Alessia... A Volcano Under the Skin

Synopsis

Alessia... un vulcano sotto la pelle (English: Alessia... A Volcano Under the Skin) is a 1979 Italian film starring Karina Verlier. Definitive plot information and widely published synopses for this title are scarce in major English-language film references and aggregator sites. What is verifiable: the film exists as a late-1970s Italian production and is principally notable today for its obscurity and limited availability. Because contemporary critical coverage and reliable plot summaries are limited, detailed, sourced narrative beats are not readily confirmable without primary archival materials. The following non-spoiler synopsis therefore focuses on the film’s documented status and general tone as indicated by its title and era: Alessia centers on intense personal emotions and interpersonal conflict, exploring passion and unrest that simmer beneath outward appearances. The film’s title metaphor—“a volcano under the skin”—signals a character-driven drama in which suppressed feelings and explosive moments of tension shape the story’s emotional arc. Due to limited archival documentation in English, a full scene-by-scene account cannot be provided here without risking inaccuracy.

Cast

• 

  Karine Verlier

  Alessia

• 

  Mario Novelli

  Biagio

• 

  Ria De Simone

  Aunt Agnese

• 

  Dario Ghirardi

  Luigino

• Luca Sportelli

  Uncle Nicola

• Loris Peota

Reviews

Critical reviews and aggregator scores for Alessia... un vulcano sotto la pelle are extremely limited. The title does not have a widely cited critical consensus on major English-language aggregator sites, and professional press coverage from the time of release is difficult to locate in readily accessible online archives. What is verifiable from public databases is that the film’s user rating on IMDb is 4.8/10 (IMDb: 4.8/10). Beyond that numeric indication of viewer sentiment, there is little documented commentary from mainstream outlets such as Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic: those platforms either do not list a Tomatometer/Audience score or do not host a critical consensus for this film. Because established critical sources are sparse, summaries of reception rely largely on the limited user-driven responses available on databases like IMDb and on niche or regional film-reference sites (where present). The low IMDb average suggests that viewers who have rated the film found significant weaknesses in areas such as pacing, narrative clarity, or production values, though specific complaints vary among individual reviewers. Conversely, some niche viewers and collectors of obscure Italian cinema appreciate films like this for period atmosphere, striking titles, or performances that may interest completists; such appreciation tends to be anecdotal rather than reflected in broad critical appraisal. In short, there is no robust set of published reviews from major outlets to produce a balanced list of quoted critic responses. The only firmly documented numerical rating accessible in common public databases is the IMDb score already noted, while Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic do not present an established critical rating for the film.

See also

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Titanic

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