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City of the Living Dead is the First Installment of the Gothic Zombie Trilogy.


City of the Living Dead does not have much story consistency, but Fulci certainly earns the title "Godfather of Gore".

Written by The Zombie Master Lee Roberts
May 13, 2007

City of the Living Dead DVD cover
Release: 1980 (U.S. 1983)
Written & Directed by: Lucio Fulci

Starring:
Fabrizio Jovine
as Father William Thomas
Christopher George as Peter Bell
Catriona MacColl as Mary Woodhouse
Carlo De Mejo as Gerry


“Violence is Italian art” -Lucio Fulci.



This short quote by Italian director Lucio Fulci should give you some indication of what to expect when you put one of his films in the DVD player. After his success with Zombi 2, Fulci decided to play with the zombie genre again. What followed was the beginning of what became known as the “gothic zombie trilogy”.

The City of the Living Dead, part one of the trilogy, begins by introducing us to two of the main characters. Father Thomas (Fabrizio Jovine) is a priest who, for some unknown reason, hangs himself in a graveyard. Mary Woodhouse (Catriona MacColl) is a psychic who, during a séance, witnesses the suicide of the priest. She also sees something else that causes her to go into a coma so deeply that she is presumed dead and buried alive. Peter Bell (Christopher George) is walking through the graveyard where Mary has been freshly buried and hears her cries when she awakens in a coffin. After the rescue of Mary, we soon discover what is going on.

City of the Living Dead - Priest hanging himself

Father Thomas killed himself in a town called Dunwich. Dunwich was built on the old town of Salem. Lucky for Dunwich, the graveyard in which Father Thomas killed himself was also the “Gateway to Hell” that the witches used back in the day. The bad news is that if the gateway is not closed by All Hallows Eve, it will remain open. Having only a couple of days to accomplish this feat, Peter, Mary and a local psychiatrist name Gerry (Carlo De Mejo) have to find Father Thomas’s grave site while being chased by zombies that literally appear out of nowhere.

City of the Living Dead - psychic has vision that puts her into a coma

City of the Living Dead is a great movie unless you are looking for plot consistency or smooth editing. Lucio Fulci began experimenting with “atmosphere” while filming City of the Living Dead and you can tell it. By the time the movie is over, you would probably scream if you saw another “close-up on eyes” shot.

City of the Living Dead - zombies appear out of nowhere

With that being said, Fulci is not best known for plot, choosing great actors, or caring what the viewer thinks anyway. Lucio Fulci is best known for gore and some of his best work is found in City of the Living Dead. All you have to see is the drill press going through the gentleman’s head or the female vomiting her own intestines to understand why Fulci is called the “Godfather of Gore”.

City of the Living Dead - tears of blood

I absolutely adore Fulci’s directing style. His films (at least his horror films) tend to be put together as a series of visions or dreams rather than a strict storyline. To understand and appreciate the greatness that was Lucio Fulci, one has only to watch the follow up films in the “gothic zombie trilogy”; The Beyond and House by the Cemetery. Fulci was a master of his craft and there has been a hole left over the past decade since his death that will never be filled. Luckily, his work has been preserved for all “zombie apprentices” to study and learn from and City of the Living Dead is a great place to start.  Questions or comments about City of the Living Dead?  Contact us!

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