History Film / CityOfTheLivingDead

* AnybodyCanDie: The vast majority of characters appearing in the movie get killed in [[NoKillLikeOverkill gruesomely over-the-top ways]].
ArtisticLicenceHistory: The movie keeps pointing out how the fictitious town of Dunwich is set at the same place where Salem, known for the “witch burnings” used to be (i.e. Duwnich was built on the ruins of the abandoned Salem). However, the city of Salem, MA still exists nowadays, with a population of 41340 in 2010. Furthermore, people accused of witchcraft were executed in Salem in the past, but none of them were burned (instead most of them were hanged); however, it is possible that characters are mentioning “burning” due to their ignorance, since the movie doesn’t reveal how much of this background story told by UnreliableNarrator is true.

In the town of [[Creator/HPLovecraft Dunwich]], [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]], a [[SinisterMinister priest]] commits suicide, thus opening one of the gates of hell. This causes the dead to rise and the priest's apparition to appear and haunt people around the town. The priest's suicide is detected at a seance by Mary Woodhouse (Catriona Maccoll). The gate of hell must be closed before All Saints Day, otherwise the dead around the world shall rise. Mary teams up with reporter Peter Bell (Christopher George) to go the town, investigate, and close the gate.

!!This film provides examples of:

%%* BMovie

%%* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt
%%* EverythingsDeaderWithZombies
%%* ExploitationFilm

%%* LovecraftOnFilm: Just barely.

%%* NoEnding: Pretty much.

* GainaxEnding: A rather unnecessary one. [[spoiler: Mary and Gerry succeed in stopping Father Thomas' evil spirit and all the zombies die. Then they see John-John run towards them smiling and then suddenly we hear a superimposed scream with a Freeze frame implying the kid has supposedly become a zombie too despite no on-screen evidence.]]
** Apparently we got this ending because the negative for the original ending was destroyed by a cup of coffee and mounting a reshoot would have cost too much and put the behind schedule movie even further behind.

* VisualPun: The intestine-vomiting scene is probably the most horrific literal take on the phrase "puking your guts out" in cinema.

The film would most likely be unknown but for two scenes of infamy. The first is of a girl before whom the ghost of the priest appears, causing her to ''literally puke her guts out'' whilst weeping blood. This effect reportedly required the actress to swallow several yards of sheep intestines whole... heavens above; the things one does for show business. (However, conflicting reports hold that the head consisted of a bust). The second is of a man drilling through another man's head with an electric drill, until the end protrudes from the other side, after he catches him sleeping with her daughter.

The film would most likely be unknown but for two scenes of infamy. The first is of a girl before whom the ghost of the priest appears, causing her to ''vomit up her intestines'' whilst weeping blood. This effect reportedly required the actress to swallow several yards of sheep intestines whole... heavens above; the things one does for show business. (However, conflicting reports hold that the head consisted of a bust). The second is of a man drilling through another man's head with an electric drill, until the end protrudes from the other side, after he catches him sleeping with her daughter.

The film would most likely be unknown but for two scenes of infamy. The first is of a girl to whom the ghost of the priest appears before, causing her to ''vomit up her intestines'' whilst weeping blood. This effect reportedly required the actress to swallow several yards of sheep intestines whole... heavens above; the things one does for show business. (However, conflicting reports hold that the head consisted of a bust). The second is of a man drilling through another man's head with an electric drill, until the end protrudes from the other side, after he catches him sleeping with her daughter.

'''''Paura nella città dei morti viventi''''' ('''''City of the Living Dead''''') is a 1980 Italian grindhouse horror film directed by Creator/LucioFulci.

* BMovie

* BloodyHorror: The film involves a girl who begins [[TearsOfBlood bleeding from the eyes]]. Followed by her intestines and stomach being ejected from her mouth. The effect is...disturbingly realistic.

** By [[CreatorCameo Fulci]] himself.
** Also, Michele Soavi (director of ''Film/CemeteryMan'' and ''Film/StageFrightAquarius'') as an unfortunate victim.

