Restless spirits buried not too deep within a colossal cathedral exact their revenge on some unsuspecting victims. Got it? Good, cause it ain't rocket science here folks. The Church is another one of those European productions, with a long and sordid history. Directed by Michele Soavi (Stagefright, Dellamorte Dellamore) and co-written/produced by Dario Argento, the production was marred by budgetary restrictions and butting heads of creative talents. Just another case of too many cooks...

The story begins with a brief prologue in medieval times, in which an entire village is put to death for being suspected devil worshippers. Flash forward to the groovy 80's and a grand cathedral has been built where the massacred village was once buried. You should know where we are heading from here. The Church is a who's who of European cult cinema. Everybody who's anybody seems to be present, and many had joined Soavi before and after the production of the Church. Keep a close eye out for a young Asia Argento and Jon Morghen (most notably remembered from Make Them Die Slowly) as a barely noticeable reverend.

Once we're introduced to some expendable characters, things start to take shape. Lisa (Barbara Cupisti of Stagefright, Opera, and NY Ripper) is in charge of the restoration of the cathedral, enter Evan (Thomas Arana of The Sect and the highly underrated Body Puzzle). Lisa and Evan take a shine to each other, but Evan can't be torn away from the history of the Church, and it's not long before he becomes possessed by the spirits within. All hell breaks loose when a hodge podge of participants get trapped in the church. If it's not a hallucination, then it's a sudden burst of insanity, it's hard for one to separate fantasy from reality, except for the reality that no one may make it out alive.

OK, the church is nothing to get excited about. Originally slated to be Demons 3, the story was reworked and this is what they came up with. There are a lot of loose ends and the story feels really disjointed. The tail end is nearly a replica of the original demons just substitute the movie theater for the cathedral at hand. Now, I have to also mention, that there is a lot to like about The Church. Soavi proves himself to be a masterful director, and takes quite a few nods from his mentor, Argento. The Church is bursting with style and it just looks good, plain and simple. The score by Argento regulars Goblin, and progressive rock legend Keith Emerson (Inferno) is incredible, 'nuff said. There is plenty of the red stuff to satisfy the gore hound, and a couple of effectively creepy scares.

Anchor Bay has done a fine job of bringing The Church to DVD. The proper framing adds much to the enjoyment of this film and the print used is very clean. Not a speck or a scratch to be found. There were a few hints of artifacting during some of the darker scenes, such is life. Sound is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 EX or 2.0 surround. Surrounds are kept to a minimum, with much of the action coming from the front 3 speakers. Dialogue is clear, but not quite as clear as we may be used to. There is some minor audio distortion here and there, but nothing to be too concerned about. I guess I'm just spoiled. Oddly enough Anchor Bay has decided to place this title under the Dario Argento Collection. Why no Michele Soavi Collection, considering that this was released alongside another of his films, StageFright?

Extras are slim, including a trailer and a Soavi Bio. Considering Anchor Bay's track record, I'd assume if there was more to be had in the extras department we'd have it, and at under 20 bucks, we can't really complain. Bottom line here folks is, The Church is a welcomed addition to any Argento/Soavi fans collection. Not the best work for either involved, but there is enough going on here to hold a spot on your shelf for The Church.