Customer Reviews

Church [VHS]

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a great atmospheric, gothic horror film with a bit of gore to spice things up. There's not much going on as far as plot is concerned. We have a prologue showing a group of Templars massacreing a supposedly Satannically obsessed pack of villagers, and then building a cathedral over top of the burial ground. Fast forward to the modern day, where a demonic curse is released by an overly curious librarian, leading to havoc and the trapping of a number of individuals within the cathedral. That's about the short and long of it. People are possessed by demons, demons run amuck, the cathedral is shot ominously, it's all rainy, characters do little but release demons/be possessed by demons/be killed by demons etc. The plot doesn't much matter, and Soavi doesn't let it get in the way of the good stuff.

This has got some really good production values, and the acting is generally quite good by the standards of this sort of fare.(I particularly the librarian, during the day after he was possessed, but before things really go crazy.) Virtually all the performances are acceptable, at the very least, with the exception of the whiny old man, who is very annoying. I'm not as impressed by the demon effects as some are. Personally, I think they are simultaneously quite impressive technically, and a bit hokey in design. However, they are given a minimum of screen time, and work pretty well when used in such a manner. The gore is generally very well executed, with the exception of the decapitation in the opening scene, which is a bit weak. The highlight is, obviously, the suicide by Jackhammer. A hideous concept executed beautifully. Other than that we've got a guy impaled on a spier, impalation through the neck with a gate, facial self-mutilation, a chick getting smashed by a subway car, another decapitated head etc. Generally, the gore works well. Too much gore would've been inappropriate, but without any things might've been a bit too slow and uneventful. Soavi finds just the right balance.

This film is all about atmosphere. The entire film has a fairly dark, oppressive air to it, particularly in the opening section and the scenes after they're trapped in the cathedral.(The shots of them just sitting around the cathedra waiting are particularly effective) Soavi's camerwork is obviously influenced by his mentor Argento, using lots of low-angle shots, and lots of slow, prowling shots examining the interior of the cathedral. However, unlike Argento, the cathedral is largely presented as is, without the colored lighting and bizarre set design you frequently find in an Argento film.(This is the way it should be; the cathedral itself is ominous enough.) The soundtrack, partially done by Goblin, is quite effective. It's nothing particularly surprising, but it's nice and ominous without being overbearing or hokey.

Fans of Dario Argento will probably want to check this out. It's quite different from anything I've seen from him, but it's got a bit of the same flavor. Fans of The Beyond may also want to check this out, provided they actually enjoyed the atmospheric portions of the Beyond along with the gore. Personally, I was sufficiently impressed that I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of Soavi's films, should they ever get released on DVD.(or arrive at my house... stupid mailman)

Also, its got hot demon sex.

Being a fan of Argento's works, I will say upfront that my views are slightly skewed in his favor. Still, this work, teaming Argento with Michele Soavi, is something of a favorite of mine. As viewers, we find ourselves introduced to a church that was, in times past, erected to contain the pesky menace of its vengeful, longtime occupants. To illustrate this, we get a lovely sequence showing the seeming slaughter and subsequent burial of all an entire village. It looks like brutality at its finest at first, but then, as hands grasp at those who try to trap the damned here, the crusaders seem to have found more than they can handle. So, how do you handle this? Why, seal it up and build a church on it, of course! Fastforwarding to the future, the church and its guarded secret is threatened and, of course, unleashed upon those unlucky enough to be trapped inside. Of course, this leads to an ending most befitting.
This film brims with an eerie atmosphere that, most deservedly, helped gain Soavi a reputation as an excellent filmmaker, plus it has some nice Darioesque qualities as well. Asia Argento is here, just begging to become victimized by yet another manifestation of evil, and Goblin gives us another work of art. Combining these qualities with the fact that even the subway, a normally defunct "roadblock" at best, finds itself an unlikely killing machine, I'd have to recommend it as something to use to tuck the children in.
Strengthening the family ties with the fear of demonic possession, that's the trait of a loving parent. Buy it today!

