"The Unholy" is a typical two-star horror effort: serious-minded and with many positive points, but still somewhat disappointing. It has a good basic concept, good (if rather sparse) special effects and a surprisingly distinguished cast (even Trevor Howard, who died the same year, has a small but pretty important role). BUT... it moves kind of slowly, the direction is too often choppy in the wrong places, and when the demon appears at the end, he (or "it") seems childishly conceived (although it's technically well-executed) and doesn't fit in an otherwise very serious movie. Anyway, most horror fans WILL probably find this worth a (single) viewing.
47 Reviews
Can you fight off a burning desire.
lost-in-limbo9 September 2007
New Orleans church St Agnes has become the grounds of an evil entity, which has tempted the first two priests to their unholy deaths. Soon the head of the church gets Father Cross, who they believed is spiritually blessed to take over the church. The evil is in the form of a ravishing beauty, whom does its best to seduce Cross and make him commit the ultimate sin, which will see him, end up in hell.
Looking at the tag line "Seduction. Submission. Murder. Tonight evil goes over the edge." Well this doesn't really happen until the last 10 minutes, because the lead up to the hysterically bold and bloody climax with ridiculous rubber demons is damaged by a flat script and woodenly uninterested performances. The main problem I found was that it seems to coast along, with very little happening and the talky script was less than engaging with its uneven context covering religion and sexual repression. Not helping was that the straight-faced premise is the same-old, same-old for those familiar with the sub-genre, and succumbs to trashy silliness. One or two decent set-pieces (like an ominous sounding phone call) slowly creep up onto the viewer, and Camilo Vila's smoothly sterile direction drips with moody brushes, sexual allurement and dreary lighting that creates a visually smoky atmosphere. The music score had that oddly uncanny vibe, which can come across quite bloated. The special effects were pretty much a misfire, though I didn't think that they were the complete pits. Now what really caught my eye was the curious support cast featuring Ned Betty, Hal Halbrook, Trevor Howard and William Russ. Jill Carroll turned out okay and Russ was great, but the former did little to nothing. Ben Cross' sombre performance in the lead role is ploddingly lacking. The irresistible Nicole Fortier as the demonic entity, "The Unholy" glows with seductive temptation and can keep you glued. At least she's turned on for the occasion.
Been down this both before, and what's served up here is cheap, and mostly uninspired. Not awful, though.
Looking at the tag line "Seduction. Submission. Murder. Tonight evil goes over the edge." Well this doesn't really happen until the last 10 minutes, because the lead up to the hysterically bold and bloody climax with ridiculous rubber demons is damaged by a flat script and woodenly uninterested performances. The main problem I found was that it seems to coast along, with very little happening and the talky script was less than engaging with its uneven context covering religion and sexual repression. Not helping was that the straight-faced premise is the same-old, same-old for those familiar with the sub-genre, and succumbs to trashy silliness. One or two decent set-pieces (like an ominous sounding phone call) slowly creep up onto the viewer, and Camilo Vila's smoothly sterile direction drips with moody brushes, sexual allurement and dreary lighting that creates a visually smoky atmosphere. The music score had that oddly uncanny vibe, which can come across quite bloated. The special effects were pretty much a misfire, though I didn't think that they were the complete pits. Now what really caught my eye was the curious support cast featuring Ned Betty, Hal Halbrook, Trevor Howard and William Russ. Jill Carroll turned out okay and Russ was great, but the former did little to nothing. Ben Cross' sombre performance in the lead role is ploddingly lacking. The irresistible Nicole Fortier as the demonic entity, "The Unholy" glows with seductive temptation and can keep you glued. At least she's turned on for the occasion.
Been down this both before, and what's served up here is cheap, and mostly uninspired. Not awful, though.
Exploding demon midget!!!
avlehs-115 May 2008
This movie was very entertaining and had some really cool 80's special effects(my favorite). I also watched this on Fear.net for the first time(as a poster stated). I was really wrapped up in the story but when the demon midget exploded I almost wet myself. I don't know why but it caught me off guard. I still chuckle when I think of the scene but it didn't ruin the movie for me. I didn't watch this movie as a kid like most of my favorite horror movies from the 80's but I really enjoyed it. I guess I somehow missed this movie as kid, as I have no memory of it. I don't even remember it on the shelf at my local video store and Southtown Video had a ton of horror movies. Oh well, I guess it was a small town video store after all. I recommend it to any horror fan and especially to 80's horror fans.
Good actors, poor execution
udar553 March 2006
Despite having an interesting concept (co-scripted by Philip Yordan no less), THE UNHOLY is an uneven mess that tries too hard to emulate titles such as THE OMEN or THE EXORCIST. There is a usually high class cast for a low budget horror film. Ben Cross is very good as the put upon priest. He plays it all serious despite being given embarrassing moments like raising his fists and screaming "Dear Godddddd, what will you have me do?" The only weak performance is by Jill Carroll as the young virgin/temptation who shacks up with the priest after deciding she didn't like being a waitress at a satanic club (uh huh). William Russ is interesting as a club owner who may or may not be evil and there are also fine supporting turns by Holbrook and Beatty. And screen vet Trevor Howard made his final screen appearance as a blind priest.
But all these performances are betrayed by perhaps the flattest directing ever. Camilo Vila is a terrible director who films the scenes with barely a pulse. The dialogue scenes are all shot in close ups so at times it is hard to even tell the proximity of the characters. Vila has no desire to build up to bizarre dream sequences or set pieces, they just happen right out of the blue. And speaking of blue, Vila should never be allowed near blue gels ever again. Apparently he feels this creates mood and constitutes style as he uses them in every other scene to numbing effect. The film actually underwent an extensive re-shoot to up the monster factor for the film's final act. Regardless, these inserts offer little salvation as whoever shot them imitates Vila's dreary style and shoots the titular beast with no mystery at all. The effects work from Bob (HELLRAISER) Keen, no matter how poorly shot, is impressive though. Perhaps under a better director the film would have been more effective.