* DisneyDeath: Played straight with Mary Woodhouse.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt
* EverythingsDeaderWithZombies
* ExploitationFilm

* LovecraftOnFilm: Just barely.

* NoEnding: Pretty much.

* SinisterMinister: Father Thomas.

* TearsOfBlood: Used before aforementioned intestine-vomiting scene as well as scattered other places.

* TomeOfEldritchLore: The Book of Enoch.

* TheCameo: By [[CreatorCameo Fulci]] himself.
** Also, Michele Soavi (director of CemeteryMan and StageFrightAquarius) as an unfortunate victim.

* GainaxEnding
* {{Gorn}}

* HellGate

* SinisterMinister

'''''Paura nella città dei morti viventi''''' ('''''City of the Living Dead''''') is a 1980 Italian grindhouse horror film directed by LucioFulci.

The film is the first in Lucio Fulci's unofficial "Gates of Hell" trilogy (with the others being ''Film/TheBeyond'' and ''Film/TheHouseByTheCemetery'') and the second of four of his to feature zombies (with ''Film/{{Zombi2}}'' being the first and the aforementioned remaining two Gate of Hell films being the third and fourth). Also notable is the fact that it managed to escape inclusion on Britain's VideoNasties list; despite the three other films being stuck on it and despite the two above-mentioned scenes that practically begged to be cut, it's always been available in the UK.

* HalloweenEpisode: In a sense, as far as LucioFulci's films are concerned; given the date mentioned for a potential ZombieApocalypse being All Saints Day, the climax takes place on Halloween.

* VomitIndiscretionShot: Sandra gives a very understandable reaction to being covered in worms.

The film is the first in Lucio Fulci's unofficial "Gates of Hell" trilogy (with the others being ''TheBeyond'' and ''Film/TheHouseByTheCemetery'') and the second of four of his to feature zombies (with ''Film/{{Zombi2}}'' being the first and the aforementioned remaining two Gate of Hell films being the third and fourth). Also notable is the fact that it managed to escape inclusion on Britain's VideoNasties list; despite the three other films being stuck on it and despite the two above-mentioned scenes that practically begged to be cut, it's always been available in the UK.

* TheXOfY

In the town of [[HPLovecraft Dunwich]], [[HollywoodNewEngland New England]], a [[SinisterMinister priest]] commits suicide, thus opening one of the gates of hell. This causes the dead to rise and the priest's apparition to appear and haunt people around the town. The priest's suicide is detected at a seance by Mary Woodhouse (Catriona Maccoll). The gate of hell must be closed before All Saints Day, otherwise the dead around the world shall rise. Mary teams up with reporter Peter Bell (Christopher George) to go the town, investigate, and close the gate.

The film is the first in Lucio Fulci's unofficial "Gates of Hell" trilogy (with the others being ''TheBeyond'' and ''[[Film/TheHouseByTheCemetery The House by the Cemetery]]'') and the second of four of his to feature zombies (with ''[[Film/{{Zombi2}} Zombi 2]]'' being the first and the aforementioned remaining two Gate of Hell films being the third and fourth). Also notable is the fact that it managed to escape inclusion on Britain's VideoNasties list; despite the three other films being stuck on it and despite the two above-mentioned scenes that practically begged to be cut, it's always been available in the UK.

* NoEnding: Pretty much.

* EyeScream: Barely subverted when Peter exhumes Mary following her premature burial; played straight, though, with the intestine-vomiting scene, when blood comes out of the victim likes tears from her eyes.

The film is the first in Lucio Fulci's unofficial "Gates of Hell" trilogy (with the others being ''TheBeyond'' and ''[[TheHouseByTheCemetery The House by the Cemetery]]'') and the second of four of his to feature zombies (with ''[[{{Zombi2}} Zombi 2]]'' being the first and the aforementioned remaining two Gate of Hell films being the third and fourth). Also notable is the fact that it managed to escape inclusion on Britain's VideoNasties list; despite the three other films being stuck on it and despite the two above-mentioned scenes that practically begged to be cut, it's always been available in the UK.