Lucio Fulci may not have been as big of a name as Dario Argento here in the States, but his contributions to the horror genre are just as significant and influential. The final years of his life were rather difficult, and knowing he died in a tiny apartment broke and alone is devastating. Dario Argento even stepped up to cover the filmmaker’s funeral fees. If only he were around now to see how genre fans have kept his work alive and boutique labels giving the films royal treatments on disc. Cauldron Films has just given City of the Living Dead, aka The Gates of Hell (1980), the 4K makeover, and it’s definitely a sight to behold.
After a priest hangs himself, he unknowingly opens the gates of Hell in the small New England town of Dunwich. Mary (Catriona MacColl), a psychic, is sent into a trance as the events unfold and dies of fright. After being buried, she snaps out of it and tries to claw her way out, only to be rescued by reporter Peter (Christopher George). The two join forces in order to close the gates before the ultimate evil can escape and take over the world.
The movie isn’t perfect, as the story is nonsensical at times. But that doesn’t stop the film from having some truly memorable moments that, forty-plus years later, people still talk about or wear proudly on t-shirts. Who can ever forget the maggot shower, puking up their own guts, and the notorious drill through the head? They’re iconic moments in horror, and whether the film always works is just a minor setback. Genre fans have embraced the film, warts and all, and that’s all that really matters.
The 4K transfer is how I prefer them for a film like this. The picture, color, and contrast give it an upgrade, and fans can view it like they’ve never seen before. While the picture is bright and clear, a slight layer of grain keeps it grounded in the genre where it belongs.
RELATED: Revisiting Lucio Fulci’s ‘Zombi 2:’ The Unofficial ‘Dawn of the Dead’ Sequel
The set contains three discs: the 4K version, a standard Blu-ray, and a bonus disc jam-packed with features. The two movie-only discs have four commentary tracks, two new and two archival. The bonus disc contains long-form Q&As with Massimo Antonello Geleng, Giovanni Lombardo Radice, Carlo De Mejo, and, of course, an interview with composer Fabio Frizzi. There are plenty of other archival features from other releases, as well as trailers and a photo gallery.
City of the Living Dead isn’t Fulci’s greatest work, but this disc set captures his vision perfectly.
We’re hardworking geeks who love to geek out, but we can’t do it without you! If you enjoyed this article and want to see more like it, please consider tipping our writers. Also, as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
, on 4K, and it’s a beautiful thing for fans.){kind=link}