THE UNHOLY opened in April of 1988 and fared rather poorly. However, it did become Vestron Pictures second highest grosser ($6.3 million) of their short lived theatrical career. Of course a difference of $57 million separates this from their number one rental DIRTY DANCING (1987).
But all these performances are betrayed by perhaps the flattest directing ever. Camilo Vila is a terrible director who films the scenes with barely a pulse. The dialogue scenes are all shot in close ups so at times it is hard to even tell the proximity of the characters. Vila has no desire to build up to bizarre dream sequences or set pieces, they just happen right out of the blue. And speaking of blue, Vila should never be allowed near blue gels ever again. Apparently he feels this creates mood and constitutes style as he uses them in every other scene to numbing effect. The film actually underwent an extensive re-shoot to up the monster factor for the film's final act. Regardless, these inserts offer little salvation as whoever shot them imitates Vila's dreary style and shoots the titular beast with no mystery at all. The effects work from Bob (HELLRAISER) Keen, no matter how poorly shot, is impressive though. Perhaps under a better director the film would have been more effective.
THE UNHOLY opened in April of 1988 and fared rather poorly. However, it did become Vestron Pictures second highest grosser ($6.3 million) of their short lived theatrical career. Of course a difference of $57 million separates this from their number one rental DIRTY DANCING (1987).
Truly Frightening, But Still Misses the Mark.
tfrizzell25 June 2002
Some unutterable evil is happening on the dark streets of New Orleans and it is up to Catholic priest Ben Cross to stop the spirits that are killing people when they are in the act of committing sins. The film benefits from established actors like Ned Beatty and Hal Holbrook, but it is the unknown William Russ that gives the stunning performance in the film. But the film goes more for shock value than anything else and a truly interesting idea becomes somewhat trivial with typical cliches that dominated films like this in the 1980s. All in all "The Unholy" is good for a scare, but overall it is a film that misses the mark and could have been so much more. 2 stars out of 5.
I always knew sexy red-haired chicks were evil...
Vomitron_G21 January 2010
A religiously themed late 80's horror outing about a priest who finds out that an ancient demon (disguised as a gorgeous & sensual woman) has been killing his predecessors. Now he's next on the list. Occasional flashes of mild bloody gore and some nudity couldn't save the otherwise slow and boring development of events. The most fun parts where the scene where a guy pukes gallons of blood and the final confrontation with a nifty-looking demon (guy-in-a-rubbersuit-style) with his two demonoid dwarfs in the church. That's why I gave the movie an extra point. And well, there's far worse 80's horror nonsense out there, anyway.
Starts off interesting before descending into special effects madness
Leofwine_draca24 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
This is a pretty poor EXORCIST rip-off with more dodgy special effects than you can shake a stick at. The film isn't helped by a confused plot, which bombards us with bizarre visuals and keeps repeating key points over and over again instead of taking the film in new directions. In the end, it all boils down to something so simplistic and vague that it was hardly worth making a film of it.
This is a typical example of late '80s horror; despite trying to be scary, it just falls apart when the abysmal and rubbery special effects come into view. As a film, it's just too '80s to take seriously, with billowy and weird hairstyles, appalling fashions, and lots of bizarre dream sequences which make little sense. The story of a priest fighting demons is an old one, and needs to be done with a better script than it has here. Admittedly the film starts off well, with some real scenes of tension concerning the fall, but quickly descends into meaninglessness with the introduction of a Satanic nightclub which seems to serve as a den for perverts and punks who are into leather and mock rituals.
This film has a cast better than it deserves, with loads of well known, earnest actors making fools of themselves by appearing in this. Ben Cross is pretty good as the lead, but fails to give his character life or even make him likable. Ned Beatty plays an extraneous cop who totally disappears from the film towards the end with no explanation. Goodness knows what Trevor Howard was doing appearing in this mess, but he obviously needed that paycheque very badly. There's also a silly '80s guy with bleached blond hair who looks like a right idiot.
Things fall apart very quickly towards the end of the film, after a lot of mumbo jumbo and nothing much of substance happening. Then, all of a sudden, the producers suddenly decided to throw in as much nudity, gore, and violence as humanly possible, so we get people being nailed to crosses, getting gutted, set on fire, vomiting blood and lots more. When the "demon of desire"'s true form is finally revealed, it turns out to be a huge dog-like rubber monster which looks absolutely fake. I can appreciate the scenes of the creature walking unaided which are in their own way impressive, but mostly the creature is seen in close-up and very obviously being held and moved from inside. I know the special effects were typically bad in '80s films, but come on, did they ever expect anybody to find this scary?
Things get even worse when Cross very nearly falls into Hell, portrayed too literally. All of a sudden a load of rubber masks appear on screen, flashing past in quick succession, the dry ice machine goes into overdrive and a hole comes out of nowhere. The eventual sight of the demon dog falling into the pit is hilariously awful. Then there's an ending which seems to rip off THE BEYOND for inspiration. Watch out for the bit where the priest says "Get thee behind me Satan!" too - it has to be seen to be believed. THE UNHOLY is a missed opportunity and a good example of all that was wrong with the '80s horror film - starting off with an interesting plot, but quickly descending into special effects madness.
This is a typical example of late '80s horror; despite trying to be scary, it just falls apart when the abysmal and rubbery special effects come into view. As a film, it's just too '80s to take seriously, with billowy and weird hairstyles, appalling fashions, and lots of bizarre dream sequences which make little sense. The story of a priest fighting demons is an old one, and needs to be done with a better script than it has here. Admittedly the film starts off well, with some real scenes of tension concerning the fall, but quickly descends into meaninglessness with the introduction of a Satanic nightclub which seems to serve as a den for perverts and punks who are into leather and mock rituals.
This film has a cast better than it deserves, with loads of well known, earnest actors making fools of themselves by appearing in this. Ben Cross is pretty good as the lead, but fails to give his character life or even make him likable. Ned Beatty plays an extraneous cop who totally disappears from the film towards the end with no explanation. Goodness knows what Trevor Howard was doing appearing in this mess, but he obviously needed that paycheque very badly. There's also a silly '80s guy with bleached blond hair who looks like a right idiot.