I don't know why so many people chose to ignore this movie. While I love Fulci and Argento, many critics of Church consider mediocre efforts such as New York Ripper, Phenomena, and Demons to be "Italian Horror Classics". This movie makes those films look like boring puddles of puke.
Sure, there are things wrong with this movie, but I've made a list of reasons why this deserves to be a classic:
1. The church itself is amazing! While many "Catholic Metaphysics" horror films come off as un-researched and exaggerated, this movie seems truly authentic.
2. The style of this film, worked by director Michele Soavi, has the same level of atmospheric moodiness that made movies like "The Beyond" and "Suspiria" classics. Any time you can make the day seem creepy you've done something right.
3. ... horror movies ... because if they aren't plain cheesy, they lack anything distinct and memorable that you could recall ten minutes after watching. (example: New York Ripper)
This film is LOADED with all sorts of creative and twisted gags, I can't even remember all the things that stood out to me while I watched it.
4. It has a crazy score by Goblin (for those uninitiated, sorry)
5. The subject matter and subtle historical references are intriguing and mostly accurate. (I never knew anything about alchemy or Fulcanelli, but now i'm scouring the internet for it)
6. Most "we're trapped in the haunted house" movies reduce themselves to frantic pandemonium reminiscent of the end of "Project X". Soavi shows incredible restraint in using body counts, gore, or cheap predictable pops to maintain the action.
(Although there is gore, and creative gore at that, it doesn't become a crutch)
7. This movie has total party value. Classics work in the context of being home alone at night, and having a bunch of people hanging around drinking beers. Church had my friends saying "Oh ..., rewind that!"
8. The special effects are clever and impressive. I didn't see the climax coming simply because I didn't even think that any film made on a horror budget could afford something that dope.
9. You get to see Asia Argento act as a young kid (even back then, writer Dario Argento had his little girl being menaced by demons and abusive fathers)
10. The failure in the plot doesn't wholly distract you from what's going on. For the most part, the little cracks in the plot help the uneasy feel of the movie, especially when you're watching it at 1 o'clock in the morning.
With respect to the horror experts, I think that many of them have a bias against any Italian horror film that wasn't made during the classic era of Italian horror (Church was made in the 80's, and to be fair, horror movies ... big time in the 80's)
Horror critics have a inclination to like something more if it belongs to a genre, or has a cult name director.
Church is only [money], give it a whirl.

Discriminating Horror Fan: Do not be afraid to drop your dollars on this disc. Semi-Lovecraftian creepiness goes down in midieval cathedral. Michele Soavi directs this very stylish flick from a script that allows the plot to meander through set-pieces the way only Europeans can. THE CHURCH does have that already nostalgic mid-80's feel to it, but somehow Argento and crew achieved production value impressive even by today's standards. Acting that ranges from competent to very good, lush photography, gorgeous interiors, plenty of well executed gore and creature effects that never become gratuitous, even some genuine suspense; it all moves at a pace that feels just right towards a wicked climax and spooky final sequence. I don't want to over do it, but this is a real gem. Beautifully transferred from pristine source material, it looks and sounds great. Anamorphic, trailer, director bio, in an attractive keepcase. If you are a hardened gore-hound, a Universal/Golden-Age snob, or a EuroTrash pervert, you might want to try before you buy. But if you're like me, a bit of all three, this is money well spent.

Weird movie! Odd monsters, cool concept, some gore, and a girl that everyone calls Latte or Lotte or something. Its has to do knights gruesomely slaughtering people which is gruesomely shown at the beginning(decapitations, impaling) all because they were some satanic tribe. Then the build a cathedral over their grave to bless the land. Well it ain't working in the future. I personally rented cuz of dario argento. Wasn't what i was expecting but ok movie.

