Un sussurro nel buio

"Un Sussurro nel Buio" (A Whisper in the Dark) is a 1976 Italian horror film directed by Marcello Aliprandi that offers a mixed bag of eerie atmosphere and inconsistent storytelling. The film delves into the supernatural, focusing on a young boy named Martino who claims to communicate with an invisible friend named Luca. As Martino's behavior grows increasingly strange, his family becomes entangled in a series of unsettling events that blur the line between reality and imagination. The film excels in creating a haunting ambiance but falters in its narrative execution.

One of the standout aspects of "Un Sussurro nel Buio" is its atmospheric cinematography. The use of dim lighting, shadowy corridors, and eerie soundscapes effectively sets a chilling tone. The old, grandiose family estate where the story unfolds adds to the film's gothic charm. Director Marcello Aliprandi shows a keen eye for visual detail, making each scene feel both beautiful and ominous. The score by Pino Donaggio complements the visuals perfectly, enhancing the sense of dread and unease that permeates the film.

However, despite its strong visual and auditory elements, the film's plot leaves much to be desired. The pacing is uneven, with some scenes dragging on without adding much to the overall story. The script suffers from a lack of coherence, often leaving viewers confused about the characters' motivations and the supernatural elements at play. While the concept of a child with an imaginary friend that might be more than imaginary is intriguing, the film fails to explore this idea to its full potential, leading to a climax that feels abrupt and unsatisfying.

The performances are a mixed bag as well. The child actor playing Martino, Alessandro Poggi, delivers a convincingly eerie portrayal, capturing the ambiguity of his character's experiences. On the other hand, some of the adult actors, including Nathalie Delon and Joseph Cotten, struggle with the poorly developed script, resulting in performances that feel stilted and unconvincing. Despite its flaws, "Un Sussurro nel Buio" remains a fascinating piece of 1970s Italian horror, worth watching for its atmospheric qualities but ultimately let down by its inconsistent storytelling.

April 2021

This film is possibly a bit of a love or hate film, and i can certainly see why some people say nothing happens, as i agree not a lot does happen, i personally don't find it scary at all.

I do still really enjoy it for what it is, its not a giallo exactly, it takes place in a villa which is now a prestigious hotel near venice and we do get some scenes in venice itself.

I met one of the stars a few years ago...Olga Bisera at a signing show, and when i asked her about this and told her how much i liked it she was over the moon as the others were all talking about her James Bond role, so she was really friendly and nice.

I have seen this many times and its hard to explain why i like it so much but i do, but i do like all the Italian, giallos and mysteries from this time.

9 out of 10.

This Marcello Aliprandi's "Un sussurro nel buio" is a very peculiar movie. It comes, regarding the plot and the themes, earlier than some celebrated movie: in particularly "Shock" (1976) by Mario Bava, but also "Shining" (1980) and "The Sixth Sense" (1999). The story is about a child who, in a big and perturbing house in a north Italy country, talks and plays with a - maybe - inexistent other child. His parents get worried and try to understand. The end of the story is not devoid of ambiguity. The movie is visually impressive, odd in the plot (with a good sense of suspense), full of mystery and fascination for irrational. I think that in the italian `fantastic' genre "Un sussurro nel buio" is among the best and the most original ones: Marcello Aliprandi may be compared with directors like Mario Bava, Pupi Avati and Michele Soavi. Even if it isn't always a very solid movie, if you like this italian genre you must see this refined film. Very enjoyable the cast: John Phillip Law, Nathalie Delon and even Joseph Cotten.

I just got done watching this and was impressed how it stuck to its guns on being consistently subtle and ambiguous... leaving much of the interpretation up to the audience. A rich family with servants entertains their son's love for his imaginary friend... who might not be entirely imaginary. Each member of the household having their own peculiar outlook on the situation and motivations for putting up with it and sticking around... or not. There are odd corners to some of the characters... questionable motivations and identities... that don't seem to bear on the main plot but somehow add to the general atmosphere of things not being as they appear. Who is Joseph Cotten's character? What does he want with Martino? What is up with the nanny's coat fetish?

It's certainly NOT for the hyperactive crowd who scream 'BORING!' at anything lacking explosions, violence or sex ever few minutes... but for the rest of us it's a nice slow development of a creepy atmosphere surrounding what may or may not be a haunted house. Despite being Italian and a horror movie it's very mild on the sex and has no gore at all. Other comments I've read draw parallels with The Turn Of The Screw but except for the subtle/suggestive nature of the haunting I'd say it has more in common with The Other... though it's not as overt and lacks that film's body count. It's a well done ghost story with plenty of atmosphere and subtle themes that stick in the mind of those patient enough to follow it through.

I wish that the last few minutes of this film didn't exist: rarely has an ending to a film ruined things so much.

For the most part, A Whisper in the Dark is a haunting ghost story: Alessandro Poggi plays 11-year-old Martino, who has an imaginary brother called Luca; unknown to Martino, he once had a sibling of the same name, who was born prematurely and died shortly after. Is 'imaginary' Luca actually the ghost of the dead child, and is he responsible for the bad things that happen to people who upset Martino?

Employing a slow burn approach, director Marcello Aliprandi carefully builds the suspense and eerie atmosphere, with inexplicable occurrences adding to the evidence that Luca is real and not just a figment of Martino's imagination. Eventually, Martino's mother Camilla (Nathalie Delon) starts to believe her son and, realising that the supernatural presence could be due to her inability to accept the loss of her baby, decides to help Luca find peace.

And that's where the film should have ended.

Instead, there's a ridiculous final scene in which Martino and his family are having breakfast, the boy still convinced that Luca is there, the rest of the family playing along. It makes no sense and spoils an otherwise very good movie.

6.5/10, rounded down to 6 for the ending (although Pino Donaggio's excellent score nearly had me rounding it up).