Things fall apart very quickly towards the end of the film, after a lot of mumbo jumbo and nothing much of substance happening. Then, all of a sudden, the producers suddenly decided to throw in as much nudity, gore, and violence as humanly possible, so we get people being nailed to crosses, getting gutted, set on fire, vomiting blood and lots more. When the "demon of desire"'s true form is finally revealed, it turns out to be a huge dog-like rubber monster which looks absolutely fake. I can appreciate the scenes of the creature walking unaided which are in their own way impressive, but mostly the creature is seen in close-up and very obviously being held and moved from inside. I know the special effects were typically bad in '80s films, but come on, did they ever expect anybody to find this scary?
Things get even worse when Cross very nearly falls into Hell, portrayed too literally. All of a sudden a load of rubber masks appear on screen, flashing past in quick succession, the dry ice machine goes into overdrive and a hole comes out of nowhere. The eventual sight of the demon dog falling into the pit is hilariously awful. Then there's an ending which seems to rip off THE BEYOND for inspiration. Watch out for the bit where the priest says "Get thee behind me Satan!" too - it has to be seen to be believed. THE UNHOLY is a missed opportunity and a good example of all that was wrong with the '80s horror film - starting off with an interesting plot, but quickly descending into special effects madness.
Not Bad But Could Have Been Better
CMRKeyboadist5 January 2006
Here is a movie I used to like a lot when I was a kid back in the later part of the eighties. I finally just found a copy of this film (unfortuanitly on VHS) and figured I would give it a try. This is a decent film with a solid cast. The story is this, basically there is a creature called the Unholy and it is going around and slaughtering priests. Ben Cross plays one of these priests and is thrown out of a skyscraper like 7 stories up. He miraculously survives without even a mark on his body so the Archbishop believes him to be the chosen one to do battle with the Unholy. The main problems with this movie is that it moves way to slow and the dialog is not very good. There is a decent bit of gore in the film but its only at the beginning and at the end of the movie. So for the most part you have to struggle with good actors working with a terrible script. The special effects also could have been better but are not horrible like most people make them out to be. At the end they should have used stop motion animation to be more effective. But all together this is not a horrible movie it just could have been put together much better. 7 stars
Great trailer, at least
BandSAboutMovies25 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Yes, at one time, Vestron actually released movies into theaters, like this late 80's occult offering, directed by Cuban-born Camilo Vila and starring his roommate at the time, UK actor English Ben Cross (Chariots of Fire). It's all about priests in New Orleans being confronted by quite literally a scarlet woman who leads them all to damnation. Oh yeah - it also has a great set up for the ending ruined by a very puppet-like final monster. As much as we love practical effects, we realize when they fail, too.
There used to be a priest named Father Dennis who was killed by that demonic woman. Now, Father Michael (Cross) is taking over for him. On one of his first nights in New Orleans, he's launched out a window and survives.
Turns out that there's this S&M club - look it was 1988, alright? - and the owner Luke is pretty much the devil, owning the souls of the women who work there like Millie, who confessed to Father Dennis right before his death.
It all leads up to all manner of demons attacking a church and attempting to kill our hero, who somehow has the power to send them all to Hell. There's also a blind priest straight out of The Sentinel, Ned Beatty (contractually obliged to be in any movie set in the American South), the kind of full frontal nudity that upsets your wife, Hal Holbrook as a priest in a movie with plenty of fog that isn't The Fog and a Virgin Mary statue that weeps tears of blood.
This is the kind of movie that wants so desperately to be art, as director Vila claimed in interviews that it was not a horror film. Guess what? It's totally a horror film.
It was written by Philip Yordan. Yes, the same Philip Yordan who won an Oscar for writing the movie Broken Lance, a movie that was actually written by the blacklisted Joseph L. Mankiewicz. He also wrote two of the most bonkers films I've ever seen, Cry Wilderness and Night Train to Terror.
Trust me when I say that this movie is no Night Train to Terror.
There used to be a priest named Father Dennis who was killed by that demonic woman. Now, Father Michael (Cross) is taking over for him. On one of his first nights in New Orleans, he's launched out a window and survives.
Turns out that there's this S&M club - look it was 1988, alright? - and the owner Luke is pretty much the devil, owning the souls of the women who work there like Millie, who confessed to Father Dennis right before his death.
It all leads up to all manner of demons attacking a church and attempting to kill our hero, who somehow has the power to send them all to Hell. There's also a blind priest straight out of The Sentinel, Ned Beatty (contractually obliged to be in any movie set in the American South), the kind of full frontal nudity that upsets your wife, Hal Holbrook as a priest in a movie with plenty of fog that isn't The Fog and a Virgin Mary statue that weeps tears of blood.
This is the kind of movie that wants so desperately to be art, as director Vila claimed in interviews that it was not a horror film. Guess what? It's totally a horror film.
It was written by Philip Yordan. Yes, the same Philip Yordan who won an Oscar for writing the movie Broken Lance, a movie that was actually written by the blacklisted Joseph L. Mankiewicz. He also wrote two of the most bonkers films I've ever seen, Cry Wilderness and Night Train to Terror.
Trust me when I say that this movie is no Night Train to Terror.
Pretty cool movie ~
DrummerDude71411 April 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this movie on HBO or Cinamax back when it came out in 1988...I remember they used to play this all the time.
Its a pretty cool late 80's horror film....it has a pretty cool story....its a about a priest ( Ben Cross) who has to battle the devil and the forces of evil...but, one of the twists in the movie is that the main Demon in the film Disguises itself as a very beautiful and Sexy girl ( played by Nicole Fortier) and let me say she is a major babe....one of my favorite things about the movie actually....haha
This movie is a little hard to find....( I ended up having to get a copy off ebay) but, if your into 80's horror movies...Definitely check this one out...its a good one...with a neat story, decent acting, a cool soundtrack, and with evil hot babes ~
Its a pretty cool late 80's horror film....it has a pretty cool story....its a about a priest ( Ben Cross) who has to battle the devil and the forces of evil...but, one of the twists in the movie is that the main Demon in the film Disguises itself as a very beautiful and Sexy girl ( played by Nicole Fortier) and let me say she is a major babe....one of my favorite things about the movie actually....haha
This movie is a little hard to find....( I ended up having to get a copy off ebay) but, if your into 80's horror movies...Definitely check this one out...its a good one...with a neat story, decent acting, a cool soundtrack, and with evil hot babes ~
A priest with some very dark shadows.
mark.waltz19 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Several years before he played a sexy vampire on the brief prime time TV reboot of the cult serial, Ben Cross faced other demons as a priest in this frustrating horror film about demonic efforts to destroy the Catholic clergy. It's difficult to know what the motivations are. Sometimes it seems to be a warning to believe that Evers At other times, it's offensively sacreligious and exploitative. The special effects go far over the top in showing evil, and at times they are gleefully smug in frightening the bejeebers out of people to make them fear that damnation awaits us all.
