Perfecticality would ruin most Italian exploitation films. Zombie ones in particular. Such is the case of the title I know this film best by, and my favorite of the titles, “City Of The Walking Dead.”

A surprising tame offering from the director of “Make Them Die Slowly,” there are a lot of things to like about this movie, if you can get over a few minor bumps. Examples follow.

For the second time in zombie movie history I saw (“Night Of The Zombies” being the first.), the zombies have a legitimate reason for attacking humans. They were created by radiation, like many a zombie, and, so, their red blood cells need to be replaced. Simple and believable enough. But, again, this is where some of the bumps come in, because, a.) how to the ZOMBIES know this b.) how does DRINKING human blood replace the cells in their blood stream and c.) why are the zombies SPILLING more blood getting at the fluid of life from their victims than they consume when they cut them apart?

Another zombie tradition is broken with the idea of fast, super human, intelligent zombies. Capable of working together, use automatic weapons, disable a city’s power supplies, even fly airplanes! (Again, the bumps.) This adds to the over all effective mood of the flick. That the zombies are everywhere, and, even though they can be killed with a bullet through the head (One of the few zombie cliches kept.) they move so fast and are so numerous a genuine feeling of tension is kept throughout the film.

The soundtrack to this movie is superb! Electronic synthesis that is surprisingly good for 1980. A gently prodding opening theme, the general “zombie attack” theme, and the remix of the two at the end. If it’s not out on CD, someone needs to compile it.

As I said, there are bumps that are evident and unavoidable. The most glaring one is the ending. Yes, it’s bad and ripped off from “Invaders From Mars.” It’s annoying and cheap, but, it’s not THAT bad. Doesn’t detract from the rest of the film.

Where does Umberto Lenzi manage to get Mel Ferrer from?! In “The Emerald Jungle” and now once again, he shows up. Despite this bit of odd casting, however, Ferrer turns in the best performance of the film.

The make up effects range from the wonderfully squeamish (The poor lass who loses a nipple to a crowbar. The woman who loses her eye to another crowbar in a basement. BTW, did they prop guy get a deal on crowbars for this film? They show up everywhere!) to the poorly done. (The zombie make is pretty much slapped together. There’s a scene in the airport attack where, if you look closely, the victim is already bleeding in the head BEFORE the blow of the zombie attack is delivered.) As I mentioned earlier, the gore is relatively tame, in most parts, for an Umberto Lenzi flick.

Like many zombie movies, you can’t take it too seriously. Accept it for what it offers… zombie attacks, human mutilation, death, lots of topless women running around… and you won’t be too disappointed.