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City of the Living Dead

Original title: Paura nella città dei morti viventi
  • 19801980
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
17K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment
Play trailer3:02
1 Video
86 Photos
  • Horror

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 their graves.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 their graves.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 their graves.

IMDb RATING
6.2/10
17K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Lucio Fulci
  • Writers
    • Lucio Fulci(story)
    • Dardano Sacchetti(story)
    • H.P. Lovecraft(inspiration)
  • Stars
    • Christopher George
    • Catriona MacColl
    • Carlo De Mejo
Top credits
  • Director
    • Lucio Fulci
  • Writers
    • Lucio Fulci(story)
    • Dardano Sacchetti(story)
    • H.P. Lovecraft(inspiration)
  • Stars
    • Christopher George
    • Catriona MacColl
    • Carlo De Mejo
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 245User reviews
    • 136Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    City of the Living Dead
    Trailer 3:02
    City of the Living Dead

    Photos86

    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Giovanni Lombardo Radice in Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Christopher George, Catriona MacColl, and Adelaide Aste in Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)
    Catriona MacColl in Paura nella città dei morti viventi (1980)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Christopher George
    Christopher George
    • Peter Bellas Peter Bell
    Catriona MacColl
    Catriona MacColl
    • Mary Woodhouseas Mary Woodhouse
    Carlo De Mejo
    Carlo De Mejo
    • Gerryas Gerry
    Antonella Interlenghi
    • Emily Robbinsas Emily Robbins
    Giovanni Lombardo Radice
    Giovanni Lombardo Radice
    • Bobas Bob
    Daniela Doria
    Daniela Doria
    • Rosie Kelvinas Rosie Kelvin
    Fabrizio Jovine
    Fabrizio Jovine
    • Father William Thomasas Father William Thomas
    Luca Venantini
    Luca Venantini
    • John-John Robbinsas John-John Robbins
    • (as Luca Paisner)
    Michele Soavi
    Michele Soavi
    • Tommy Fisheras Tommy Fisher
    Venantino Venantini
    Venantino Venantini
    • Mr. Rossas Mr. Ross
    Enzo D'Ausilio
    • Deputy Sheriffas Deputy Sheriff
    Adelaide Aste
    • Theresaas Theresa
    Luciano Rossi
    Luciano Rossi
    • Policeman in Apartmentas Policeman in Apartment
    Robert Sampson
    Robert Sampson
    • Sheriff Russellas Sheriff Russell
    Janet Agren
    Janet Agren
    • Sandraas Sandra
    Nat Bush
    • Sgt. Clayas Sgt. Clay
    • (uncredited)
    Omero Capanna
    Omero Capanna
    • Burning Zombieas Burning Zombie
    • (uncredited)
    Lucio Fulci
    Lucio Fulci
    • Dr. Joe Thompsonas Dr. Joe Thompson
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Lucio Fulci
    • Writers
      • Lucio Fulci(story) (screenplay)
      • Dardano Sacchetti(story) (screenplay)
      • H.P. Lovecraft(inspiration) (uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    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. —matt-282
    • drill through head
    • bleeding from the eyes
    • zombie
    • suicide
    • sex doll
    • 127 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • "The Dead Shall Rise And Walk The Earth"
    • Genre
      • Horror
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Lucio Fulci always carried around a bag with his trademark pipe and tobacco. One day on set, he reached into his bag and found a handful of maggots (which had been used earlier to film the scene in which maggots blow in through a window). The perpetrator of this prank is rumored to be Christopher George, the film's lead actor, who did not get along well with Fulci.
    • Goofs
      The people of Dunwich are said to be descended from "Salem witch burners", although no accused "witches" were ever burned in Salem (most were hanged).
    • Quotes

      [examining the dead body of Emily Robbins]

      Dr. Joe Thompson: Well, she certainly wasn't strangled. There doesn't seem to be any kind of physical abuse.

      Sheriff Russell: Well, what was the cause of her death then?

      Dr. Joe Thompson: Some kind of cardiac arrest. Only that expression on her face is like pure fear, like something scared her to death.

      Sheriff Russell: Scared her?

      Dr. Joe Thompson: [to Emily's father] Excuse me, Mr. Robbins, do you know if your daughter had a heart condition?

      Mr. Robbins: No... no...

      Sheriff Russell: Well, what's our procedure?

      Dr. Joe Thompson: Sit tight. Everything depends on the autopsy.