Rated Nr but should be rated R for horror violence/gore, brief bizarre sexuality/nudity, and some language

THE CHURCH

Review by Nickolas Cook


In medieval Europe, a band of crusading knights massacre a village of suspected devil worshippers, and then build a large gothic church atop the cursed remains.
Flash-forward to present day, to the still-standing elaborate cathedral, as a visiting historian uncovers an ancient bit of parchment that helps him unlock the basement crypt/doorway to Hell. Archaic mechanisms click into place, trapping a group of people inside the church as all Hell breaks loose.
Co-written and produced by maestro Dario Argento (Suspiria), THE CHURCH helped to cement the reputation of director Michele Soavi (Stagefright, Cemetery Man, two fantastic horror flicks of incredible visceral humor and intelligence) as the new master of Italian horror. This was originally intended to be a spinoff of Bava and Argento's DEMONS and its sequel, and was known as DEMONS 3, but the studio decied after seeing its complexity and stunning visual to release it as a standalone picture instead.
All I can say is: if you've never seen this one, you're missing a hell of a visual treat. Anchor Bay take this underrated classic of Italian horror and really give it the tender lovin' care it deserves for a DVD release. The full screen is especially awesome during those sprawling architectural trawl shots that Soavi uses to wonderful effect. The sound is enhanced, so even a regular television still picks up those little nuances that make the background sound work so well. And the music...WOW! How can you pass up a chance to hear not just the great idols of Italian horror soundtracks, Goblin, but also Keith Emerson? The music plays like another character to the story, as it winds and insinuates itself throughout Soavi's dark scenery.
A very young Asia Argento turns up as Latia, daughter to the abusive church maintenance man. The rest of the cast gives great performances as the church begins to eat them up, one at a time.
There are two scenes in particular that I'd like to point out, and they stand for me as demarcations in THE CHURCH, cinematic moments that tell you that the people who put them together knew their business visually, and knew that what they were doing was bigger than themselves. They're both towards the end. One is a full screen shot of a man who has become a demon. He's winged and even has a winding Boa Constrictor-like tail. The shot is so sweet for a horror fan that it'll bring tears to your eyes.
And if that one doesn't do it, then the second shot will for sure.
It's a full head-shot of a demon rising from the crypt beneath the church. But the head is made up of dozens of people hanging together on this massive framework to give the subtle impression of a demon's face slowly coming up from Hell.
Incredible.
As I said, Anchor Bay really puts their hearts and souls into this one, folks. They even present it uncut, uncensored and fully restored from the original vault materials. THE CHURCH is a must-own for true-blue horror fans, and for anyone who loves the pure visual beauty of film.

--Nickolas Cook

"The Church" was my first foray into Italian horror films, and the first time I've ever seen anything by Argento or Soavi. I completely understand now why so many people despise this genre, but I can also see the merit in it. This film was very focused on atmosphere and setup, and to be blunt, completely ignored all plot and contuinity. The costumes and sets were all done very well. The medieval knights and the villiage they invade at the beginning of the film obviously had a lot of work put into them, as I didn't even once think "Oh, the director invaded a costume store half an hour before shooting began" as I have in other low budget films with medieval sequences. The actual demons themselves, which are curiously hidden from the camera for most of the film, were also done in stunning detail. Although its all obviously rubber suit type effects, they still manage to hold their own, even against more modern demon effects seen in newer films. The crazy effects at the climax of the film were amazing! *potential spoiler of the end here - skip to the next paragraph if you want to see the effect before reading about it* A giant writhing ball of human corpses covered in some sort of evil alchemical mud gunk rises up from below the church in unholy glory...how often does that happen in a movie? Of course, the giant ball of corpses leads me to the problems in the movie, namely that absolutely nothing makes any kind of sense. Why is there a giant ball of corpses (the bodies of the villagers killed at the beginning of the film would have been decomposed into nothingness by this time, so don't try to tell me it was them)? Why doesn't it actually DO anything, besides writhe around? None of this is even attempted to be answered.

