Umberto Lenzi Has Passed Away

2017/10/19 17:25:31 +00:00 | Derek Anderson

Whether he was telling stories of the living dead, the supernatural, or human monsters, filmmaker Umberto Lenzi always found a way to draw you in with his genuine enthusiasm behind the lens and a pure passion for cinema that was evident in his work. It is with great sadness, then, that we share the news of Lenzi's passing at the age of 86.

According to multiple sources, including ISTOÉ, report that Lenzi passed away at a hospital in Rome. The specific reason for his passing has not yet been shared with the public.

Lenzi's prolific career as a writer/director spanned five decades, beginning with 1958's An Italian in Greece and concluding with 1992's Mean Tricks. With a career that was truly eclectic, Lenzi made movies for a wide range of sub-genres. He took viewers into the Bond-esque world of espionage with Super Seven Calling Cairo and The Spy Who Loved Flowers, he sunk his teeth into the juicy vein of cannibal movies with Eaten Alive! and Cannibal Ferox, and he brought moviegoers on a blood-spattered slasher vacation to Nightmare Beach in the late ’80s.

Lenzi also left an indelible mark on the cinematic world of the living dead with the 1980 zombie film Nightmare City, and he thrilled viewers with war action movies and spaghetti westerns.

With a filmmaking career that is truly eclectic, Lenzi has maintained an undeniable presence in the genre cinema conversation, being mentioned with the likes of other great Italian filmmakers like Lucio Fulci and Dario Argento. His work (sometimes controversial, sometimes divisive, but always enthusiastic) will ensure that he remains a part of that conversation for years to come. Our thoughts are with Lenzi's family and friends during this difficult time.

*Image at top from Cuff&Lunk interview with Umberto Lenzi.

Source: ISTOÉ
  • Derek Anderson
    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

    When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.