Recording (2013) is a horror short film by Stefano Rossi, the Tuscan director of the The 2 Monkeys, Beyond, Pain Reality Anesthesia, Ready or Not and also writer of "24 Hours" and "Necro-Mortosis." Backing Rossi up we find in co-direction the name of Raffaele Picchio who, returning from the excesses of Morituris, he takes advantage with this to reverse the victim/victimizer roles. From this feature Picchio brings with him actor Francis Malcolm, here in the lead role.
Recording by Stefano Rossi is a film focused on torture, extreme gestures of a mind clouded by pain, for a subject and screenplay by Lorenzo Paviano, recently appreciated in the engaging and effective segment "Till Death Do Us Part" in 17 to midnight.
The film is inspired by the short story Metamorphosis by Lavinia Pini who is part of the cast along with Veronica Ribuffo and the aforementioned Francesco Malcom.
The story sees a girl purchase a video camera in order to record, somewhat for fun and voyeurism, her heated encounters with her partner with whom she is extremely in love. The situation gets out of hand when the video camera is purposely left on in order to secretly record what goes on in the bedroom.
Recording is a story of sex, torture, revenge but also of trampled love. In just 11 minutes of the short film's running time, an atrocious spectacle unfolds before the viewer's eyes, into which one is thrown from the very first sequences. Without wasting any time, Recording presents itself for what it is namely a gory and merciless work. Slowly, heinous atrocities are presented, sequence after sequence, and immortalized by excellent and effective special effects by Tiziano Martella (P.O.E.: Project of Evil, Morituris, Tulpa, Ready or Not) and Luigi D'Andrea (Tulpa...).
The martyrdom takes place under a magnificent bluish light in which the red of the blood takes on greater vigor and life, thanks to good photography by Mirco Sgarzi and color correction by Luca Boni (Eaters, Zombie Massacre...). The story does not stand out in originality but Stefano Rossi has shown that he knows how to direct it by imprinting it with his personal directorial style. The script is simple but is enriched by interesting cues (the unexpected blood-soaked head and its particular positioning, the emasculation) and also by magnificent special effects (head and leg) that give really intense visual emotions.
Moans of pleasure are the continuous background of a scenario focused on pain and terror, all supported by music (Alberto Calabretta) that gives the film an oppressive aura of sadness and madness.
Recording was presented at TOHorror Film Fest (2013).