      Sheriff Russell: All right, I'll sit tight. But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?

      Dr. Joe Thompson: You'll get your orders after that from the D.A.

      [exits]

      Sheriff Russell: All right, but let me hear from you first, Joe.

    • Alternate versions
      The British Cinema version was cut by around 1 minute to remove the drill sequence. This version was released on video in the UK before 1984, after which all videos were required to be submitted to the British Board of Film Classification. When it was finally given a video certificate by the BBFC, further cuts were made to remove the intestinal vomit scene, and the brain squashing scenes. The UK video has a total of 2m 21s of cuts.
    • Connections
      Edited into Cent une tueries de zombies (2012)

    User reviews245

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Fulci's splatter film inspired on H.P. Lovecraft about the dead coming back to life at Dunwich
    This is a genuinely frightening story with correct utilization of images-shock , skill edition and eerie images . Lucio Fulci's main great success along with ¨Zombie 2¨ , is compelling directed with startling gory visual content . It's a creepy horror film plenty of brutal frames and gory events. Fulci's horror film about the dead coming back to life on a small location of Dunwich with inspiration on famous novelist H.P. Lovecraft . A journalist named Peter Bell (Christopher George), a psychiatrist (Carlo De Mejo) and a psychic named Mary Woodhouse (Catriona MacColl , Fulci's fetish actress) race to close the Gates of Hell after the suicide by hanging of a priest caused them to open , allowing the zombies to rise from the tombs . Gory, gruesome , pretty repellent , and ghastly gory-feast in which the stumbling flesh-eating stiffs are relived by an ancient curse .

    Chilling Italian terror flick full of screams, shocks, chills, thrills and lots of blood and guts . Astonishing , mesmerizing , very repellent , and scary mess in which the living dead are reanimated and committing horrible murders . This is a classic excruciatingly terror film in which the intrigue,tension, suspense, horror appears threatening and lurking in every room, corridors , cellar , morgue, streets, cemetery and many other places . Watch for the great highlights as the alive burying and the pick-axe coming dangerously close to her head ; as when a drill punctures the face an unfortunate young -a Fulci's mark who repeats ad nauseam - and clergyman's mesmerizing stares making eyeballs bleed . And as always brief appearance of Lucio Fulci, in Alfred Hitchcock cameo style , as Police Inspector and a young future director of terror movies , Michele Soavi as hapless victim . Good make-up and special effects by makeup artist named Rufini replacing the usual maestro Gianetto De Rossi. Produced on a tight budget by Giovanni Masini and the same Fulci . Moody photography Sergio Salvati on location in Fort Lee, New Jersey, New York City, Savannah, Georgia, USA . Eerie musical score composed and conducted by Fabio Frizzi in Goblin style. The motion picture is realized by one of the most controversial filmmakers of terror movies ,Lucio Fulci , in his ordinary style with flaws and gaps but is professionally made because being a skilled craftsman . Reviewers are divided over booth the morals and talents of Fulci (1927-1996) who sometimes directed under the alias ¨Louis Fuller¨. For some critics many of his movies are cruel and shockingly violent , yet their gory surface often conceals religious, social commentaries or intelligent issues. Whether he should be viewed as a cheap sensationalist or just a genius Fulci has a loyal fan base and undeniably has an important and unique influence on the terror genre , creating great works on a low budget such as proved in ¨The Beyond¨, ¨Manhattan baby¨, ¨Gates of Hell¨, ¨Island of the living dead¨, ¨New York ripper¨ , among them . This is one more imaginative , though imperfect horror/splatter picture in which the camera stalks in sinister style . It's just one long unrelenting guts-feast and passable budget horror movie that still packs a punch for those who appeal to be terrorized out their wits . This gore-feast that tried to disguised itself under many other titles as ¨City of living dead¨ will enjoy to Lucio Fulci aficionados.
    helpful•16
    6
    • ma-cortes
    • Sep 18, 2010

    FAQ3

    • How did they do the special effects for the scene where the woman vomits up her intestines?
    • How did they do the zombies teleporting?
    • What are the differences between the old BBFC 18 Version and the Uncut Version?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 8, 1983 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Italy
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • The Gates of Hell
    • Filming locations
      • Nyack, New York, USA
    • Production companies
      • Dania Film
      • Medusa Distribuzione
      • National Cinematografica
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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