6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.3 |
TV news reporter Dean Miller waits at the airport for the arrival of a scientist that he is about to interview. There, an unmarked military plane makes an emergency landing. The plane doors open and dozens of zombies burst out stabbing and shooting military waiting outside. Miller tries to let the people know of this event, but General Murchison of Civil Defense will not allow it. Then, Miller tries to find his wife and escape from the blood-thirsty zombies that are all over the city...
Starring: Hugo Stiglitz, Laura Trotter, Maria Rosaria Omaggio, Francisco Rabal, Sonia VivianiHorror | 100% |
Foreign | 34% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
Italian: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 16-bit)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Umberto Lenzi's "Nightmare City" a.k.a. "Incubo sulla città contaminata" (1980) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new video piece with video interview, director/actor/producer Eli Roth; video interview with Umberto Lenzi; audio commentary with Chris Alexander; and more. The release also arrives with a 20-page illustrated booklet featuring John Martin's essay "Fade Away and Radiate: Umberto Lenzi's Nightmare City" and technical credits. In English or Italian, with optional English subtitles. Region-Free.
One of the infected
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Umberto Lenzi's Nightmare City arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video.
The screencaptures that are included with this review appear in the following order:
1. Screencaptures 1-14: Negative Transfer (2K Restoration).
2. Screencaptures: 16-24: Dupe Reversal Transfer.
The release is sourced from a recent 2K restoration of the film. However, there are two different transfers of the film on it. The first uses as a foundation a new scan of the original negative elements, which according to information provided by the distributors were badly damaged. As a result, while detail and clarity are frequently excellent there are also numerous areas of the film where large chemical stains are quite easy to see (you can see examples in screencaptures #7 and 8). Additionally, there are color pulsations and flicker, as well as various density fluctuations.
The second transfer comes from a reversal dupe negative. While there are some basic improvements in stability, this transfer actually has more significant native limitations. Indeed, detail, clarity and especially depth are far less convincing (large areas of the film actually look disappointingly flat). Naturally, even though the first transfer does not have the consistently pleasing appearance one would rightfully expect, it actually has a much more convincing organic appearance. You can test both, but the first transfer is clearly the one you should choose for your first and complete viewing of the film. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0 and Italian LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.
I viewed the film with the English track and thought that it was very good. It is easy to tell that post-production overdubbing was done because some minor sync issues remain, but depth and clarity are quite wonderful. The music is also well balanced and as a result there are no sudden spikes or drops in dynamic activity. There are no audio dropouts or distortions, but there are a few sequences where some extremely light buzz is present in the high-frequencies.
Umberto Lenzi's Nightmare City is as bad as advertised. It follows a familiar route and it clearly struggles to create and sustain the type of atmosphere that makes these genre films so unique. If you enjoy them, consider picking up copies of Lucio Fulci's Zombie Flesh Eaters and Ken Wiederhorn's Shock Waves. These films will not only entertain you, but will leave a lasting impression on you. If you have already seen Nightmare City and like it, then you can pick up Arrow Video's release. Despite some obvious source limitations, the new 2K restoration of the film is very good.
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Zombi 2
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Quella villa accanto al cimitero | Limited Edition
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Le notti del terrore | 4K Restoration
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Dèmoni 2: L'incubo ritorna
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Rosso sangue
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Buio Omega / The Italian Collection #24
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1977