The Night Child
Il medaglione insanguinato (Perche?!)
The titular medallion is a gift presented to young Nicole Elmi. Once the girl places the gift around her neck, she is possessed by the spirit of a dead child who was a murderess.
Why it matters
A haunting blend of possession and gothic dread that spotlights Italian genre cinema’s flair for eerie atmospheres and unsettling innocence corrupted.
- Anchored by a chilling performance from a young Nicoletta Elmi, whose wide-eyed terror embodies childhood innocence twisted by malevolence.
- Exemplifies 1970s Italian horror’s mastery of mood over gore, with shadow-drenched interiors and an ominous score that lingers like a whispered curse.
- Perfect for fans of possession tales that lean into psychological unease rather than jump scares — think early Bava or Fulci’s more atmospheric work.
- The titular medallion as a cursed object taps into folk horror’s obsession with objects as vessels of evil, adding a mythic layer to the haunting.
Director
4 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
0
Slow Burn
33
Psychological
29
Supernatural
60
Creature
0
Disturbing
17
Fun Factor
17
Cerebral
0
Survival
0
