The Lucio Fulci Thread

[Zane C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zane C.]

So, I'm just watching ZOMBIE again for the first time in a few years. The movie is entertaining, but laughable at the same time. I enjoy Fulci's movies, but I'm not liking it as much as the first time I saw it. I suspect the law of diminishing returns will apply to his movies for me.

Next up: THE BEYOND and CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD!

What's the consensus on Fulci? How do YOU like his movies?

[Marshall Crist Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Marshall Crist]

A few of them I love and most of them I am indifferent toward. The ones I don't tire of are HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY, THE BEYOND and CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD. I also have a lot of respect for DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING and LIZARD IN A WOMAN'S SKIN. Recently had an epiphany that not only do I not particularly care for ZOMBIE or NEW YORK RIPPER, I never did. His later stuff I find unwatchable. I cannot fathom the love some have for PERVERSION STORY and particularly BEATRICE CENZI.

I think that pretty much sums it up for me.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

More hits than misses for me though some of the later stuff is dire. Four of the Apocalypse would be right up you spaghetti western loving alley if you haven't seen it already, Zane. I find a lot of times with Fulci that there are great moments in his films, even when the films themselves aren't great if that makes any sense. I'd say The Beyond is the best thing he ever made, and my favorite of his moves. I think it's a much better film than Zombie.

[Todd Jordan Smut is good. Find all posts View Profile Close Todd Jordan]

The Beyond is his best in my useless opinion. I love his zombie trilogy the most of all, but I've only seen maybe a dozen of his movies. My 16 year old neice has expressed an interest in cult movies and I will be intriducing her to Fulci this summer actually. I sent her a copy of The Brood (her request), so she's on the right track. Cool girl. She'll make some lucky nerd a good catch.

[Paul Casey Frito Bandito Find all posts View Profile Close Paul Casey]

Ones I dig that don't get mentioned a lot are Conquest and Touch of Death. Sure, Touch isn't really "good," but I think it's funny...on purpose!
But, yeah, The Beyond is his best. So rad.

[Todd Jordan Smut is good. Find all posts View Profile Close Todd Jordan]

Conquest is cool. I love 70s and 80s sword & sandals epics.

[Scott MacDonald Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Scott MacDonald]

I love Fulci flicks. My favorite horror film of all-time is The Beyond, and I agree with Ian in regards to him having more hits than misses although his later work is definitely more in the misses category.

My favorites are...

The Beyond
City of the Living Dead
House by the Cemetery
Zombi 2
Lizard in a Woman's Skin
Don't Torture the Duckling
Beatrice Cenci
The Psychic
Conquest
New York Ripper
Cat in the Brain

I hated
Zombi 3
Door into Silence
Manhattan Baby

There's still way more I need to see....

[Robert W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Robert W]

The Beyond is a beautiful film, but I think House By The Cemetery is equally stunning in terms of visuals.

Another film of Fulci's that I've really come love is Contraband. Too bad he didn't make more films in this genre because this film kicks a lot of ass.

[Alex K. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Alex K.]

I think a lot of misses can be chalked up to Fulci's failing health and a dying industry. But I think saying that may imply that I'm an apologist for the man's schlock but I think it's being realistic to say that you're watching films by a man who desperately needed the work.

That said: I grew up on his films an still watch almost all the time. The horror films (Zombie and The Beyond in particular) are amazingly well done despite the pit falls of the industry and the inevitable plot holes and things lost in translation. But hey, Argento flicks have just as many plot holes as Fulci's and I don't read nearly enough messages pointing that out.

Fulci's best films:

Don't Torture a Duckling
Lizard in a Woman's Skin
The Psychic
Beatrice Cenci
Four of the Apocalypse
Zombie
City of the Living Dead
The Beyond
House by the Cemetery.

Mediocre/guilty pleasures:

Murder Rock
Conquest
New York Ripper
House of Clocks
Touch of Death
Cat in the Brain
Voices from Beyond
Demonia

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Another film of Fulci's that I've really come love is Contraband. Too bad he didn't make more films in this genre because this film kicks a lot of ass.

Very true. He proved with that one crime film he had a real knack for that genre. It's a real shame never dabbled in it again.

I'm with you in regards to the visuals in HBTC, it looks fantastic - Bob really pulls me out of it though.

[Robert W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Robert W]

Very true. He proved with that one crime film he had a real knack for that genre. It's a real shame never dabbled in it again.

I'm with you in regards to the visuals in HBTC, it looks fantastic - Bob really pulls me out of it though.

Yeah, that's easily the most annoying dub jobs in film history.

Another film I really liked of his was Massacre Time. Took a little while for the film to get going, but I thought it was really enjoyable once it dd.

Also, like Bava, Fulci is one of those directors whom you always think what could they have done with a big budget.

[Zane C. Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zane C.]

You guys raise good points. I do like THE BEYOND a lot, though not as a straight-forward film with a coherent narrative. It's more of an experience, and I do like that film, even though it's unrelentingly bleak.

I have to check out FOTA, Ian. I haven't seen it, and I do love me some spaghetti westerns! I also agree with what you said about Fulci's films being more about moments than the actual films themselves.

Paul and Todd, I totally have to check out CONQUEST. It looks like something I'd dig. Thanks for the heads up!

Robert, I have to agree about CONTRABAND as well - I do like that one, and also wish Fulci would have done more "mob action" movies.

Soooooo....looks like THE BEYOND seems to be most people's favorite! Can't argue with that!

[Robert W Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Robert W]

Fulci, like Rollin, understood that for a horror film to "succeed," it needs to completely abandon coherent narration and embrace the irrational. But as bleak as The Beyond and CotLD are, they pale in comparison to the bleakness of New York Ripper, which, I believe, is Fulci's true masterpiece.

Getting back to Euro-crimes for a sec, I would have loved to seen Fulci work with Henry Silva.

[Dom D Spoon! Find all posts View Profile Close Dom D]

Don't Torture A Duckling, The Psychic and Lizard In A Womans Skin are up there with the best gialli ever made. Not as much love for Perversion story. The horror films leave me pretty cold.

[Newt Cox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Newt Cox]

So far outta the 5 Fulci films I have seen I have enjoyed them all. The first I saw was the old VHS release of Gates of hell. Then sometime in the mid 90s I got a VHS of ZOmbi. Then in the late 90s I got a bootleg of the uncut version of Cat in the Brain. Later on I got one of those Brentwood sets with House by the cementery. And then got the Grindhouse release of The Beyond. The Beyond is my favorite with House by the cememtery being my least favorite.