I realize it's a nearly blasphemous thing to write, being a self-acclaimed horror aficionado, but I really think that several of the greatest genre classics (like "The Exorcist", "Rosemary's Baby", "The Omen", "Don't Look Now"
) are somewhat overrated. I definitely reckon their importance and influence, but personally I'm always much more entertained by their copious amounts of (primarily Italian) rip-offs. I can't help it
Trashy titles such as "Beyond the Door", "The Tempter" or "Demon Witch Child" are just a lot more fun to watch because the atmosphere is a lot less demanding while the gore/bloodshed is a lot more outrageous. "The Cursed Medallion", also known as "The Night Child" theoretically also qualifies as such an Italian "The Exorcist" rip-off, but the overall tone of the film balances back and forth between the stern 1973 original and the over-exploitative other rip-offs. This one plays in one league higher thanks to three aspects: a surprisingly intriguing script with likable characters, solid direction by Massimo Dallamano and a downright fantastic – albeit ruminated – musical score by Stelvio Cipriani. Michael Williams and his 11-year-old daughter Emily are still recovering from the devastating loss of their wife/mother, who got trapped in her bedroom when a fire broke out and fell to her death from the window. Little Emily carries her mother's medallion – a gift from her father – everywhere with her. But Michael has to pick up work again and travel to Italy to make a TV-documentary about diabolical art. Following doctor's advice, Emily and the introvert nanny Jill accompany him. When there, Michael and his producer (and brand new love interest) Joanna stumble upon a truly sinister painting in the catacombs of an old castle, and there seems to be a connection between the painting and the medallion around Emily's neck. Fact is that the little girl behaves very strangely and dangerously jealous when it comes to her father. "The Cursed Medallion" deals with a lot more topics than just possession, like for instance reincarnation, the Electra complex and satanic relics. This is actually one of those rare Italian horror movies for which it's regrettable that they are simply just labeled as "rip-off", because it has a lot more to offer. "The Cursed Medallion" is so much better than most of its contemporary Italian companions and it's almost entirely the accomplishment of co-writer/director Massimo Dallamano. This criminally underrated director also made the single best giallo ever made ("What have you done to Solange?") and was a brilliant cinematographer during most of his career. He shot some of Sergio Leone's best western classics, among others, and his talented eye for breath-taking camera compositions are also noticeable in this film; just check out the two separate sequences of ladies falling to their deaths. Dallamano also briefly appears in a funny cameo, as a random man at the airport. Joanna stops him to ask if he's Michael Williams by any chance, to which he looks straight in her lovely eyes and slyly replies: "No, but I wish I was". Dallamano died in a car accident one year after the release of this film, at age 59, which is a crying shame as I'm sure he still had a couple of great movies left in him. One final remark about the awesome soundtrack by Stelvio Cipriani, because that is also one of the film's main trumps. Even though you could state that he often recycled his own previous work, Cipriani is definitely one of Italy's greatest composers, next to – of course – Ennio Morricone and Riz Ortolani.
Review of Together Forever
