Nights of Terror (1980) (aka: LaNotti del terrore, Zombie 3, Burial Ground & Zombie Horror) Region 2 DVD
review by Krug Stillo
SPOILERS ALERT!
This is one hell of a zombie film that has to be seen to be believed! Firstly, allow me to sum up the (cough) plot (?) - A professor accidentally resurrects some crumbly old Entruscian zombies; a few of his mates come over for a dirty weekend and the zombies kill them all. That’s about it!There’s a subplot about a strange looking boy’s incestuous relationship with his mother that culminates with him trying to put his hand into her panties. Jaw-dropping stuff! She gives him a slap and he runs off crying -
"What’s wrong? I’m you son!" Eventually he returns as an equally horny zombie and what does his mother do to convey love for her son’s return to the land of the living? Whips out her breasts and says -"Go ahead, darling. Just like when you were a baby." He then proceeds to bite off his mother’s nipple. Believe me, I’m not making this up!
This is just an idea of how wild and crazy Nights of Terror actually is. Bianchi’s giallo efforts Strip Nude for Your Killer and Cry of the Prostitute possess competence that’s not evident here. The whole film is just an excuse to watch young people being disemboweled and having sex, which is pretty much enough for some of us.
The British VHS release under the Apex label was one of the worst examples of a distributor censoring the film to avoid it being caught in the video nasties net of the early eighties. It had all traces of violence/gore removed, leaving the film pointless and running just nearly half of its intended length.
There are some totally laugh out loud goings on here. Let me see if
I can remember them -
1) The aforementioned incestuous subplot!
2) At one point the boy interrupts his mother and George during a passionate romp. Firstly watch his shadow approach the door, all rigid to make us believe it’s the shadow of a zombie. Secondly, once he enters the room, what does mommy do? Cover her nakedness beneath the bed-sheets? No way, Bianchi wants us to see some flesh. She leaps out of bed, wanders over to the other side of the room, picks up a flimsy piece of material then doesn’t even cover her breasts. She snaps, ‘Michael! What are you doing here? Get out this instant!"
3) "Momma, this cloth. It smells of death." What’s he talking about?
4) "They can only be killed by blowing their heads off!" How does he know? He hasn’t even shot a zombie before.
5)
At one point a couple are getting hot and heavy, they even don’t
notice a worm-covered zombie emerging from the ground behind them.
Some ridiculous dialogue here –
"You’re turning into a great little model,"
"In that case I deserve a rise in pay."
"You’re getting a rise from me alright, but it has nothing
to do with
money."
The creature slowly crawls closer behind them, limbs loose and barely
able to move. As he reaches for the bloke he suddenly has a burst
of zombie strength and grips the man’s ankle in a ‘there’s
no way I’m letting you go, buddy’ manner. To top off this
silliness, does the bloke suddenly turn around to see his attacker?
No. He gives his misses another kiss, before slowly turning to see
what’s caught on his leg. He then realises they better get moving,
but only after shouting - "Whatever it is, it’s a walking
corpse!"
6) Whilst this couple leg it back to the mansion, there’s a few trees overhanging a very wide path. There’s plenty of room, but for some reason the chap with numb ankles runs up to some branches, lifts them up slightly and shouts at his misses - "This way", making her maneuver between himself and the hedges, giving the slow moving zombies a chance to catch up.
7) When the dead Professor lurches onto the butler, Nicholas, the
latter must be under the impression the zombie fancies him - "Professor,
I was terribly worried about you." As the zombie takes a bite,
the butler continues - "But, Professor, they’re waiting
for us."
8) The zombies actually have a plan of action at the end too! They dress up as monks to fool the fleeing survivors. Not only are they champion climbers, knife throwers, but they even exhibit intelligence.
9) I could go on forever.. Perhaps someone else wants to name some of the many delights…
The best part of this film is the dreamy feel it embodies. The whole thing is so weird and outrageous that it occasionally feels like a nightmare. Pant wetting hilarity, the most ludicrous dialogue and acting ever. This is one of the worst films ever made, but in a good way! It has to be seen by cheesy zombie aficionados worldwide! Andrea Bianchi's Nights of Terror is a wonderful film.
The
first time you watch it seems like the worst film ever
made...
...yet something about it keeps you going back.
The extras consist of theatrical trailer, bios and photo gallery.
