez	....	continuity
Tonino Pinto	....	unit publicist
Martín Sacristán	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Dialchi Film
• Lotus Films
• Televicine S.A. de C.V.

Distributors

• 21st Century Distribution (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Creswin Distribution (1984) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Continental Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (as "City of the Walking Dead")
• Cinema Group (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• New Star Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)
• CMV Laservision (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Astro Distribution (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• EastWest Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Blue Underground (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• EC Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Evolution Entertainment (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Golden Video (????) (Italy) (VHS)
• Italian Shock (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Marathon Pictures (????) (France) (VHS)
• PolyGram Vídeo (????) (Spain) (VHS)
• Sunrise Tapes (????) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Super Vidéo Productions (????) (France) (VHS)
• Video Invest AB (????) (Sweden) (VHS)
• marketing-film (????) (Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

City of the Walking Dead (USA) (reissue title)
Invasion by the Atomic Zombies (International: English title) (literal title)
Invasion de los zombies atómicos (Mexico)
La invasión de los zombies atómicos (Spain)
Nightmare City (USA)

Runtime:

92 min | USA:88 min

Country:

Italy | Mexico | Spain

Language:

Italian | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:18 (uncut) (2008) | Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM18 | Sweden:18 (video rating) | Spain:18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) (cut) | Iceland:(Banned) | UK:18 (video re-rating) (2003) (uncut) | USA:R (cut) | Germany:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Incir De Paolis Studios, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Dialchi Film

Trivia:

According to director Umberto Lenzi, both Franco Nero and Fabio Testi were considered for the lead in the film, but the producer insisted on a Mexican leading man to appeal to Mexican audiences. Hence, the role went to Hugo Stiglitz.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the initial battle when the zombies are pouring out of the airplane, rain can be seen on the runway in some shots while in others it is completely dry.

Quotes:

Dr. Anna Miller: I'm tired. Really tired. And I'm frightened. We'll never get away from these... these monsters. What are we going to do?
Dean Miller: Alright. Nothing is going to happen as long as we stay together I promise you. What we've got to do now is get away from here as fast as we can.
Dr. Anna Miller: Let go of me. Why don't you face it. There's no place for us to go. They're we too will be killed. I don't want us to die I don't want us to but there's nothing we can do. They're everywhere...
Dean Miller: [Dean slaps his wife and then kisses her] Stop it...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tales of the Contaminated City (2002) (V)

Amazing!! Why haven't more people seen this film?

I am awestruck by this movie. Fast zombies that can use weapons, even guns, and are capable of intelligent thought. They plot a strategic offensive to take over the city, hitting the airport, then the TV stations and the power plant. If you love horror, gory, and violent movies and don't mind a little bad acting, then you will LOVE this movie. It is exciting and even a bit suspenseful. It starts out fast and hard and maintains a steady pace of mayhem and carnage.

I can't believe more people haven't seen this film. I have yet to meet a horror movie buff that has seen this film before. It is a true gemstone of European horror and exploitation, definitely up to par with the classics of the genre such as Zombi 2, Demons, House by the Cemetery, etc. And it's even readily available uncut (92 minutes) on DVD from Anchor Bay (under the title "Nightmare City") and on VHS under the title "City of the Walking Dead." Super gory and violent, a must for fans of Italian grind house flicks.