There's class with the presence of Hal Holbrook as a bishop as well as Ned Beatty, Trevor Howard and "The Young and the Restless's" Norma Donaldson. There's also an occult worshiping younger woman whom Cross takes in and her Satan worshiping punk boyfriend, and the less said about them the better when compared to the veteran actors. It's obviously a mixture of conspiracy and manipulation, often stunning visually yet a test spiritually, especially in constant dark days. Worth a one time look for some real frights, but not without a shower afterwards to clean off the filth surrounding the story.
There's class with the presence of Hal Holbrook as a bishop as well as Ned Beatty, Trevor Howard and "The Young and the Restless's" Norma Donaldson. There's also an occult worshiping younger woman whom Cross takes in and her Satan worshiping punk boyfriend, and the less said about them the better when compared to the veteran actors. It's obviously a mixture of conspiracy and manipulation, often stunning visually yet a test spiritually, especially in constant dark days. Worth a one time look for some real frights, but not without a shower afterwards to clean off the filth surrounding the story.
Creepy good vs. evil horror with some great special effects
epeteet5 March 2007
I love 80's horror movies but they usually don't scare me; i mostly watch them for gore/special effects/monsters/nudity, etc. you don't find in the watered down PG-13 crap that passes for horror today. I gotta admit this movie actually creeped me out pretty good. THE UNHOLY involves an evil demon that takes the form of a major babe in order to seduce priests so it can claim the innocent for Satan or something like that. It reminded me a lot of the Italian horror movie THE CHURCH which i also enjoyed. Both take place mostly in big Catholic churches and are filled with satanic hallucinations.
I won't give it away but the opening scene is simply awesome. The movie slows down in the middle but remains stylish with music that almost gives it a similar feeling to the THE LOST BOYS. It also has lots of cool blue and red lighting which makes it look very 80's. (I mean that in a good way, not that the film looks too dated or anything.) It picks back up towards the end and was actually starting to get scary until a couple of cool but funny looking demons show up. There is some sweet gore scenes, cool slimy monster effects, and even some nudity. The pace coulda been a lil faster but the awesome finale makes it well worth it. If you like this i would also recommend THE CHURCH and vise versa.
I won't give it away but the opening scene is simply awesome. The movie slows down in the middle but remains stylish with music that almost gives it a similar feeling to the THE LOST BOYS. It also has lots of cool blue and red lighting which makes it look very 80's. (I mean that in a good way, not that the film looks too dated or anything.) It picks back up towards the end and was actually starting to get scary until a couple of cool but funny looking demons show up. There is some sweet gore scenes, cool slimy monster effects, and even some nudity. The pace coulda been a lil faster but the awesome finale makes it well worth it. If you like this i would also recommend THE CHURCH and vise versa.
overlooked flick worth watching
trashgang30 January 2012
Running through some old horror magazines I came across this title. I was rather surprised by the big names in it and the fact that it isn't a popular flick. So it has to deal with some problems.
We're running late in the eighties and by then horror wasn't that popular anymore. The slashers were passé and every item they could use to make a horror they used. Here are some names that should attract a lot of attention. Ned Beatty was in it, one we knew from so many flicks but to name one classic, Deliverance (1072), also on the list was Hal Holbrook (Magnum Force 1972 or The Fog 1980). Trevor Howard in one of his last flicks, he died in 1988, we knew him from Ghandi (1982). So really good thespians but were they failed was the fact that they aren't shown that much. On the other hand the movie do deliver at some points but also has some weak parts. There are some parts were there is a bit too much of nothing going on but the mast ten minutes are worth watching. And the first part is also worth mentioning because it is sometimes a bit gory.
The demon is played by Nicole Fortier who only appeared in two flicks, Scared Stiff (1987) and this one. She was running in her nudies all through this flick and even has some full frontal nudity. It's weird that she vanished from the screen after this flick, she really had a good looking face.
But don't forget to watch the effects and that's what make sit also worth watching. No CGI, this is the real stuff. There are indeed some gory parts with someone hanging upside down on a cross and having his intestines hanging out. Once the priest is having his confrontation with the demon it's also worth watching but the monster itself looks a bit ridiculous for that time.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it a lot, okay here and there a small yawn but overall worth watching.
Gore 2/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 4/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
We're running late in the eighties and by then horror wasn't that popular anymore. The slashers were passé and every item they could use to make a horror they used. Here are some names that should attract a lot of attention. Ned Beatty was in it, one we knew from so many flicks but to name one classic, Deliverance (1072), also on the list was Hal Holbrook (Magnum Force 1972 or The Fog 1980). Trevor Howard in one of his last flicks, he died in 1988, we knew him from Ghandi (1982). So really good thespians but were they failed was the fact that they aren't shown that much. On the other hand the movie do deliver at some points but also has some weak parts. There are some parts were there is a bit too much of nothing going on but the mast ten minutes are worth watching. And the first part is also worth mentioning because it is sometimes a bit gory.
The demon is played by Nicole Fortier who only appeared in two flicks, Scared Stiff (1987) and this one. She was running in her nudies all through this flick and even has some full frontal nudity. It's weird that she vanished from the screen after this flick, she really had a good looking face.
