Manhattan Baby
dir. Lucio Fulci · 1982
Feature
Psychological Horror
Mood
Dark / Tense
Look
gritty, atmospheric, with stark contrasts between the ancient and the modern
Structure
linear progression with escalating horror elements
Plot
An archaeologist opens an Egyptian tomb and accidently releases an evil spirit. His young daughter becomes possessed by the freed entity and, upon their arrival back in New York, the gory murders begin.
Why watch
An archaeologist inadvertently unleashes an ancient evil from an Egyptian tomb, leading to a series of gruesome murders in New York City. As his young daughter becomes the vessel for this malevolent spirit, the film plunges viewers into a nightmarish landscape where familial bonds are tested against the backdrop of supernatural horror.
Cultural context
1980s Italian horror cinemarise of supernatural themes in horrorcultural fascination with Egyptology