Good idea lost in the noise

I was totally surprised at how great this film.You could feel your paranoia rise as the film went on and as you gradually learned the details of the real situation.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a movie I never saw before until just recently. I had borrowed a 2-disc set of low-budget 80's horror movies and this was on it. So I watched it and I was genuinely impressed to a degree. The acting is kind of well-rounded. You got your actors who are okay and your actors who are good and know how to act.The movie is genuinely scary, although halfway through and closer to the end it does add a couple scenes that are a little bit more hammy. The plot involves a monastery in Italy. The film opens during the middle ages actually. We see some monks trying to perform an exorcism on this very decrepit looking man. One of the monks ends up getting possessed, but the keep the evil at bay by sealing the room with some kind of holy seal/symbol. It then goes into modern day. Where a young girl who is studying to be a teacher for a religious school goes to the monastery to learn some more things about the holy church. Some weird things go on and a lot of the monks, especially this crazy, but very religiously devout one, blame it on her, calling her evil and unclean. It turns out the possessed man in the basement was more than just a possessed person, but is actually The Beast Of The Apocalypse, THE ANTICHRIST HIMSELF!! The musical score was excellent. It reminds you of the omen soundtrack, how it is mostly string portions paired with dark sounding Latin chanting. It is genuinely creepy and enhances the film. The cinematography is excellent, and a lot of scenes, especially the ones inside the catacombs are very well shot. You do get a real sense of dread and horror seeing the catacombs, and you can almost feel the Antichrist evil just looking at it.For a Charles Band production this is very well done. Arguably one of his best. I was surprised how dark, gritty, realistic, and deep this was for his films. I love watching his movies because I like low-budget 80's horror/sci-fi/dark fantasy stuff. I know his stuff did tend to get cheesy and schlock, especially with Dollman and the Troll films, but this was a new level for him and it was impressive.If you like films like Omen,Exorcist,The Sentinel, any of those possession/apocalypse type films, this one is definitely worth watching.I give this 8 out of 10.

O brother where art thou? when all around you the brothers of the cloth are beginning to lose sight of their religion and all those who still survive firmly believe that their world is crumbling all around them! Whilst the death knell was quietly sounding in the background for Empire Pictures, Charles Band still kept his head and and his feet firmly on the ground when this classy little chiller went into production, filmed in the beautiful surroundings of Italy.At the helm of 'Catacombs' was Empire stalwart David Schmoeller, who can proudly list amongst his achievements the very fine 'Crawlspace' and the not so bad 'Netherworld'.Whilst most people have often derided this movie as boring and severely lacking in the requisite chills department, let me state right here and now and categorically state, that this movie has got it all! David Schmoeller has crafted a well thought out little gem, the script contains many outstanding flourishes and more importantly, it's the cast of veteran actors who really get the chance to shine.Timothy Van Patten is a man at odds with his faith, so he is sent on secondment to an out of the way brotherhood. The brotherhood in question is watched over by Brother Orsini superbly played by Ian Abercrombie(another regular in the annals of Empire Pictures.Of course whilst everything is ticking along nicely, an unnamed brother is quietly excavating in the lower reaches of the monastery, as this is a horror movie, we the viewer just know that if he delves any deeper into the catacombs he will find himself in the midst of a very nasty surprise.At the same time, a teacher named Elizabeth, (played by the very beautiful Laura Schaefer, who was previously to be seen in another Empire wonder 'Ghost Town') has come to the monastery to study.Needless to say, all hell literally breaks loose, and whispers and superstitions gradually take hold over everyone, Brother Orsini's second in command Brother Marinus played with devilish glee by Jeremy West('Howling 6 - The Freaks')senses his moment of gaining control over the monastery is close to hand.As previously mentioned, what really raises this movie to great heights is the acting, especially the participation of Feodor Chaliapin Jnr as the elderly brother who is getting ready to breath his last breath, the scene between himself and Van Patten when Chaliapin's shares of his one great regret in life, really is quite touching.The screen villain played by Brett Porter ably holds his own as the possessed albino and the showdown between him and Van Patten contains many a wonderful exchange.If ever a movie deserved a higher recognition this movie truly was it, I learn-ed many years later that this movie was released to DVD as a supposed sequel to that god awful movie 'The Curse', now that was truly a major shame, held high upon it's own merits, 'Catacombs' rocks on every level.As a legacy of Empire Pictures past, this movie should be right at the top of the list.Without hesitation, this movie gets 10/10

I have a correction to what was written in an earlier comment. Well this Movie WAS shot under the Catacombs title, not Curse 4. Due to the fall of Empire Pictures around 1989, this film was "lost" for a few years. Charlie Band sold the rights to Tristar/Epic along with the Rights for Robot Jox to Transworld, an earlier film from veteran director Stuart Gordon. Tristar released Catacombs under the Curse 4 title.( Video Box Office) Also The Film score was done by Italian Composer Pino Donaggio. It is a fantastic score, truly haunting. The Stereo sound from Tristar's full screen Laserdisc edition is done nicely. Though there is a little video grain in the picture. The Entertainment in video UK VHS edition is in 1:85:1 and the picture and sound quality is fairly good. This is one of my favorite Empire movies and it is a well put together film from Director David Schmoeller.

Picking this title up for a couple of quid, I had hoped for a standard lame monster flick in which those dam monks get there just deserves. Surprisingly, the characters throughout are well rounded, often humorous and quite believable. The demon that stalks the catacombs has some cool moves that unfortunately are not really exploited in the films conclusion. If you like watching these kind of bargain basement titles then Catacombs will serve you well as it is a little more intelligent and atmospheric than usual. Although not particularly scary or gory this movie offers more than enough laughs and thrills to recommend a rental. 5 outa 10