But don't forget to watch the effects and that's what make sit also worth watching. No CGI, this is the real stuff. There are indeed some gory parts with someone hanging upside down on a cross and having his intestines hanging out. Once the priest is having his confrontation with the demon it's also worth watching but the monster itself looks a bit ridiculous for that time.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed it a lot, okay here and there a small yawn but overall worth watching.
Gore 2/5 Nudity 2/5 Effects 4/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5
Pretty weak horror film with a great cast.
HumanoidOfFlesh31 July 2007
Ben Cross plays Father Michael,a Catholic priest who ends up at an abandoned New Orleans church where two previous priests have been ghoulishly murdered on their own altar.Pretty soon he's dealing with an inquiring detective,a reticent archbishop,a pseudo-Satanist named Luke,a virgin and a blind priest who keeps trying to warn him that the Devil is more than an idea.There is also red-headed demon played by Nicole Fortier who provides some lovely full-frontal nudity."The Unholy" is a pretty weak horror film with some familiar cast and tons of clichés.There is some gore including blood vomiting,but nothing really shocking or impressive.I really wanted to like this film,but I couldn't.5 out of 10.
Your usual boring battle between Catholic good and Satanic evil....
Coventry4 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"The Unholy" starts out terrific, with young priest Michael (Ben Cross from "First Knight") surviving a fall from a 17-floor building without a single injury! He's then pointed out as the "chosen one" by the spooky blind father Silva (the last role for veteran actor Trevor Howard) and given custody of a small parish where the last two incumbents were brutally murdered. Regretfully enough, the movie then turns in to a tedious mess with miserable make-up effects and incomprehensible plot twists. The poorly written script attempts to bring a exhilarating story about repressed sexuality and ancient demonology but it never really succeeds in doing so. In his parish, father Michael encounters strange omens and wicked people, leading him straight to a final confrontation with "The Unholy"; a hot chic-demon who directly serves Satan himself. Ben Cross' wooden performance makes this movie all the more boring, while the truly cool actors are given too few screen time. Ned Beatty wastes his time wandering around as the over-worried cop and Hal Holbrook is the archbishop whom's character I hoped had more depth. The music is good and even though the demon effects are laughable the ordinary gore moments are worthwhile. Best sequence unquestionably features a guy who literally vomits gallons of blood and then suffers from a spontaneous combustion! The only thing I learn from this kind of movies is that the evil-way-of-life is a lot more fun...although good eventually always triumphs, anyway. Beware when you're looking for Catholic-themed horror movies, folks. They are either uninspired Exorcist-ripoffs or tame and meaningless junk like this.
far less than some of the other stuff on FearNet
lee_eisenberg22 April 2008
I've recently been watching a lot of movies on the TV channel FearNet. While most of these are supposed to be cheap horror flicks, I've actually found some of them quite impressive. Usually not for what they are, but because of what they contain in certain scenes. For example, "Down" (aka "The Shaft") is about a haunted elevator, but contains the original version of the song "Come On", of which a later version was the first song ever released by the Rolling Stones. Also, "Blood Diner" in its culmination played the same music that appeared in Chuck Jones's "What's Opera, Doc?"; you read that right: a slasher movie stirring memories of a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Alas, "The Unholy" has no such qualities. It's just the average Devil-themed movie, with an evil spirit leading priests to their doom. I only recommend it if you're into demonic possession movies...or for the shots of the woman in the see-through gown.
Starring Ben Cross ("Chariots of Fire"), Ned Beatty, Hal Holbrook and Trevor Howard.
Alas, "The Unholy" has no such qualities. It's just the average Devil-themed movie, with an evil spirit leading priests to their doom. I only recommend it if you're into demonic possession movies...or for the shots of the woman in the see-through gown.
Starring Ben Cross ("Chariots of Fire"), Ned Beatty, Hal Holbrook and Trevor Howard.
The Unholy is very UNinteresting
lthseldy116 May 2002
This movie is about a priest that after the mysterious death of a former priest he is able to take over the church that was left behind from the previous priest. The priest encounters some strange people, stange places and strange happenings. First, he meets up with this Kiefer Southerland wannabe looking guy with a fake southern accent that tells him that he's seeing things and for the priest to watch over him while he sleeps. Then he meets up with a young lady who hangs around places like Gothic clubs and the man tells the priest to leave her alone. There is a black maid that lives there with him that shouldn't even be part of the movie. And the two priest, one blind and the other hiding secrets should get their act together and find out what to do with all these strange things going on. The ending is terrible but almost laughable with this rubber beast licking on the priest legs as he thinks he sees the young lady that he supposebly falls in love with. And who would ever put this pull acting nonemotional priest in this movie anyway. Avoid this one.
Flawed yet still fairly entertaining.
Hey_Sweden12 June 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"The Unholy" isn't bad at all as far as religion themed horror goes. It goes too far into cheesy monster mayhem for its final act, which hurts the overall impact because up to then it's quite a serious and interesting enough look into the whole idea of temptation and the ability to withstand it. Co-written by veteran Philip Yordan and the films' production designer, Fernando Fonseca, it tells the story of a young priest, Father Michael (Ben Cross), who miraculously survives a 17 story fall. After this, he's assigned by an Archbishop (Hal Holbrook) to take over a church that has been shut down for three years due to the death of the former priest. It's up to Father Michael to vanquish the evil that returns to this location in order to collect pure souls, specifically priests and virgins. The film is set in New Orleans and, truthfully, it would have been nice to get a little more of that unique Old World flavour inherent in the city. As it is, the film mostly takes place in interiors. Still, director Camilo Vila maintains a very somber mood and works with cinematographer Henry Vargas to create some decent lighting schemes. The story has just enough twists to keep it intriguing, complete with a red herring. It benefits from the sturdy performances of its well chosen cast, with the engaging Cross as a man of principle and good intent. Holbrook is excellent, of course, and the late Trevor Howard is a joy as Father Silva, speaking his lines in an amusing sing song style. Jill Carroll is endearing as Millie, the young girl who becomes attached to Michael. Ned Beatty is likable as the police detective on the case, although his character is never properly paid off. William Russ has the most flamboyant role in the film as the club owner who dabbles in occult related imagery and rituals for the sake of a good show. But it's Nicole Fortier whom the audience is likely to remember the most: the ravishing redhead is temptation personified as the human incarnation of the demon. Bob Keen handles the special effects work, and does a good job, but the truth is the film would have been better served without resorting to traditional horror trappings that are unfortunately more goofy than anything else. Still, it's always nice to see a genre film espouse the power of faith, and the timeless idea of good vs. evil ensures a reasonable amount of involvement. Overall, a decently entertaining film. Seven out of 10.
