City of the Living Dead

City of the Living Dead
Italian theatrical release poster by Enzo Sciotti
Directed by	Lucio Fulci
Produced by	Lucio Fulci Giovanni Masini Robert E. Warner
Written by	Lucio Fulci Dardano Sacchetti
Starring	Christopher George Catriona MacColl (as Katriona MacColl) Carlo De Mejo Antonella Interlenghi Giovanni Lombardo Radice
Music by	Fabio Frizzi
Cinematography	Sergio Salvati
Edited by	Vincenzo Tomassi
Production company	Dania Film Medusa Distribuzione National Cinematografica
Release date	11 August 1980
Running time	93 min.
Country	Italy
Language	English Italian

City of the Living Dead (Italian: Paura nella città dei morti viventi [English translation: Fear in the City of the Living Dead], also known as The Gates of Hell) is a 1980 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. It is the first installment of the unofficial Gates of Hell trilogy which also includes The Beyond and The House by the Cemetery. Fulci makes an uncredited cameo appearance as Dr. Joe Thompson in the film.

In New York City, during a séance held in the apartment of medium Theresa, Mary Woodhouse (Catriona MacColl) experiences a traumatic vision of a priest, Father Thomas (Fabrizio Jovine), hanging himself from a tree branch in a cemetery of the remote village of Dunwich. When the images overwhelm her, Mary breaks the circle and falls to the floor as if dead. The police, led by Sergeant Clay, interrogate Theresa, but fail to heed her warnings of an imminent evil. Outside the apartment building, Peter Bell (Christopher George), a journalist, tries to gain entry to the premises but is turned away. The following day, Mary is buried in a local cemetery on Long Island overlooking Manhattan and Peter visits her grave site. He discovers that Mary is still alive and uses a pick axe to free her.

Peter and Mary visit Theresa who warns them that according to the ancient book of Enoch, the events Mary witnessed in her visions presage the eruption of the living dead into our world. The death of Father Thomas has somehow opened a door through which the living dead can enter and the invasion will commence on All Saints Day, just a few days away.

In Dunwich, Bob (Giovanni Lombardo Radice) wanders into an abandoned house, finding a rubber doll which inflates itself. Before he can use it, the sight of a rotting baby's corpse scares him away. At Junie's Lounge, the barman talks with two local men, Mr. Ross (Venantino Venanini) and Mike, about recent strange events for which Mr. Ross is inclined to blame Bob. When a mirror shatters and the wall cracks inexplicably, the men are scared and leave. Across town, Gerry (Carlo De Mejo), a psychiatrist, is in consultation with Sandra (Janet Agren), a neurotic patient, when Emily Robbins (Antonella Interlenghi), his 19-year-old girlfriend and personal assistant, arrives. She tells Gerry that she's on her way to meet Bob, whom she has been trying to help. That evening, Emily is slaughtered by the supernatural apparition of Father Thomas who smothers her with a maggot-covered hand.