For this week’s movie of the week review, we watched Italian Director Umberto Lenzi’s “Incubo sulla citta contaminata“, otherwise known as Nightmare City (or City of the Walking Dead, whichever you decide). The movie stars Hugo Stiglitz as reporter/fighting improvisational master/one handed gunman Dean Miller. Dean has an assignment to meet a famous scientist who’s plane is arriving at the city airport. When the plane lands, the scientist and a band of radioactive zombies emerge and take the city by storm. Dean rushes off to find his wife and rescue her to safety, while other military leaders try to find their own families and quarantine them into private bunkers without alerting the public. Dean tries to report on his findings, but the government shuts him down as not to cause mass hysteria.
Raz: I’ll give this movie the “no sleep award” for its intense action. One problem I have with watching horror flicks is if it doesn’t keep me interested I fall asleep, but that is not the case with this theatrical gem. Right from the start this movie gets you enthralled into the action. With its scab headed zombies I am sure many people were frightened by this movie. Although this movie did not scare me the thought of zombies flying planes, driving cars, and shooting guns disturbed me more then your typical shambling zombie.
Sean: For being considered a “horror” movie, I thought this played out more as an action movie that happened to have a horror theme. The makeup and special effects weren’t necessarily pulled off all that well. Most of the zombies looked like they had scabs all over their faces, and when they stabbed people, they obviously pulled up when they got close to the other actors. It is worth noting though, that this is considered the first movie with “fast moving” zombies. They also used weapons and guns, which was pretty cool to see, although the hatchets were a little overused.
Raz:There are plenty explosions, gun fights, and breasts to keep you guys awake and there are a plethora of zombies to keep your girlfriends cowering on your shoulder. Or vice versa depending on how much of a wuss you are. All I can say is that I liked this movie a lot. The over the top zombie attacks are great. They may be cheesy at times but that just adds to greatness of this movie.
Sean: It seems like everyone in this movie is some kind of thrown weapon expert. The surgeon that Dean’s wife works for throws a scalpel with accuracy, and Dean himself can throw a mighty fine hatchet. I was a little put off by the heavy handed with the whole “look what mankind has done with their technology, and their bad science and that… other bad stuff they do” theme that was played out by Dean’s wife. If I was Dean, I would have just slapped her and said “SNAP OUT OF IT! Run when I tell you to run, and you’ll make it out of this bullshit!” Even with that though, it’s a fast paced, fun movie that keeps your attention if not with the plot, then at least with the action. It’s got some unconventional zombie action, but if you’re the slightest zombie fan and can put some of the running zombie stuff out of your mind, it’s super enjoyable. Hell, you could make a whole exploding heads montage with all the scab headed zombie headshots. That in itself makes seeing this worthwhile.
Raz: I would recommend this movie if you are into fast paced zombie slasher flicks. The action kicks off fairly quick in the beginning and never stops till the end. The ending will also leave you thinking. It could have a quasi ground hog day tone to it, but you will never know unless you watch this movie.
Check out beneath the break for some screenshots and a clip of one of the better head ’splodin moments from this flick.
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