Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

I'm Not Scared Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 23, 2024

Gabriele Salvatores' "I'm Not Scared" (2004) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include exclusive new program with writer Niccolo Ammaniti; archival audio commentary by Gabriele Salvatores; archival documentary; and more. In Italian, with imposed English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Come with me

Two decades ago, Gabriele Salvatores’ film I’m Not Scared was nominated for multiple David di Donatello awards, which are the Italian equivalent of the Oscar awards, and then won in two categories, one of which was Best Cinematography. It had strong competitors in this category, but it was undoubtedly the right winner. In the Best Film category, the right winner triumphed as well, which was not I’m Not Scared but Marco Tullio Giordana’s film The Best of Youth.

Like virtually every other non-Italian viewer who saw I’m Not Scared later, I had not read Niccolo Ammaniti’s novel that inspired it. I became aware of this novel, which was a big bestseller in Italy, only after I saw I’m Not Scared. But after purchasing Miramax’s DVD release of I’m Not Scared, I picked up the novel and read it. It is a good novel with an interesting style, but I do not think that it is as engrossing as I’m Not Scared, which is why I mentioned the latter’s success at the David di Donatello awards.

Salvatores and director of photography Italo Petriccione create a very, very special environment that is only suggested in the novel, which is a bit strange because Ammaniti spends a lot of time describing the same environment and place that I’m Not Scared visit. Ammaniti’s character descriptions are excellent, too. So, why is I’m Not Scared so different from the novel? It is shot a lot like Victor Erice’s classic film The Spirit of the Beehive, which means that it emphasizes beauty and moods that are either very difficult or impossible to reproduce with words. Also, the beauty and the moods are the foundation of the special environment, which repeatedly becomes the story. In the novel, the drama is always at the center of the story.

A rural area in the South of Italy, sometime during the 1970s. While playing with his sister in the wheat fields, near a crumbling house that must have been abandoned years ago, ten-year-old Michele (Giuseppe Cristiano) makes a most unusual discovery -- a very large, deep hole with something that moves at the bottom of it. Later, without telling anyone, Michele returns and realizes that the thing in the hole is a chained boy (Mattia Di Pierro) who cannot see and is afraid to talk. After several frustrating attempts to initiate communication with the boy and learn his name while offering water and food, Michele finally makes progress and even manages to take his chains off. But shortly after, Michele is also stunned to learn that his father (Dino Abbrescia), a visiting Milanese gangster (Diego Abatantuono), and several other local characters are using his new friend from the hole to extort money from his family somewhere up North.

All of the drama is seen through Michele’s eyes. There are a few short segments where Salvatores temporarily moves away from him to capture more of the stunning area where the hole is, but the switches do not impact the nature of the drama. It is why I’m Not Scared remains a distinctly introverted film, resembling a beautiful dream that has unexpectedly started evolving into a nightmare.

While predictable, the progression of the relationship between Michele and the boy from the hole is incredibly moving. Only at the very end, it becomes a tad too melodramatic, which is the one area that could have been managed slightly better. Nevertheless, the two boys are wonderful together and easily leave a lasting impression.

Before I’m Not Scared, Salvatores and Petriccione collaborated on several other films, the most successful of which was the Oscar winner Mediterraneo.

I'm Not Scared Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG- 4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, I'm Not Scared arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.

The release is sourced from an older master that I would describe as good, but in certain areas shows its limitations. If I had to guess, I would say that it comes from the DVD era. On my system, the majority of the visuals looked quite good. The most obvious limitations of the master appear during a couple of wider panoramic shots with plenty of natural light, but I did not see any traces of problematic digital adjustments. In these shots, it simply becomes easier to tell that a fresh 2K or 4K master will produce more convincing and attractive background information, clarity, and sharpness. Color balance is very good. Saturation level could be slightly better and the primaries and supporting nuances a bit healthier, but the color temperature is where it needs to be. Image stability is excellent. Finally, I did not see any distracting surface imperfections, such as large cuts, debris, blemishes, marks, etc. All in all, even though there is room for meaningful improvements, I think that this Blu-ray release makes it quite easy to enjoy I'm Not Scared at home. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

I'm Not Scared Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Italian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Italian LPCM 2.0. Yellow English subtitles are included and they are forced. This means that they cannot be turned off via the main menu or the remote control. The subtitles appear inside the image frame.

I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. I thought that it was excellent. It has a terrific dynamic amplitude, and as a result even the tiniest dynamic contrasts are very effective. Clarity and balance are outstanding as well. The English translation is perfect.

I'm Not Scared Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Fields of Gold - in this exclusive new program, writer Niccolo Ammaniti explains how the idea for I'm Not Scared came to him while traveling through Apulia, what he wanted to convey with it, and why some particular details from his novel did not end up in the film. Mr. Ammaniti also recalls how surprised he was with the reception of the novel and the film. The program was produced in 2024. In Italian, with English subtitles. (17 min).

• Commentary - in this archival audio commentary, director Gabriele Salvatores discusses in great detail when and what inspired him to do I'm Not Alone, where and how the film was shot, the decision to retell the story from Niccolo Ammaniti's novel while observing its drama from a very particular angle, the evolution of key relationships in it, etc. The commentary is recorded in Italian and presented with English subtitles.

• Archival Interview with Gabriele Salvatores - in this archival program, director Gabriele Salvatores explains why he chose to shoot I'm Not Scared in Basilicata, a stunningly beautiful but "forgotten" area in the South of Italy, and link it to notorious turmoils the 1970s produced. Mr. Salvatores also discusses the preparation work he and his team did, some of the casting choices that were made, and the type of atmosphere he wanted his film to have. In Italian, with English subtitles. (25 min).

• The Film, The Story, The Music - this archival program explores the conception and production of I'm Not Scared. Included in it are clips from interviews with writer Niccolo Ammaniti, producer Riccardo Tozzi, producer Maurizio Totti, and Gabriele Salvatores, among others. Also included is footage from the shooting of the film. In Italian, with English subtitles. (35 min).

• Behind the Scenes - this archival program shows Gabriele Salvatores shooting I'm Not Scared and discussing what he intends to accomplish with it. Also included are clips from interviews with some of the child actors and supporting actors. In Italian, with English subtitles. (13 min).

I'm Not Scared Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It should not be surprising that Gabriele Salvatores and Giuseppe Tornatore have been equally impressive when capturing the stunning beauty of the Italian South because they were born and raised there. Yes, they are different storytellers, but when they visit the Italian South, they feel at home and see the same. This is why I think that I'm Not Scared should not be missed by anyone that has enjoyed Malèna and Cinema Paradiso, though thematically Salvatores' film has far more in common with Víctor Erice's masterpiece The Spirit of the Beehive. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.