Too predictable, mundane and slow paced...
paul_haakonsen29 March 2019
Granted, as much as I enjoy horror movies, of course I took the chance to sit down and watch "The Unholy" here in 2019 when I was given the chance. Sure, 31 years after the movie was released, but so what? The reason for me deciding to watch "The Unholy", aside from it being a horror movie, was the title of the name and also the fact that Ben Cross starred in it.
Right, well the premise of the movie was good, writers Philip Yordan and Fernando Fonseca definitely had some interesting enough ideas on paper. But director Camilo Vila just failed to bring the movie to a satisfactory fruition.
The storyline started out nicely enough, but then it quickly lost its momentum and settled into a slow and mind-numbingly monotonous pace. And essentially it was only the first quarter and the last quarter of the movie that made it worthwhile watching. Everything in between was just filling, a slow-paced and essentially boring filling.
Now, the movie does have a pretty good cast ensemble, which included the likes of Ben Cross, whom carried the movie quite well with his performance as Father Michael. It was interesting to have him on the good side - and by that I mean to see him play a hero character instead of a villain for a change. But the movie also had good performances and appearances by William Russ, whom is a very familiar 1980s face, Hal Holbrook and Ned Beatty.
As for shock and scares, well, let's just say that you shouldn't put yourself up to an overload of such. And the special effects in the movie were adequate, taking into consideration the age of the movie. But they weren't exactly scary or made me go "wow, now that was impressive".
"The Unholy" felt like an ambitious project which failed to deliver on everything the director set out to achieve. The movie felt very bland and mundane, to be bluntly honest. There are far better movies in this Christian vs. Satanic and God vs. The Devil genre available. And of course, with "The Unholy" being in this genre, you know the very outcome of the movie even before you sit down to watch it. And yes, sure enough, that is exactly how the movie ended. Predictable.
Right, well the premise of the movie was good, writers Philip Yordan and Fernando Fonseca definitely had some interesting enough ideas on paper. But director Camilo Vila just failed to bring the movie to a satisfactory fruition.
The storyline started out nicely enough, but then it quickly lost its momentum and settled into a slow and mind-numbingly monotonous pace. And essentially it was only the first quarter and the last quarter of the movie that made it worthwhile watching. Everything in between was just filling, a slow-paced and essentially boring filling.
Now, the movie does have a pretty good cast ensemble, which included the likes of Ben Cross, whom carried the movie quite well with his performance as Father Michael. It was interesting to have him on the good side - and by that I mean to see him play a hero character instead of a villain for a change. But the movie also had good performances and appearances by William Russ, whom is a very familiar 1980s face, Hal Holbrook and Ned Beatty.
As for shock and scares, well, let's just say that you shouldn't put yourself up to an overload of such. And the special effects in the movie were adequate, taking into consideration the age of the movie. But they weren't exactly scary or made me go "wow, now that was impressive".
"The Unholy" felt like an ambitious project which failed to deliver on everything the director set out to achieve. The movie felt very bland and mundane, to be bluntly honest. There are far better movies in this Christian vs. Satanic and God vs. The Devil genre available. And of course, with "The Unholy" being in this genre, you know the very outcome of the movie even before you sit down to watch it. And yes, sure enough, that is exactly how the movie ended. Predictable.
priest v evil 1988 style
darnmay6 September 2007
The Unholy (1988)
Released in 1988, The Unholy is a cut above the average good v evil story. Indeed there has been other less entertaining films that have gone down the same road.
Directed by Camilo Vila, not really a well known name as directors go, who doesn't do too bad a job. The experienced actors, bringing their skills to this film, no doubt help to achieve this.
Ned Beatty- a well know supporting actor- who appeared in such films as Deliverance and Superman. Ben Cross- in many films and TV episodes. Hal Holbrook a winner of 4 Emmy awards. Trevor Howard. Well remembered for his performance in Brief Encounter, had a small part in this film, which sadly, was his last. He died in January 1988
The film follows the well-used format of a Priest fighting evil which manifests in his church. The church establishment, as usual, tries to hush up the whole affair.
A well used format, but with this film it works a little better than some others. The priest's initial scepticism is gradually eroded as he realises that evil does exist in a tangible form. It is not just in people's thoughts, including his own, which he struggles to overcome. The final scenes, however, are not helped by the manifestation of the evil force in its true form.
But we have to remember this was 1988. CGI was not the order of the day. So the film's shortcomings must be seen in that context.
Thanks to the British Censor releasing the film uncut for its video/DVD release in 2001, we are able to view the film as originally made To protect us 10 seconds had been removed from the original cinema release in 1988, although their records do not indicate which 10 seconds. If you give this film an airing, which I thoroughly recommend, perhaps you will guess.
Darnmay
7th September 2007
Released in 1988, The Unholy is a cut above the average good v evil story. Indeed there has been other less entertaining films that have gone down the same road.
Directed by Camilo Vila, not really a well known name as directors go, who doesn't do too bad a job. The experienced actors, bringing their skills to this film, no doubt help to achieve this.
Ned Beatty- a well know supporting actor- who appeared in such films as Deliverance and Superman. Ben Cross- in many films and TV episodes. Hal Holbrook a winner of 4 Emmy awards. Trevor Howard. Well remembered for his performance in Brief Encounter, had a small part in this film, which sadly, was his last. He died in January 1988
The film follows the well-used format of a Priest fighting evil which manifests in his church. The church establishment, as usual, tries to hush up the whole affair.
A well used format, but with this film it works a little better than some others. The priest's initial scepticism is gradually eroded as he realises that evil does exist in a tangible form. It is not just in people's thoughts, including his own, which he struggles to overcome. The final scenes, however, are not helped by the manifestation of the evil force in its true form.