Random events occur for no apparent reason, other than that they fit the mood and tone of the movie. Likewise, all the characters behave in bizarre and completely illogical ways, with no attempt at an explanation for their insane actions. The laws of reality are constantly bent and broken to make any given scene work. At one point, a man commits suicide with a jackhammer. Nevermind that that would probably be physically impossible - you'd need someone else to hold the jackhammer for you. Later, the same person who should have a gaping jackhammer-induced hole in his body, appears whole and undamaged to tear apart an iron fence and then stab someone in the throat with it. There are at least 10 or 20 witnesses to the murder - do they freak out? Try to subdue the crazy man killing people? React at all, in any way? Nope. The murderer and the victim just conviently dissapear, all traces of the crime gone in a puff of illogic, and everyone who witnessed the act goes on as if nothing out of the ordinary just occured. Later on an old woman and her husband climb to the top of the church to ring a giant bell, in an attempt to alert the outside world that they are trapped inside. When they reach the bell, the movie cuts to a different scene and the old folks are ignored for a time. When we cut back to them, the old woman is banging the bell with her husband's decapitated head. When and how did the man become decapitated? Why is the old woman banging the head against the bell, instead of running around screaming because her husband just died? We are expected to just accept this all at face value. Oh, and apparently you can also tear your heart out by putting your fingers partway into your belly button. Human anatomy seems to have changed significantly since I last studied it...

The story itself has a giant contradiction as well. The entire movie is based on the premise that the villagers were in fact some sort of devil worshippers who could become demonic beings and that they were freed from their prison to wreak havoc on the world. However, towards the end of the film we are given a flashback were the architect of the church explains that the massacred town consisted of ordinary people who had the misfortuen to contract the plague - and that the church confused sickness with black magic. Apparently the templars were wrong the whole time - those villagers weren't demons, they were just normal people. So just ignore all the unleashed demonic things killing everyone around you in the mysterious sealed off church - they aren't real, and you are a superstitious and closed minded religious nut for believing in them. The list of contradictions and obsurdities could literally go on for pages. However, if you are the sort of person who actively seeks out this kind of movie, none of that will matter to you, so don't worry about it, there's plenty of demonic mayhem here to keep you placated.

The acting was pretty bad, especially by all the templar knights and priests. The only exception was Hugh Quarshie, who played Brother Gus. You can tell he is actually trying to put some life into his role and play it for all he's worth. Unfortunately, when everyone else is doing such a laughably terrible job, it really makes his attempts seem bad too. This style of film seems to be a bit an acquired taste. If a movie with no plot whatsoever, but really great demon infested sets and effects makes you go "Hell yes!", then this is a movie for you. Otherwise, don't waste your time here, you'll end up wanting to bang your head repeatedly against the nearest blunt object. Despite all the problems, I guess this sort of style kind of grows on you, as I've already ordered several more movies in the same vein. If I had to give this move a Grade, I'd go "C-", because there are some really cool things here, but they are all overshadowed by how ridiculous the movie can get.

Not going too deep with this review this time around. The Argento-esque atmosphere and style in The Church is just as evident as it was in Tenebre and Suspiria. If anything get it for the scene where a girls head is smashed like a porcelain doll by a subway(dont ask). Kinda slow in some parts but the last 45-50 mins it gets kinda crazy. Is the plot anymore coherent than any of his earlier flicks? Of course not. But thats not to say that this film is bad. I recommend it, but just dont expect a masterpiece. Nuff said.

Over the years I've watched THE CHURCH a few times on my grainy old videotape and I always liked the film, but now watching it on this crisp DVD by Anchor Bay THE CHURCH really comes alive. It's like watching a whole new movie!

Back a few hundred years ago Teutonic Knights killed a bunch of people possessed by demons, then built a cathedral on top of the mass grave. Fast forward to the present day and thanks to a guy snooping around in the basement the evil spirits are loose and causing people to do some unusual stuff like suicide with a jackhammer and making love to a 9 foot tall goat demon.

The story is a little confusing at times and often funny (the typewriter scene had me in tears), but any respectable horror fan knows THE CHURCH is well made and worth checking out, especially the scenes with a young Asia Argento. Mmmm.

Ok, heres the deal. The opening sequence was very well done, the gothic style and mood to the movie was also effectively achieved. But the character development was horrid and the final scenes of the movie seemed to be rushed. The final scenes, the whole summoning of Baphomet/sex scene and the rise of the damned set-piece could have used some more time I think. And who cares about those characters who were introduced later in the film. And why are the two seemingly main characters almost totally forgotten at the end of the film? Anyway, those are just some of my gripes and considering most italian horror films, those kind of gripes would be pretty standard. Overall it was a decent movie, good gore, good opening sequence and i'll leave it at that.