Movies scarcely get more lo-fi than this. Fabio Salerno clearly made it on a shoe-string budget, and the production values scream "homegrown" - resembling early short films from the 60s or 70s of filmmakers like Martin Scorsese ('The big shave') or John Carpenter ('Captain Voyeur') more than contemporary 90s fare. That's no knock on the specific quality of 'Notte profonda,' mind you, any more than it is to observe the earnest simplicity of the direction, writing, cinematography, or acting. Not every film needs to be a revelation, and all these elements are more than suitable to construct the whole and tell the story of a young man who discovers an odd object and proceeds to have odd, troubling experiences. This is modestly made, but not truly any less enjoyable than if it had all the benefits of major financial backing, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into it.
True, the pacing is an issue, both in how the story develops and in terms of the discrete events to transpire, which are very deliberately measured out. Even at only sixty-six minutes, this maybe feels a tad overlong. On the other hand, even if it's sometimes repetitive the music is genuinely a nice touch as it lends to the mood at any time, and even works to build some ambience. The visual effects and special makeup (both also credited to Salerno) are even better, and more plainly admirable. Some instances are more complex than others, yet everything that the filmmaker put together in realization of protagonist Paolo's increasingly dire plight looks rather terrific. Very honestly, I think this is apt illustration of how even lesser instances of practical effects nevertheless hold up better than the finest of post-production visuals, or at least remain firmly on par.
It's not something one needs to go out of their way to see per se, and it bears repeating that by most any standards or point of comparison, and in every regard, the presentation shows its limitations. Despite those limitations, however, Salerno crafted a small, unsung gem - a diamond in the rough, if you will - that really does look great even as it is, and holds up significantly better than no few titles that had more resources and bigger names involved. For my part I'm quite pleased with just how good 'Notte profonda' is, and I think it deserves more visibility and recognition among horror fans. It's no major must-see, perhaps, but if you do have the opportunity to watch, this is well worth checking out!