But we have to remember this was 1988. CGI was not the order of the day. So the film's shortcomings must be seen in that context.
Thanks to the British Censor releasing the film uncut for its video/DVD release in 2001, we are able to view the film as originally made To protect us 10 seconds had been removed from the original cinema release in 1988, although their records do not indicate which 10 seconds. If you give this film an airing, which I thoroughly recommend, perhaps you will guess.
Darnmay
7th September 2007
It's two movies jammed together, only one of which is any good
rdoyle299 September 2022
Priest Ben Cross is called in by cop Ned Beatty when a potential suicide (Peter Frechette) asks for him by name. It's a set up. Frechette throws Cross off the building.
Cross is miraculously unharmed, which confirms for archbishop Hal Holbrook and blind priest Trevor Howard that Cross is "The One". They assign Cross to reopen a church in New Orleans that has been closed because the previous two priests were murdered on the altar. Cross reconnects with Beatty, who tells him that the last murder seemed to be connected to Jill Carroll, who works as a waitress at a club whose floorshow combines nudity with satanic ritual (you know, one of those popular satanic strip clubs).
So, let's say this is supposed to be setting up some kind of mystery, but it really never succeeds in doing that. We see the murder of the previous priest in the film's opening sequence, so we know who did it, and no attempt to set up any suspects can erase this fact. We also know that Cross isn't in any real danger since he's already survived being chucked out of a building. Consequently, this film kind of spins it's wheels for a good 45 minutes until reaching it's gonzo rubber demon climax.
This really feels like two films jammed together. There's a somewhat respectable seeming supernatural/religious mystery maybe along the lines of "Angel Heart" (which might explain the pretty prestigious cast), and an effects laden gory horror outing. They don't sit that well together, and really only the latter film works. This one's at it's best when it's throwing blood, boobs and rubber demons at the screen.
Beatty seems to be the only actor who realizes he's actually in the latter film.
Cross is miraculously unharmed, which confirms for archbishop Hal Holbrook and blind priest Trevor Howard that Cross is "The One". They assign Cross to reopen a church in New Orleans that has been closed because the previous two priests were murdered on the altar. Cross reconnects with Beatty, who tells him that the last murder seemed to be connected to Jill Carroll, who works as a waitress at a club whose floorshow combines nudity with satanic ritual (you know, one of those popular satanic strip clubs).
So, let's say this is supposed to be setting up some kind of mystery, but it really never succeeds in doing that. We see the murder of the previous priest in the film's opening sequence, so we know who did it, and no attempt to set up any suspects can erase this fact. We also know that Cross isn't in any real danger since he's already survived being chucked out of a building. Consequently, this film kind of spins it's wheels for a good 45 minutes until reaching it's gonzo rubber demon climax.
This really feels like two films jammed together. There's a somewhat respectable seeming supernatural/religious mystery maybe along the lines of "Angel Heart" (which might explain the pretty prestigious cast), and an effects laden gory horror outing. They don't sit that well together, and really only the latter film works. This one's at it's best when it's throwing blood, boobs and rubber demons at the screen.
Beatty seems to be the only actor who realizes he's actually in the latter film.
Worthwhile supernatural horror shocker
Woodyanders11 October 2012
Warning: Spoilers
After miraculously surviving a fall from a high rise building, Father Michael (a fine and credible performance by Ben Cross) gets assigned by Archbishop Mosely (the always excellent Hal Holbrook) to exercise a powerful demonic force from a church in New Orleans. Director Camilo Vila relates the engrossing story at a steady pace, creates and maintains a broodingly serious and sinister atmosphere, offers a nice evocation of the Big Easy setting, delivers a few startling moments of in-your-face graphic gore, and pulls out all the freaky stops for the gloriously wild and over the top special effects heavy climax in which Father Michael confronts the demon and its nasty dwarf minions in their natural grotesque forms. The ace acting from a top-drawer cast keeps the picture humming: Jill Carroll as sweet virginal innocent Millie, William Russ as sleazy nightclub owner Luke, Trevor Howard as sage blind priest Father Silva, Ned Beatty as the diligent Lt. Stern, and Peter Frechette as the suicidal Claude. Ravishing redhead Nicole Fortier positively burns up the screen as an incredibly sexy and enticing, yet still spooky and unearthly succubus. The offbeat script by Philip Yordan and Fernando Fanseca boasts a strong good vs. evil premise about the strength of faith and the difficulty inherent in resisting temptation as well as several inspired oddball moments (the definite loopy highlight occurs when Father Michael receives a crank call from hell!). The slick cinematography by Henry Vargas supplies a striking stylish look. Roger Bellon's moody score hits the spine-tingling spot. A very solid and enjoyable fright film.
Good movie worth watching
nulink118 March 2008
I enjoyed this movie and was surprised when I first saw it years ago. I thought it was genuinely scary. The story was a good one, battle of good vs evil. By today's standards it may seem dated, but still comes across as creepy. It also has several twists in the plot the keep you tuned into the story. Character questions about the priests and others and their relationship is also good. I don't believe that you will be disappointed if you watch this movie with the mindset that it was filmed before the whole CAG craze of today. They had to depend more upon the story. When you combine all the elements involved you get a good movie.
Could be worse, could be a helluva lot better.
Condom-full-of-Hatred19 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
The Unholy was a film that had an awful lot of good going for it, but like the teenage boys who have rented this back in the day, it blew it's load all over the floor after the hot redhead shows up naked in the first minute of screen time. Me, I'm a sucker for any film that deals with possession, the catholic church and priests. I guess it was my upbringing, but nothing terrifies me more than the thoughts of demonic possession or exorcisms.
Unfortunately, the only terrifying thing here is how poor a director Camilo Vila is. We start of with a priest praying at the alter of his parish church, only to be confronted by some hot demon in the form of a naked redhead. We get a good peek at her pubes n' bubes before she rips the horny priest's throat out with her bare hands. Cut to a few years later, and young father Michael (Ben Cross, looking very suspiciously like HP Lovecraft...hmm) is brought in by police detective Stern (Ned Beatty) to try and convince a rooftop jumper to come down. Somehow, this guy turns out to be possessed and throws Father Micheal out the window.
