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Short film

Undertone (1972): Cast & Plot

Undertone (1972) movie poster

Undertone is a 1972 short film starring Vito Acconci as Vito Acconci. It runs 35 minutes.

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Undertone (1972) movie poster
Release year
Runtime
35 min
Original language
English
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Undertone About?

The premise of Undertone without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

In this infamous early‑performance video, Acconci sits at a table and narrates a masturbatory fantasy about a girl rubbing his legs beneath it. His rambling monologue shifts between addressing the camera and himself, foregrounding the voyeuristic contract that makes the viewer essential to the work by completing the imagined scene.

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Cast & crew

Undertone Cast & Characters

Vito Acconci plays Vito Acconci in Undertone.

Plot

Undertone Plot Summary

What happens in Undertone from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 6-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In a quiet home, Evangeline “Evy” Babig tends to her ailing mother, Evelyn, singing soft lullabies as night deepens. The scene sets a gentle, intimate mood that quickly tilts toward unease when Evy and her friend Justin Manuel decide to record their weekly horror podcast, The Undertone. Evy remains the skeptic, while Justin leans into belief, and the pair trade notes about their vulnerable living situation—Evy’s mother’s fragile health and a partner who isn’t always present, Darren. What begins as a routine recording soon spirals into a disturbing mystery fueled by a string of ominous audio files.

Full summary

The whole story of Undertone, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Undertone?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
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  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is the name of the weekly horror podcast hosted by Evy and Justin?

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FAQ

Undertone FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date

Runtime, release date, cast and post-credit scenes of Undertone, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Undertone?

Undertone runs 35 minutes.

When was Undertone released?

Undertone was released in 1972.

Who is in the cast of Undertone?

Undertone stars Vito Acconci as Vito Acconci.

Does Undertone have a post-credit scene?

No. Undertone has no extra scene during or after the credits.

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