Rating: 2.5/5
Hooptober 3.0 | 20/31 | Umberto Lenzi
We scan an industrial district of Madrid before joining a news report from BWC News. The Department of Health has announced a radioactive spill at the state nuclear plant. While serious, officials claim to have responded in time to avoid any negative fallout.
Dean Miller, an American TV reporter, receives an assignment from Mr. Desmond to interview Professor Hagenbeck, one of the nuclear station’s original planners. Miller has a philosophy of straightforward truth, whereas Desmond favors thorough reassurance.
Miller brings a cameraman to the small airport to await Hagenbeck’s arrival. The airport control tower receives an unidentified trace. They cannot get in touch with it via radio. As it comes into view, they recognize it as a Hercules military transport. However, the plane has no identifiable markings. The plane lanes, but they see no pilot. The military police surround the plane, calling for the passengers to disembark.
Hagenbeck steps out of the plane. An officer approaches. Hagenbeck stabs the officer in the neck. Dozens of men, covered in unusual sores, pour out of the aircraft, attacking the police. The police shoot the men, but it doesn’t stop them or even slow them down. The men bite into the police, drinking their blood.
Miller and the cameraman flee the scene and return to the studio. Miller commandeers the studio control room to announce to the public. Before he can start, the chief calls to cut off the broadcast. General Murchison made the call to avoid a panic. Miller quits and faces the overrun city to find his wife. Also, for whatever reason, we follow General Murchison’s tomfoolery since he’ll be the first to get answers for what the hell is going on.
Unlike Romero’s zombies, Lenzi’s zombies are fast, can use weapons, and seem to keep their intelligence. They just also want to murder and eat folks. They’re not undead, but more dudes with charred deformities growing on their bodies. Per Lenzi, they’re not meant to be zombies so much as people with radiation sickness. Of course, this is an exploitation flick, so that means they also tear open women’s shirts to eat their breasts.
The first act is as economical as it comes, giving us everything we need to understand the movie and our protagonist.
Mel Ferrer, who plays General Murchison, seemed familiar to me. It turns out I’ve seen him in a couple of things, but Eaten Alive was what I remembered. TIL he was married to Audrey Hepburn for a few years.
I only know Hugo Stiglitz by name, as Tarantino paid tribute to him by naming a character after him in Inglourious Basterds. He’s been in hundreds of movies, so I’ll see him again.
Look, is this film nonsense? Kind of! Did I enjoy it? Kind of! Similar to Ghosthouse, I kind of gave up following exactly what was happening and rolled with it. I think anyone who isn’t a fan of goofy genre fare will have a miserable time. Honestly, even genre freaks might have a bad time.