Nightmare City

Nightmare City aka. City of the Walking Dead (1980)
Directed by:  Umberto Lenzi
starring:  Hugo Stiglitz, Laura Trotter, Maria Omaggio, Francisco Rabal, Mel Ferrer
Genre - Horror
Tagline:  The Nightmare Becomes Reality
Format - DVD - Private Colleciton

        Nightmare City...for several reputable critics including John Kenneth Muir this film has been knocked around like a punching bag as if it some sort of celluloid abomination.  Then again Muir said, "it's not the worst zombie film of the 80's."  Hmmmm...well here we go.  This is not a zombie film, this is an infected film.  Yes for me there is a huge difference.  Director Umberto Lenzi himself stated this was not meant to be seen as zombie movie more of a radiation sickness.  Yeah I know who cares, I most certainly do considering it's lumped into the zombie films of the 80's and thus compared to them.  A lot of the griping aside from some of the writing is about the effects.  I remember reading one article that said these zombies just look either too normal or burned.  Gee I wonder why that is?  Ok rant on that subject completed.  Looking at the film as a whole I just can't throw a bad review.  In my personal opinion this is Lenzi's second best film next to Cannibal Ferox aka. Make Them Die Slowly.  Now that may not be saying much since to my own admission some of his other films like Black Demons are just plain laughable but no filmmaker hits every mark.  Nightmare City isn't terribly shot, it's not terribly acted, and yes the effects are a bit hokey but not the worst in the world. 

Sure the burned/mud faced infected are kind of silly looking but unique and frankly a bit creepy.  Hugo Stiglitz nailed the part of Dean Miller a journalist sent out to investigate the reception of a mysterious professor at a local airport.  The plane comes in and lands after not answering any radio contacts and when the door opens the professor appears in a sort of trance followed by several of the infected and an onslaught of gun fire begins as the infected begin killing everyone in sight.  Throw in a cheesy severed arm gun blast and you have yourself an introduction to the rest of shenanigans throughout this Italian/Spanish gem.  Shot on location in Rome and Madrid it really doesn't just fall within the Italian film genre.  Stiglitz starred in over 200 films most of which were Spanish films and hence why the filmmakers decided to star him in the leading role even though from what I've read the director was not in line with this thinking.  I'm certainly glad, Hugo's part is a big plus in this movie. 
    After Dean leaves the airport he tries to put a special report on the air regarding what he saw on the airport runway but his boss and the defense department stop his report in mid sentence.  Angered by having a muzzle put on his broadcast Dean quits and races to the hospital where his wife works to get her out.  From there the film follows Dean as well as Major Holmes and General Murchison in their quests to escape the infected area with their loved ones.  Although Major Holmes and General Murchison are part of the military cover up at first they soon realize their own danger and in fact plan to enact their own state of emergency which of course by then is too late.  Major Holmes attempts to locate his wife at home and General Murchison his daughter and step-son who ignored all warnings and headed out on vacation anyway. 
    Other than some really bad dancing studio scenes I thoroughly enjoy this film from beginning to end.  No it's not perfect, yes some of the dialogue is bad, the effects, etc.  But by no means at all does it deserve the bashing I've seen it receive.  This is a staple film for me meaning I watch it a few times a year.  The very end may be frustrating for some but it is what it is.   Maria Omaggio is one sexy lady I must add.  Can't think of anything else I've seen her in but she did a heck of job as Shelia, Major Holmes' wife.  Lastly I loved the musical scores in this film Stelvio Cipriani who is responsible for a number of Italian classic giallos and horrors music including Twitch of the Death Nerve and Baron Blood by Mario Bava who in my opinion is the greatest director who ever lived.  So ignore the bad publicity and sit down and enjoy with an open mind and don't go in expecting something Oscar worthy.