City of the Living Dead
City of the Living Dead

Movie spotlight

City of the Living Dead

1980
Movie
93 min
Italian

A psychic seemingly dies of fright during a séance where she sees a vision of a Dunwich priest hanging himself in a church cemetery. New York City reporter Peter Bell investigates and learns that the priest's suicide has somehow opened a portal to Hell that must be sealed by All Saints Day, or else the dead will overtake humanity.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes71%
Google Users76%
Director: Lucio FulciGenres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller

Plot Summary

A journalist and a psychic investigate a small town plagued by a priest's suicide, which has apparently opened the gates of Hell. As they delve deeper, they uncover a series of gruesome deaths and increasingly bizarre phenomena. The pursuit of the truth leads them into the decaying town where they must confront the terrifying reality of the undead.

Critical Reception

City of the Living Dead is a notorious entry in Lucio Fulci's 'Gates of Hell' trilogy, celebrated by horror aficionados for its visceral gore and dreamlike, unsettling atmosphere. While often criticized for its convoluted plot and nonsensical dialogue, its shocking imagery and unique brand of surreal horror have cemented its status as a cult classic within the genre.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its extreme gore and disturbing imagery.

  • Appreciated for its unique, nightmarish atmosphere.

  • Criticized for its weak plot and often incomprehensible dialogue.

Google audience: Audience reviews often highlight the film's intense gore and unsettling, dreamlike qualities as its main draws. While some find the plot difficult to follow, many appreciate its unique horror elements and cult status.

Fun Fact

During the filming of the infamous brain-drilling scene, actor Christopher George was reportedly so disgusted by the special effects gore that he vomited off-camera.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
Wuchak

Wuchak

**_Not the same-old, same-old Zombies in this gory flick from Lucio Fulci_** In the village of Dunwich, a minister hangs himself and inadvertently opens the gates of the Underworld with recently dead people manifesting and causing havoc....