Born: July 17, 1927 in Rome
Died: March 3, 1996 in Rome
A classic horror director who helped pioneer early Italian horror and, to this day, is considered a master of horror films. He's a cult favorite, well known for some of the best zombie films made and his unflinching splatter films. His work has affected horror films to this day. His works used to be fairly hard to find, but are now being constantly being re-released on DVD.
The Beginning
As a young man, Fulci divided his time studying medicine and making money as an art critic. However, after his then-girlfriend left him he joined Experimental Film Studios in attempt to woo her back. While he never did win her back, he did find the field he wanted to spend his life working in. After graduating from Experimental Film Stuidos and began first work in film was as a screenwriter and assistant director working on various comedy and musical films, including Un Americano A Roma which featured the comic genius Toto.
However, in 1966 Fulci was allowed to work on his own, and produced Tempo di Massacro (Massacre Time). The movie was very succesful and it eventually led to Fulci making Beatrice Cenci (which had previously been attempted by Shelley and Antonin Artaud). Fulci's take on Beatrice's story was shockingly violent for its time (1969). However, Fulci's pet project was a complete flop. In fact the public hated it so much that at one screening the crowd began chanting "Kill the director!". About this time, Fulci wife was diagnosed with cancer. She commited suicide soon after. After the failure of his film and the death of his wife, he was forced to return to directing thrillers.
His second film after returning to thrillers, A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, marked the first time Fulci dabbled in effects-based filmmaking. In fact, Carlo Rambaldi's effects were so believable that Fulci was brought up on animal cruelty charges. This film marks the beginning of Fulci's "splatter" style, and was boosted Fulci's popularity in Italian cinema. In 1972 he finished his work on Don't Torture the Duckling a biting political and religious satire. It was incredibly popular with the public and won numerous awards. It also managed to get him black listed for two years when a prominent politician felt the movie was directed at him. After his black listining ended, Fulci released his last thriller: 7 Notes In Nero, which had a limited release in the US as The Psychic. His growing popularity in Italy set him up perfectly for the Italian release of George Romero's Dawn of the Dead.
The Horror Years
The release of Dawn of the Dead (which was released as Zombi in Italy, and had also been re-edited by Dario Argento) drastically changed the face of Italian cinema. It single handedly started a horror craze across Italy. Fulci, coming off the success of 7 Notes In Nero, was approached by Fabrizio De Angelsis to cash in on Dawn of the Dead's popularity. The script was written in two weeks, and filming began immediatly. The film was released as Zombi 2 and was a HUGE hit, eventually making more than 30 million dollars. The movie was effects masterpiece. It introduced Fulci's zombies as maggot infested, dirt covered corpses instead of Romero's "blue" zombie. (Also notable for the sheer gore contained within. Notably the splinter-through-the-eye scene.)
The incredible succes of Zombie landed Fulci a five picture contract with producer Fabrizio De Angelsis. Now considered a premiere horror director, Fulci went on to make on to make City of the Living Dead, another zombie filled horror classic. After that, he made his adaption of Poe's The Black Cat. In this, he reverts to his thriller style of directing, yet with his now-famous gory "injury to eye" motif. The Black Cat failed to do very well, and is still one of his less popular movie to this day. Next is a fan favorite, The Beyond. A grotesque and frighening film, made famous within the horror scene for a very blunt shooting scene near the end. Now considered to be the classic example of how to make a splatter film
Following the mild success of The Beyond, Fulci made House by the Cemetary (another stylistic Fulci flick. Full of required gore and suspense). His last film with Fabrizio De Angelsis was The New York Ripper. It's a strange, strange film. Fulci took the fairly simple "slasher film" concept and made it ulta-violent and some say intentionally sexist. Not to mention the killer insist on talking like Donald Duck. The movie was a complete disaster. Fabrizio De Angelsis refused to work with Fulci and the film was banned in countries across the world. Fulci lost a lot of money on the movie, and drifted in obscurity.
