lucio fulci's CITY OF THE DEAD (1980)

i'm a little out of my element here with italian zombie scuzz, but i can say that Fulci's ability to wrench mood and atmosphere from poor performances and sub-modest production values really impresses. (if my limited recollection of Zombi serves me, that seems to be his typical aesthetic, but it still suggests a vision strong enough to overcome such shortcomings.) the music is great (until the end at least) and the gore is positively stomach-turning, especially in the notorious gut-vomit scene. but it all sputters to a slow stop during the (anti-)climax, and then nails the coffin shut with an unintelligible, unintentionally silly ending. sad that something with such ideas, such promise, could be so flawed.