Mimì - Il principe delle tenebre (2023)

Mimì - Il principe delle tenebre / Mimi-Prince of Darkness is the debut feature film of Brando De Sica (Italian film Royalty, son of Christian-De Sica and nephew of il grande Vittorio), which was shown in the competition of Dracula film Fest last October in Brasov, Romania. It also won in Sitges. The premiere was in the Locarno film fest in the summer of 2023. Other awards followed.

It's a very spcial film, in the vein of  George A. Romeo's Martin, Nick Cage's Vampire Kiss,  a bit of Les Morsures de l'aube, a bit of  Låt den rätte komma in, etc. The genre he proposes is self-titled Napoletano Gomhorror neomelodico. A very specific Napoletan (including lots of pizza) film, very stylish with nods to the vampire genre, Nosferatu F. W. Murnau film, Hammer pics, giallos.

It's a combo of comedy, drama, doomed teenage love story and  coming-of-age horror. The protagonist Mimi is a misfit with a  handicaped foot, a (Tim) Burtonesque character,  coming straight from Tod Browning's Freaks box (here a Pizza box ;) mixed with Italian realism and mostly surrealism. And pizza ;) 

Great sound design by the director himself. And score (by Pasquale Catalano) and soundtrack (songs from Fabrizio de Andre to Four Tops, Halloween House, etc) . Reminded me a bit of the feel of the new horror wave by Tilman Singer, Cuckoo, from last year fodder.

It streams now on MAX worldwide. Also in Romania. 

4 out of 5, 8 out of 10 !!!