The Cursed Medallion ( Medaglione insanguinato, Il ) [DVD] [2005]

Michael Williams(Richard Johnson), a documentary maker working on a programme about the role of the devil and demons in art for the BBC, is intrigued by an unknown painting turning up amongst his slides. He travels to Italy to find out more about the mysterious painting, accompanied by his daughter Emily(Nicoletta Elmi) and her nanny Jill(Ida Galli). Michael's wife died in an unexplained fire, and ever since Emily has suffered from fits and nightmares. Just before they travel abroad, Michael gives Emily a present of a gold medallion that used to belong to her mother.Once they arrive in Italy, an obsession starts to grow in Michael regarding the origins and whereabouts of the painting, consuming him so much that he does not notice a change in Emily, as she starts to experience horrifying visions. Is their presence in Italy only due to the documentary, or there a greater, more malevolant power guiding their every action?Those coming to this film expecting either a sleazy Exorcist rip-off, or a typical gory Italian horror will be dissapointed as this is neither. It's a curiously anaemic Euro-horror that is long on beautiful scenery and languid storytelling, but short on genuine chills and excitement. It's very easy on the eye, as Michael travels the Italian countryside looking for answers to the meaning of the painting that has become central to his life, but many viewers will probably be left at the end wondering if the film should have delivered more in the plot department.It's not a bad film by any means. Richard Johnson gives a nicely subdued, finely balanced performance, child actress Elmi also impresses as Emily and there's a lovely music score that accompanies the beautiful visuals. It does however lack a certain something to set it apart from others of its ilk, and despite a very good, tragic conclusion to the story, I think that I'll stick to my sleazy Exorcist rip-offs from now on.An excellent dvd release, with English and Italian subtitles, and also excellent picture and sound quality. 3 out of 5

Having a all region player , I can collect euro horror that is only out in italy or the uk. This one is a italian horror movie. I like giallos better than italian horror but this one is not too bad. It's more a traditional non gory horror effort that has a decent story about a man uncovering a supernatural secret. That's not great horror but it's got good actors. Like joanna cassidy. It's engaging enough to keep you interested and the quest has lots of 1970's italian scenery. Back before the landscape was covered in graffiti and trash. today it's trash everywhere land. Same with the u.s and u.k. Sad but true.

One of the many low-budget horror films that Richard Johnson made largely because he liked working in Italy where producers were eager to cash in on his The Haunting cachet, The Cursed Medallion, aka Il Medaglione Insanguinato (Perche?!) aka Night Child is a comparatively cosy entry in the possessed child genre that's devoid of the usual gore or post-Exorcist shock tactics. Johnson is the BBC producer making a documentary on the Devil in Italian art who brings his troubled daughter and her nanny along with him on location where a mysterious painting and a medallion belonging to his dead wife bring on a nasty case of history repeating itself. The women in Johnson's life have a tendency to meet unfortunate accidents, which bodes ill for his producer Joanna Cassidy, but is the reason supernatural or something closer to home?Directed by Sergio Leone's cinematographer on his first two Dollars movies, Massimo Dallamano, there are only a few minor frissons in the last half hour thanks to a script that never really develops its ideas that well and takes too long before building up its plot, which is a shame because at times there are hints that there's a better film trying to get out - not least with daughter Nicoletta Elmi's passive-aggressive approach to the various loves in his life. As befits a former cinematographer there's an emphasis on showing how the camerawork is done in the documentary sequences, but his technical interest doesn't extend to the special effects department - there are three staggeringly bad special effects shots that wouldn't have made the cut in a 70s episode of Doctor Who. Still, at an hour-and-a-half it doesn't overstay its welcome, Joanna Cassidy is at her most attractive and the Italian DVD has a fine transfer with only the Italian soundtrack with English subtitles, though Johnson is particularly well dubbed by an actor with a very similar voice. Arrow's UK DVD, using the international title The Night Child, includes both English and subtitled Italian soundtracks, trailer and a featurette on Italian Exorcist-style horror films of the 70s.