Hello Lenzi-fans. I think that many people out there with love for trashy italian cinema will agree with me that Umberto Lenzis "nightmare city" is one of the most enjoyable semi-zombie flicks of the genre. I say "semi-zombie" because Signor Lenzi himself does not approve of the label "zombies" given to the maniacal humans running around constantly in the movie on a loose killing rampage. According to Lenzi they are only "methaphorically" to be called zombies. The statement itself may seem laughable, when you actually see what is going on in this movie. Of course
it is important to remark that this movie and its statements are typical for many films of the late 70-ties with the message of nature revenging itself upon the careless ways we humans treat the world (with reference to movies like ORCA-THE KILLER WHALE). In the case of "Nightmare City" an unspecified disaster has occurred on a nuclear power plant. The protagonist played by the very stiff mexican actor Hugo Stiglitz, is a reporter that in the beginning of the movie is taking off for the airport to cover a news story. A professor Hagenback from the nuclear power plant is due to arrive in the airport and inform the world of what the hell happened at the atomic plant. While we wait, an unidentified plane is arriving to the airport. Nobody identifies themselves on the plane, and an army platoon is getting ready to enter the plane. The suddenly the door opens and the evil looking Professor steps heavily out on the stairs...tension music begins....AND THEN: Fierce stabbing from Hagenback at the army man standing in front of him. And suddenly mad humans with some paté-looking makeup is coming out of the plane in big numbers with weapons and KILLS KILLS KILLS. And the killing just goes on forever... Throughout the movie Hugo Stiglitz manages to stay alive with his wife, and killing more zombies than anyone in the movie. I will not give the ending away here, for those of you who have not seen this piece of exciting and fun trash, but i rather enjoyed the construction of the ending, although i know many will not agree with me.
Even Quentin Tarantino has said that Nightmare City is the ZOMBIE-movie favorite of his. A special thing about these zombies are that they are GODDAMN fast. Forget about running away from some slow deadbeat zombies. These ones are armored with machineguns and lots of sharp weapons. They are even much more efficient than the spanish military personel that are supposed to fight them off. Even when the army is ordered to shoot the contaminated bastards in the head, they do just the opposite. Through the entire movie we actually never see some efficiancy from the army. Umberto Lenzi has made some fine fast-paced poliziotteschi flicks, so i guess thats why we see zombies running around like bloodhungry criminals.
I have to say that if you wish to buy this movie on dvd, then be sure to get the version with AUDIO COMMENTARY on. This is simply one of the worst, laughable commentaries i have ever heard. And yes, Signor Lenzi whose english sucks, is doing it IN ENGLISH. First of all there are long pauses of 10 to 20 minutes where he doesnt mention a single word. When he does say something, it is mainly some stupid comments like "we see two women walking down into the basement, what you think will happen next?" and "Are you happys?" yes, he does say HAPPYS. It is a must hear and see.
Oh yeah, and if you are on the lookout for poor man versions of actors you already know, then look among the paté-faced zombies, and you will find crappy versions of Donald Pleasence, Peter Jackson, and Bob Hoskins. and many more depending on your imagination...
MY FAVORITE UMBERTO LENZI FILM.....
it is important to remark that this movie and its statements are typical for many films of the late 70-ties with the message of nature revenging itself upon the careless ways we humans treat the world (with reference to movies like ORCA-THE KILLER WHALE). In the case of "Nightmare City" an unspecified disaster has occurred on a nuclear power plant. The protagonist played by the very stiff mexican actor Hugo Stiglitz, is a reporter that in the beginning of the movie is taking off for the airport to cover a news story. A professor Hagenback from the nuclear power plant is due to arrive in the airport and inform the world of what the hell happened at the atomic plant. While we wait, an unidentified plane is arriving to the airport. Nobody identifies themselves on the plane, and an army platoon is getting ready to enter the plane. The suddenly the door opens and the evil looking Professor steps heavily out on the stairs...tension music begins....AND THEN: Fierce stabbing from Hagenback at the army man standing in front of him. And suddenly mad humans with some paté-looking makeup is coming out of the plane in big numbers with weapons and KILLS KILLS KILLS. And the killing just goes on forever... Throughout the movie Hugo Stiglitz manages to stay alive with his wife, and killing more zombies than anyone in the movie. I will not give the ending away here, for those of you who have not seen this piece of exciting and fun trash, but i rather enjoyed the construction of the ending, although i know many will not agree with me.
Even Quentin Tarantino has said that Nightmare City is the ZOMBIE-movie favorite of his. A special thing about these zombies are that they are GODDAMN fast. Forget about running away from some slow deadbeat zombies. These ones are armored with machineguns and lots of sharp weapons. They are even much more efficient than the spanish military personel that are supposed to fight them off. Even when the army is ordered to shoot the contaminated bastards in the head, they do just the opposite. Through the entire movie we actually never see some efficiancy from the army. Umberto Lenzi has made some fine fast-paced poliziotteschi flicks, so i guess thats why we see zombies running around like bloodhungry criminals.
I have to say that if you wish to buy this movie on dvd, then be sure to get the version with AUDIO COMMENTARY on. This is simply one of the worst, laughable commentaries i have ever heard. And yes, Signor Lenzi whose english sucks, is doing it IN ENGLISH. First of all there are long pauses of 10 to 20 minutes where he doesnt mention a single word. When he does say something, it is mainly some stupid comments like "we see two women walking down into the basement, what you think will happen next?" and "Are you happys?" yes, he does say HAPPYS. It is a must hear and see.
Oh yeah, and if you are on the lookout for poor man versions of actors you already know, then look among the paté-faced zombies, and you will find crappy versions of Donald Pleasence, Peter Jackson, and Bob Hoskins. and many more depending on your imagination...
MY FAVORITE UMBERTO LENZI FILM.....