Non si deve profanare il sonno dei morti (1974)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jorge Grau

Writers:

Sandro Continenza (writer)
Marcello Coscia (writer)

Release Date:

1975 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

One of the best zombie films ever made.

Plot:

A cop chases two hippies suspected of a series of Manson family-like murders; unbeknownst to him, the real culprits are the living dead, brought to life with a thirst for human flesh by chemical pesticides being used by area farmers.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Radiation | Farmer | Human Flesh | Living Dead

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Cristina Galbó	...	Edna (as Christine Galbo)
Ray Lovelock	...	George
Arthur Kennedy	...	The Inspector
Aldo Massasso	...	Kinsey
Giorgio Trestini	...	Craig
Roberto Posse	...	Benson
José Lifante	...	Martin (as Jose Ruiz Lifante)
Jeannine Mestre	...	Katie
Gengher Gatti	...	Keith
Fernando Hilbeck	...	Guthrie
Vera Drudi	...	Mary
Vicente Vega	...	Dr. Duffield
Francisco Sanz	...	Perkins
Paul Benson	...	Wood
Anita Colby	...	Nurse

Also Known As:

The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue (UK) (USA)
Breakfast at the Manchester Morgue
Do Not Speak Ill of the Dead (International: English title) (literal title)
Don't Open the Window (USA)
Fin de semana para los muertos (Spain) (working title)
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie (USA)
No profanar el sueño de los muertos (Spain)
No se debe profanar el sueño de los muertos (Spain) (informal title)
Sleeping Corpses Lie
Zombi 3 (Da dove vieni?) (Italy)

Runtime:

Italy:95 min | Spain:93 min | USA:85 min (R-rated version) | USA:93 min (unrated version)

Country:

Spain | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Germany:(Banned) (2000) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Italy:VM18 | Australia:MA (2009) | Australia:R | France:-16 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | UK:18 | UK:X (cut) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Barnes Hospital, Cheadle, Cheshire, England, UK

Company:

Flaminia Produzioni Cinematografiche

Trivia:

The film's strange music score is partially made of moaning and breathing noises. It was director Jorge Grau who made these eerie sounds, as well as those for the zombies.

Goofs:

Factual errors: If you look at the lettering on the door while the police and George are at the Old Owl, you can see that owl is mistakenly spelled "Olw".

Quotes:

George: Hail Hitler!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Possibly the most underrated zombie movie ever made.

'The Living Dead At Manchester Morgue' is possibly the most underrated zombie movie ever made. It's certainly one of the most interesting as it's an Italian/Spanish co-production, but curiously set in England, and it predates both 'Dawn Of The Dead' and the subsequent Eurozombie boom led by Lucio Fulci et al. The zombies themselves aren't as gruesome and repulsive as Romero or Fulci zombies, but once you get over that you've got yourself one very watchable and entertaining take on the genre. The two leads (Cristina Galbo and 'Autopsy's Ray Lovelock) are both good. They meet while travelling due to a minor accident, become uneasy travelling companions, and subsequently find themselves caught in a nightmare of non-stop zombie action while being pursued by a ruthless cop (Arthur Kennedy - 'Fantastic Voyage') who believes they are Manson-like hippie serial killers. I enjoyed this movie very much and recommend it to fans of 1970s European horror. An unfairly neglected movie that deserves a larger audience.