Nov 29 2004
Movie: “City of the living dead” (1980)
“City of the Living Dead” (1980) directed by Lucio Fulci.
(MF Title: “Small hamlet of a few living dead”)
Starring: Christopher George, Catriona MacColl, Fabrizio Jovine, Antonella Interlenghi and Carlo DeMejo.
Zombie Film Rating: 
Overview: The suicide of a small town priest sets an ancient prophecy into motion, and spells the end of the world. Its up to a reporter, a psychic and some of the local psychiatric professionals to stop the evil undead priest, throw a wrench in the works and save humanity before “all saints day” when all hell will break loose, literally.
Summary: We open with a priest wandering through a graveyard, in what seems to be a step away from traditional clerical duties the priest hangs himself in from a tree. The event witnessed only by those taking part in a seance some distance away in New York. Sadly the medium who sees the event is killed when she attempts to break “contact” with the holy suicide, her companions however seem to take her expiration in stride, and call for the police.
The death of the psychic is investigated by the police (well, sorta…the police believe the psychics have been “smoking the reefer“) and a local reporter. The reporter visits the grave of the recently deceased psychic (for reasons that are never established) and he discovers she is not, in fact, dead. Digging her out of her coffin we can’t help but wonder what sort of autopsy is performed in a “suspicious death”.
Meanwhile back at the small town strange occurences are becoming commonplace, as mirrors are shattered, walls crack and residents are killed by the dead priest. The residents, not being complete fools, can’t seem to shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe something is wrong in their little ville.
Our primary characters in the town itself turn out to be the town psychiatrist (who’s romantic interest is one of the first victims in the towns zombification), and a local artist. Seems the evil dead priest believes in tormenting his victims before turning them into the undead, and they struggle to determine what it is thats terrorizing them.
Fortunately they run into the reporter and the psychic who explain that the world will end on “all saints day” if the evil cannot be stopped.
Together they set out to fight the evil, making a few stops along the way, and losing the local conscripts in the process. They arrive at the cemetary, and find the grave of the priest, which naturally sits atop a tunnel leading down to catacombs.
In the final battle beneath the cemetary they succeed in killing the dead priest, but their success is in question despite this victory.
Critique: First off this is hardly a favorite of mine, I had been led to expect some sort of Urban zombie adventure, and what we get is small town shenanigans. I almost expected a hay ride to figure into the plot somewhere.
The gore is messy (it is a Fulci film), but the movie itself has a slow pace, little suspense and we can’t help but wonder (yet again) why evil powers torment and taunt their victims instead of just getting on with world conquest.
That said, it’s not the worst film out there. Gory, has several zombies and almost lures you in. Let’s call it a good “Hail Mary” zombie film option.