THE WELL

Stars Lauren LaVera, Claudia Gerini, Linda Zampaglione, Yassine Fadel, Gianluigi Galvani, Melanie Gaydos, Jonathan Dylan King and Courage Osabohine.
Writers: Federico Zampaglione and Stefano Masi.
Director: Federico Zampaglione

Official Selection - FANTASPORTO 2024; FRIGHTFEST GLASGOW; SITGES; TRIESTE SCIENCE+FICTION FILM FESTIVAL.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ½

 The structure is lean but the frights are plentiful in The Well, a gruesome, gleeful throwback to the Italian film sector’s heyday as the prime purveyor of Europe’s grisliest B-pics.

Unburdened by real-world logic but positively oozing imagery straight out of the most vivid nightmares, director Federico Zampaglione’s latest is certainly a polished production. That said, The Well would not have been out of place during the VHS boom, when producers kept dialogue to a monosyllabic minimum and revved up the splatter effects to appease gorehounds (and sales agents) in the vast foreign markets.

With co-writer Stefano Masi, the always reliable Zampaglione (Shadow, 2009; Morrison, 2021) wastes no time setting up the premise. In a slick first act, we meet our heroine, Lisa (blossoming scream queen, Lauren LaVera; pictured, above), an art restoration expert bound for an Italian castle; camping backpackers Tony (Gianluigi Galvani), Madison (Courage Osabohine) and Tracy (Taylor Zaudtke), each destined for various moments of unpleasantness; and, a two-tiered narrative that balances the unfolding mystery of a cursed artwork with the bloody resurrection of an horrific demon and his minions.

Overseeing the restoration and with one foot in the supernatural otherworld is the icy blonde castle keeper Emma, played with scenery-chewing flair by the terrific Claudia Gerini, reteaming with Zampaglione after starring roles in A Dream House Nightmare (2007) and Tulpa: Demon of Desire (2012). As Emma’s teenage daughter Giulia, a mysterious presence who befriends Lisa and clues her into the details of what’s going on in the building’s depths, is the compelling Linda Zampaglione - daughter of the director and Gerini.

As Lisa polishes off hardened layers on the (frankly, hideous) painting, the monstrous images beneath have fresh life breathed into them; soon, Lisa is tormented by visions from the canvas as she sleeps. Most visually arresting amongst them is ‘Dorka’, played by model/actress Melanie Gaydos (pictured, above), whose uniquely beautiful features are a result of a genetic condition called ectodermal dysplasia. 

Equally striking, although infinitely more repellent, is Lorenzo Renzi as a drooling, grunting sadistic cell guard, grease-painted in clown makeup (echoing ‘Canio’, the murderous clown from the opera Pagliacci), who butchers his prisoners in imaginatively disgusting ways to appease the grotesque creature in the well (Stefano Martinelli).

The Well isn’t deep, but committed turns from all involved both behind and in front of the camera ensures it effectively conjures the psychological dread and harrowing horrors for which the best Italian shockers are renowned.