A demon that's been trapped in a monastery for four hundred years gets unleashed after troubled priest Father John Durham (a fine and likable performance by Timothy Van Patten) and sweet school teacher Elizabeth Magrino (a sound and appealing portrayal by the lovely Laura Schaeffer) arrive at said monastery. Director David Schmoeller, who also co-wrote the smart and involving script with R. Baker Price, relates the engrossing story at a steady pace, does an ace job of crafting a creepy atmosphere rife with dread and unease, stages the shock scenes with flair, handles the religious angle with tact and taste, and makes excellent use of the dusty sprawling abbey location. The monks in the monastery are a colorful and interesting bunch: Ian Abercrombie as the jolly superior Brother Orsini, Jeremy West as the dour and fanatical Brother Marinus, Vernon Dobtcheff as the friendly Brother Timothy, and Feoder Chaliapin as the sickly and dying Father Terrel. Moreover, this movie is notable for an striking sequence in which a statue of Christ comes to malevolent life and kills a priest. The big climactic confrontation between good and evil manages to be pretty thrilling and satisfying without resorting to the usual flashy pyrotechnics. Kudos are also in order for Sergio Salvati's handsome cinematography and Pino Donaggio's beautifully eerie score. A neat little fright film.
Review of Catacombs
