Review of Nightmare City (1980) by Chris S — 14 Jan 2010

Nightmare City has lead Hugo Stiglitz (whose name was cleverly used by Quentin Tarantino for a character in Inglourious Basterds) as a reporter who is about to do an expose on a Nuclear power plant but not before picking up a scientific expert at the airport.

A strange occurrence happens at the airport when a military plane lands there in an emergency, only to unleash a crew of psychotic zombie/vampire thing-a-ma-jigs that go on a complete rampage, killing everyone in site.

Before Stiglitz can alert the public, the military shuts him up, and while they dick around, these crazed zombies start terrorizing everyone all across the Italian countryside in this absolutely absurd but highly entertaining (in a bad, hilarious sense), wacked-out film.

First off, these "zombies" crave blood. There are very few moments of blood-sucking, and even fewer moments of "spreading the disease". You almost go the whole movie thinking it's just one small group of zombies.

Secondly, and the most hilarious aspect of this film, is these zombies use weapons! First part: they use machine guns, second part: they use knifes, third part: they all have axes! Absolutely hilarious film directed by Italian goremeister Umberto Lenzi (just before he delivered his "epic" Cannibal Ferox aka Make Them Die Slowly).

This film (which goes by many names) prides itself on an insanely huge body count that is filled TO THE BRIM with stabbing, throat slashing, and gun-shooting. To compliment this violence is an astounding amount of gore and blood (for it's time), not to mention many blatant ripping-of-blouses to expose many an Italian breasts.

Zombie effects look like shit (literally) sprayed onto their faces (in fact, some even resemble the Toxic Avenger!). As a legitimate film, this movie is awful. As a piece of entertainment accompanied by a group of close friends and alcohol, this movie is pure magic.

Great for many a laughs, save for the ending, which kills the laughs and brings about some drunken-fueled anger.