Italian Zombie Film Series In New York City

Long recognized as symbols of subversion, New York City’s the Museum of Arts and Design (2 Columbus Circle) is celebrating the undead by hosting an Italian Zombie Film retrospective this July, featuring screenings of some of the subgenre’s most important works. Read on for more details!

“Zombo Italiano: The Italian Zombie Film Movement, 1982-1985” kicks off Thursday, July 8 screening George Romero’s seminal DAWN OF THE DEAD and ends July 29 with Pasolini’s 1969 film PIGSTY, with a family style helping of Fulci, Bava and Saovi in between.

From the press release:

“Italian zombie cinema comes alive at the Museum of Arts and Design this summer in its latest film series, running from July 8 through July 29. At once gruesome and poetic, the 10 films showcased in ‘Zombo Italiano: The Italian Zombie Film Movement’ underscore the prolific visions and technical achievements of noted Italian directors-including Lucio Fulci, Pier Paolo Pasolini and George A. Romero-who pushed the boundaries of low-culture through pioneering special effects to deal with the body at its most material.”

Jake Yuzna, the manager of the Museum of Art and Design’s public programs, offered this comment: “These films have too often been dismissed as low-culture trash for their gore, ghoulish humor, and punk scores.  By taking the monstrous aspects of nature and humanity as their raw material, these film directors created savage commentaries on class, society and existence itself, yet only recently have they been acknowledged for altering the cinematic landscape and mass culture.“

The full film schedule (and an excellent one it is) follows:

Thursday, July 8, 7 p.m.: George A. Romero’s DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)

Friday, July 9, 7 p.m.: Lucio Fulci’s ZOMBI 2 (1979)

Saturday, July 10, 3 p.m.: Jorge Grau’s LET SLEEPING CORPSES LIE (a.k.a. THE LIVING DEAD AT MANCHESTER MORGUE (1974)

Thursday, July 15, 7 p.m.: Lucio Fulci’s CITY OF THE LIVING DEAD (a.k.a. GATES OF HELL) (1980)

Friday, July 16, 7 p.m.: Lucio Fulci’s THE BEYOND (1980)

Saturday, July 17, 3 p.m.: Lucio Fulci’s THE HOUSE BY THE CEMETERY (1981)

Thursday, July 22, 7 p.m.: Michele Soavi’s CEMETERY MAN (a.k.a. DELLAMORE DELLAMORE) (1994)

Friday, July 23, 7 p.m.: Lambero Bava’s DEMONS (1985)

Saturday, July 24, 3 p.m.: Lamberto Bava’s DEMONS 2 (1987) 

Thursday, July 29, 7 p.m.: Paolo Pasolini’s PIGSTY (a.k.a. PORCILE) (1969)

All screenings will take place at the Museum of Arts and Design. Tickets are $10 general admission and $7 for students, or those with zombie makeup. The series is being held in conjunction with MAD’s “Dead or Alive” exhibition showcasing “the work of over 30 international artists who transform organic materials and objects that were once produced by or part of living organisms—insects, feathers, bones, silkworm cocoons, plant materials and hair—to create intricately crafted and designed installations and sculptures.”

You can find out more about Zombo Italiano by heading to the Museum’s official site here and download the full schedule of films in PDF format here.