The Latter Years
Sadly, Fulci never again made a film that neared the popularity or power of The Beyond or Zombie. He did attempt to return to his horror roots with Demonia, but the content of the film (psycho nuns, crucifictions) was widely denounced. He continued to make films, but Fulci himself refered to them as his "need to eat" films. He was invloved with a movie entitled Zombie 3, but left production towards the end. The last glimmer of hope was when he was approached in 1996 by Dario Argento who wanted to team up with him to re-make The Wax Mask. Sadly, the film never went into production. Lucio Fulci died on March 3, 1996 from complications of diabetes.
Filmography
- Door to Silence (1991)
- Demonia (1990)
- Gatto nel cervello, Un (A Cat In The Brain) (1990)
- Hansel e Gretel (1990)
- Voci dal profondo (Voices from beyond) (1990)
- Casa del tempo, La (1989) (TV)
- Dolce casa degli orrori, La (1989) (TV)
- Fantasma di Sodoma, Il (Ghosts of Sodom) (1988)
- Quando Alice ruppe lo specchio (Touch of Death) (1988)
- Zombi 3 (1988)
- Aenigma (1987)
- Miele del diavolo, Il (Dangerous Obsessions) (1986)
- Murderock - uccide a passo di danza (Slashdance)(1984)
- Conquista, La (1983)
- Guerrieri dell'anno 2072, I (1983) (V)
- Manhattan Baby (1982)
- Squartatore di New York, Lo (The New York Ripper) (1982)
- Quella villa accanto al cimitero (House by the Cemetery) (1981)
- E tu vivrai nel terrore - L'aldilą (The Beyond) (1981)
- Gatto nero, Il (The Black Cat) (1980)
- Luca il contrabbandiere (The Smuggler) (1980)
- Paura nella cittą dei morti viventi (City of the Living Dead) (1980)
- Zombi 2 (Zombie) (1979)
- Sella d'argento (Silver Saddle) (1978)
- 7 note in nero (The Psychic) (1977)
- Pretora, La (1976)
- Cav. Costante Nicosia demoniaco ovvero Dracula in brianza, Il (1975)
- Quattro dell'apocalisse, I (1975)
- Ritorno di Zanna Bianca, Il (1974)
- All'onorevole piacciono le donne (1972)
- Non si sevizia un paperino (Don't Torture the Duckling) (1972)
- Zanna Bianca (1972)
- Lucertola con la pelle di donna, Una (Lizard in a Woman's Skin)(1971)
- Beatrice Cenci (1969)
- Una sull'altra (1969)
- Abenteuer des Kardinal Braun, Die (1968)
- Come rubammo la bomba atomica (1967)
- Lungo, il corto, il gatto, Il (1967)
- Come svaligiammo la banca d'Italia (1966)
- Due parą, I (1966)
- Tempo di massacro (1966)
- 002 operazione Luna (1965)
- Due pericoli pubblici, I (1965)
- 002 agenti segretissimi (1964)
- Come inguaiammo l'esercito (1964)
- Due evasi di Sing Sing, I (1964)
- Maniaci, I (1964)
- Massaggiatrici, Le (1963)
- Strano tipo, Uno (1963)
- Imbroglioni, Gli (1963)
- Due della legione straniera, I (1962)
- Colpo gobbo all'italiana (1962)
- Ladri, I (The Thieves) (1959)
- Urlatori alla sbarra (1959)
- Ragazzi del Juke-Box (1959)
Special Note: There's quite a bit of confusion surrounding Zombie. It's been called Zombi 2, Island of the Flesh Eaters, and a few other titles. I (and a large part of the horror community) consider Zombie to be the "correct" title. This STILL causes confusion with Zombi (Dawn of the Dead), which was also released as Zombie in Germany. Fulci's Zombie has been remastered and released by Anchor Bay as "Lucio Fulci's Zombie". So, if you end up buying this through fandubbers or mail-order, buyer beware.
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