CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD

Italy, 1983, 90 minutes, Colour.
Christopher George.
Directed by Lucio Fulci.

City of the Living Dead is one of many horror films made by Italians in America. Capitalising on the popularity of occult thrillers, the Italian writer-directors sensationalise them and give them the same kind of flair they gave the spaghetti westerns. This film owes its origins to The Omen: a priest hangs himself and lets loose a lot of the damned in the town of Dunwich (with no apology to H.P. Lovecraft). Christopher George is the American star - and seeming newspaper hero until he is murdered off towards the end. There is a psychic heroine who is buried alive in the Edgar Allen Poe vein but rescued just in time to helpfully lead the investigation with Christopher George. There is a local psychiatrist who emerges as hero. Many of the local townsfolk are gruesomely murdered and turned into ugly living dead. The emphasis is on atmosphere and shocks with a rather strident tone. The emphasis is on events rather than characterisation and motivation. Within its rather severe limits, the film comes across with great gusto.