Incubo sulla città contaminata (1980)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Umberto Lenzi

Writers:

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

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 | Gun | Plane | Biting | Rampage

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	...	Jim, hospital patient
Mel Ferrer	...	General Murchison

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 | 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:

Revealing mistakes: During the airport attack, a soldier runs up to one of the vampires who hits him in the head and takes his machine gun to use on other soldiers. Just before the soldier gets hit, you can see the fake blood already applied to his forehead before the blow strikes.

Movie Connections:

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

Weird Horror Movie

The reporter Dean Miller (Hugo Stiglitz) is assigned with his cameraman to interview a scientist that is arriving in the local airport. While waiting for the arrival, an unidentified Hercules makes an emergency landing and is surrounded by a military force. When the doors open, a legion of blood thirsty creatures commanded by the scientist attack the soldiers, killing them with hatchets and drinking their blood. Dean tries to warn the population about the happening but is censored by General Murchison (Mel Ferrer). Later the military leaders discover that the creatures have not come from the outer space, but are human beings contaminated by radiation and needing to drink blood to stay undead. Dean unsuccessfully calls his wife Dr. Anna Miller (Laura Trotter) and heads to the hospital where she works, trying to escape from the city crowded of the increasing walking dead creatures.

The trash "Incubo Sulla Città Contaminate" a.k.a. "City of the Walking Dead" or "Nightmare City" is a weird horror movie that could be better and better with a best selection of the lead couple. The uptight Hugo Stiglitz is not tailored for the role of hero and is an awful selection from the producers, and Laura Trotter is too stupid for a doctor, recalling those women from the 40's or 50's that used to scream in every dangerous situation and run to the arms of the hero. The killers are not zombies like in "The Last Man on Earth" or the way George A. Romero has become famous in "Night of the Living Dead", with slow and gruesome movements, but actually a kind of unbeatable "warrior vampire" with appearance of zombie. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available