By some miracle, Father Michael wakes up in hospital without a mark on him. The local Archbishop (Hal Holbrook, really slumming it here) decides that this is the priest he has been looking for to re-open the church after the last priest was murdered. Father Michael isn't here long before some strange things start to happen in the church, and he himself is seeing visions of the naked redhead, and being drawn to investigate things further.
To spice things up, we get scenes in a 'satanic' nightclub, where Father Micheal meets probably the worst actress in this film, Millie, (Jill Carroll). She may somehow be connected with the past murders, or is it her bizarre boyfriend/boss, William Russell? I won't bother trying to piece together the plot of this one for you, suffice to say it ends up in a pretty fun monster mash in the church, as Father Michael finally battles 'The Unholy'! The Unholy has two glaring problems from that start. A terrible, nonsensical script, and direction that's flatter than Paris Hilton on her back. Some scenes are so badly directed it's hard to tell if the cuts between two actors talking are actually between two people in the same room! Events happen with no real tension, and drift off the screen just as lazily. We do get some gory and sexy goods in the opening scene, but then it's a full hour before anything else really happens. We are just left to watch legendary actors like Hal Holbrook and Ned Beatty stumble through poor dialogue whilst Ben cross looks like he slipped into a coma for most of the shoot. As I mentioned, Jill Carroll's performance gets a standing ovation for laugh out loud moments. Some scenes (Her finest moment is when she has a breakdown and starts shouting 'no!daddy no! don't touch me again!' Has to be seen to be believed) might of had some weight to them if directed properly, but I get the feeling director Vila was too gob-smacked by the hysterics to do anything but let the camera roll on her for five minutes.
OK, enough complaining, because The Unholy isn't without some merits. Firstly, it delivers nicely on nudity, which is always a good thing. The only actor to get props from me here is William Russell, who gives a thoroughly entertaining performance as the pimpish boss of the nightclub. He also gets a pretty sweet death scene, which is one of the few great moments in this film. Also, when the demons finally get angry in the last twenty minutes and appear, some good stuff goes down. who would have thought that one of Satan's top demons has midget monsters as part of his entourage? Well, now you know. The demon or 'Unholy One' himself is pretty mean, if not a man in a badly articulated rubber suit. The f/x are by the guy who did the Hellraiser f/x work, but here, he is let down by too much bright lighting and poorly set up shots. Probably not his finest moment. We also get some random flashes of gore that have nothing to do with the film, but were added by the producers looking to get the blood hungry crowd in. Fun times.
This is the kinda flick most of you will never bother hunting down, unless you saw it years ago on VHS and are looking for a stroll down memory lane. As I said, there is some fun to be had here, I just wish the actual film-making didn't suck so hard.
Unfortunately, the only terrifying thing here is how poor a director Camilo Vila is. We start of with a priest praying at the alter of his parish church, only to be confronted by some hot demon in the form of a naked redhead. We get a good peek at her pubes n' bubes before she rips the horny priest's throat out with her bare hands. Cut to a few years later, and young father Michael (Ben Cross, looking very suspiciously like HP Lovecraft...hmm) is brought in by police detective Stern (Ned Beatty) to try and convince a rooftop jumper to come down. Somehow, this guy turns out to be possessed and throws Father Micheal out the window.
By some miracle, Father Michael wakes up in hospital without a mark on him. The local Archbishop (Hal Holbrook, really slumming it here) decides that this is the priest he has been looking for to re-open the church after the last priest was murdered. Father Michael isn't here long before some strange things start to happen in the church, and he himself is seeing visions of the naked redhead, and being drawn to investigate things further.
To spice things up, we get scenes in a 'satanic' nightclub, where Father Micheal meets probably the worst actress in this film, Millie, (Jill Carroll). She may somehow be connected with the past murders, or is it her bizarre boyfriend/boss, William Russell? I won't bother trying to piece together the plot of this one for you, suffice to say it ends up in a pretty fun monster mash in the church, as Father Michael finally battles 'The Unholy'! The Unholy has two glaring problems from that start. A terrible, nonsensical script, and direction that's flatter than Paris Hilton on her back. Some scenes are so badly directed it's hard to tell if the cuts between two actors talking are actually between two people in the same room! Events happen with no real tension, and drift off the screen just as lazily. We do get some gory and sexy goods in the opening scene, but then it's a full hour before anything else really happens. We are just left to watch legendary actors like Hal Holbrook and Ned Beatty stumble through poor dialogue whilst Ben cross looks like he slipped into a coma for most of the shoot. As I mentioned, Jill Carroll's performance gets a standing ovation for laugh out loud moments. Some scenes (Her finest moment is when she has a breakdown and starts shouting 'no!daddy no! don't touch me again!' Has to be seen to be believed) might of had some weight to them if directed properly, but I get the feeling director Vila was too gob-smacked by the hysterics to do anything but let the camera roll on her for five minutes.
OK, enough complaining, because The Unholy isn't without some merits. Firstly, it delivers nicely on nudity, which is always a good thing. The only actor to get props from me here is William Russell, who gives a thoroughly entertaining performance as the pimpish boss of the nightclub. He also gets a pretty sweet death scene, which is one of the few great moments in this film. Also, when the demons finally get angry in the last twenty minutes and appear, some good stuff goes down. who would have thought that one of Satan's top demons has midget monsters as part of his entourage? Well, now you know. The demon or 'Unholy One' himself is pretty mean, if not a man in a badly articulated rubber suit. The f/x are by the guy who did the Hellraiser f/x work, but here, he is let down by too much bright lighting and poorly set up shots. Probably not his finest moment. We also get some random flashes of gore that have nothing to do with the film, but were added by the producers looking to get the blood hungry crowd in. Fun times.
This is the kinda flick most of you will never bother hunting down, unless you saw it years ago on VHS and are looking for a stroll down memory lane. As I said, there is some fun to be had here, I just wish the actual film-making didn't suck so hard.
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