City of the Living Dead (1980)
"Paura nella città dei morti viventi" (original title)

A reporter and a psychic race to close the Gates of Hell after the suicide of a clergyman caused them to open, allowing the dead to rise from the grave.

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (story), Dardano Sacchetti (story),

Stars:

Christopher George, Catriona MacColl, Carlo De Mejo

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Christopher George	...	Peter Bell
Catriona MacColl	...	Mary Woodhouse (as Katriona MacColl)
Carlo De Mejo	...	Gerry
Antonella Interlenghi	...	Emily Robbins
Giovanni Lombardo Radice	...	Bob
Daniela Doria	...	Rosie Kelvin
Fabrizio Jovine	...	Father William Thomas
Luca Venantini	...	John-John Robbins (as Luca Paisner)
Michele Soavi	...	Tommy Fisher
Venantino Venantini	...	Mr. Ross
Enzo D'Ausilio	...	Sheriff Russell's deputy
Adelaide Aste	...	Theresa
Luciano Rossi	...	Policeman in apartment
Robert Sampson	...	Sheriff Russell
Janet Agren	...	Sandra

Storyline

In the small New England town of Dunwich, a priest commits suicide by hanging himself in the church cemetery which somehow opens the gates of hell allowing the dead to rise. Peter, a New York City reporter, teams up with a young psychic, named Mary, to travel to the town where they team up with another couple, psychiatrist Jerry and patient Sandra, to find a way to close the gates before All Saints Day or the dead all over the world will rise up and kill the living.

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Plot Keywords:

priest | suicide | death | reporter | psychic | 

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Taglines:

The Dead Shall Rise And Walk The Earth

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Genres:

Horror

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

1 May 1983 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Gates of Hell

Filming Locations:

Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dania Film, Medusa Distribuzione, National Cinematografica

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min 90 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When theatrically released in the United States in 1983, the original title was 'Twilight of the Dead.' Due to the fact that both the title and poster art were derivative of Dawn of the Dead, United Film Distribution Company filed a cease and desist order against Motion Picture Marketing. Posters and prints of the movie bearing the title 'Twilight of the Dead' were pulled, altered and sent back out with the new title 'The Gates of Hell'.

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Goofs

Although the film is set in the United States, Tommy's van has its steering wheel on the right side, revealing the film's European origins.

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Quotes

Theresa: Mary, tell us what you saw in your last vision.
Mary Woodhouse: The city of the dead. The living dead. A cursed city where the gates of hell have been opened.
Peter Bell: Where exactly is this city?
Mary Woodhouse: I don't know where it is. All that I know is that it's called Dunwich.
Peter Bell: Well, I've never heard of it. How do you know? How can you be so sure?
Mary Woodhouse: I read the name... on a tombstone.
Theresa: Mr. Bell, if those gates are left open, it could mean the end of humanity. We've got to get them shut again. At midnight on Monday, we go into All ...

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Connections

Featured in Midnight Movie Review: Fulci Lives! (2012)

User Reviews

Gore galore!

"The Gates of Hell" is another masterpiece directed by one of the best horror directors Lucio Fulci.Fulci,who sadly died in 1996,was a real artist.Anyway this film concerns a priest committing suicide and opening the gateway to Hell,allowing the dead to rise from their graves and feed on the living.Christopher George("Pieces")tries to stop them.The gore effects made by Gino de Rossi are excellent(maggots,rotting flesh,lots of squished brains etc.)Giovanni Lombardo Radice gets an electric drill through his head,and there's also a notorious scene of woman(Daniela Doria)vomiting up all of her internal organs in a really nauseating torrent of blood and guts.The plot is weak,but the film is highly atmospheric and imaginative.Again brilliant director Lucio Fulci created a masterpiece of pure horror!10 out of 10-not to be missed.