Synopsis
The movie Nightmare City (1980), also known as City of the Walking Dead, is a science-fiction horror film directed by Umberto Lenzi. The story follows a television news reporter named Dean Miller, played by Hugo Stiglitz, who witnesses the collapse of order in a city overrun by irradiated blood-drinking ghouls.
The movie Nightmare City (1980) takes place in a world where victims of the ghouls rise from the dead to join their ranks, adding to the chaos and terror. As the ghouls wreak havoc, Miller and a group of survivors must fight for their lives and find a way to escape the city.
Director Umberto Lenzi intended Nightmare City (1980) to be labeled as a “radiation sickness movie” rather than a traditional zombie film. The film incorporates elements of anti-nuclear and anti-military messages, reflecting the anxieties of the time.
Cast
- Hugo Stiglitz as Dean Miller
- Laura Trotter as Dr. Anna Miller
- Mel Ferrer as General Murchison
- Francisco Rabal as Major Warren Holmes
- Maria Rosaria Omaggio as Sheila Holmes
Trivia
- Nightmare City (1980) was released in Italy as “Incubo sulla città contaminata” and in the United States as “City of the Walking Dead”.
- The film incorporates elements of radiation sickness and features ghouls rather than traditional zombies.
- Nightmare City (1980) has been described as a “spirited, if preposterous, zombie saga” with a contrived ending[5].
Reviews
- The Celluloid Highway: This review provides an analysis of Nightmare City (1980), discussing its lack of narrative coherence and dream-like quality[1].
- Cool Ass Cinema: This review highlights the film’s maniacal motley crew of savage killers and its direction by Umberto Lenzi[2].
Anonymous on November 1, 2023