459:. The effects team created a large, thin animatronic creature that stood 10 feet (3.0 m) tall. The film's conclusion, which features a protracted showdown with the demon in the church, was shot with this version of the creature; in the scene, the church's stained glass windows systematically explode before the creature is damned to hell. However, director Vila was unhappy with the creature's appearance on film, after which an alternate version was crafted by a different special effects team; this required that the ending be re-shot under effects supervisor
316:, informs Michael he has been "chosen" to fight the devil, but Michael dismisses the notion. Millie is incarcerated in a psychiatric ward after attempting to kill Luke, and Michael goes to visit her. In a fit of madness, she claims Luke tried to rape her, and that Father Dennis has been talking to her. That night, Michael has a nightmare of the Demon, and receives a disturbing phone call from Father Dennis, who claims he is "waiting for him in hell." Millie arrives in the middle of the night begging for help, and Michael agrees to let her stay in the rectory.
323:, which Teresa tells her was salvaged from a church in a foreign country that burned down. Lieutenant Stern warns Archbishop Mosely that Michael is in danger, suspecting Millie was responsible for the previous murders of the St. Agnes priests; Mosely assures him that Michael is safe. Meanwhile, Millie discovers a book in which she reads of a demon known as the Unholy, which seeks to corrupt and then take pure souls. To prevent herself from being a target, she propositions Michael to take her
334:. Seated in a pew is Claude, who begs Michael's forgiveness for pulling him out the window. Suddenly, Claude begins to bleed profusely from his eyes and mouth, and bursts into flames at the foot of the Immaculate Heart of Mary statue; Luke's corpse also ignites. Michael meets with the Archbishop and Father Silva, who warns him that the Unholy will manifest to Michael between
276:
of a seductive woman. The woman tears his throat open, killing him. Several years later at a New
Orleans hotel, Father Michael is called to talk to a man named Claude who is threatening to jump from the top floor of the building. When he offers Claude a cigarette, Michael is pulled out the window and
303:
incarnate. Luke visits
Michael shortly after, claiming that the Satanic shows put on at the club are only gimmicks, and that he does not actually believe in them; however, he says he has been recently experiencing supernatural phenomena and begs for Michael's help. Michael agrees to spend an evening
489:
wrote of the film: "Camilo Vila's direction is on the labored side - ponderous movement accompanied by dirgelike music. The photography is as murky as the story, filling the screen with shadows that are periodically blasted by an unilluminating light. There's enough dry ice and tomato sauce laid on
29:
503:, that line is "take me out of here". By the time it rolls around, most viewers are likely to wish it had cropped up at the beginning of this tedious film that dares to go where everyone has gone before (most recently
311:
When
Michael brings the information to Archbishop Mosely, he is informed that Father Dennis was approached by Millie and Luke in an identical manner before being murdered. Father Silva, an elderly blind
896:
342:, when it will try to tempt and then kill him. In the church, Michael is confronted by the Unholy (taking form as the woman), and she attempts to seduce him, but he denies her.
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288:, Michael is notified by Lieutenant Stern that another priest was murdered there before Father Dennis. Michael finds mention of Millie, a waitress at the Threshold, a local
430:
English actor Ben Cross was cast in the film as the lead of Father
Michael; at the time, he was a roommate of Cuban director Camilo Vila, who offered him the role.
533:
in 2007. In 2012, Lionsgate has released the film on DVD in North
America as part of an 8-horror film set featuring titles from Vestron's catalogue, such as
295:
club, in Dennis's journal; Michael goes to visit her, but she is evasive. She later comes to the parish, claiming to
Michael that she saw Father Dennis for
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357:
the Unholy to hell. He collapses, and when he awakens, is blind. As Millie walks him out of the church, the
Immaculate Heart of Mary statue begins to
277:
falls to the ground. Inexplicably, he survives the fall without injury. After the incident, Michael is appointed to the St. Agnes parish by the
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s
Richard Harrington wrote in his review of the film: "It's getting so that horror films can be judged by their exit lines. In the case of
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Collector's Series line; the Blu-ray features three featurettes including cast and crew interviews, the film's original ending, an
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before his death; during the confession, she admitted to giving her soul to Luke, the owner of the club, whom she claims is the
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Michael. Millie enters the church and is confronted by the creature, but before it can harm her, Michael calls upon
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to supply a fast-food joint for a couple of years. The theaters may have to be exorcised, or at least aired out".
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The next day, Michael finds Luke's eviscerated corpse hanging above the church altar in the pose of the
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327:, which he refuses. Convinced Luke planted the book, Michael confronts him, but Luke denies it.
767:
Horror
Collection: (Waxwork / 976-EVIL II / Ghoulies III / The Unholy / C.H.U.D. II / and more)
566:
with director Vila, as well as the original theatrical trailer and other promotional material.
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While cleaning the church with the housekeeper Teresa, Millie is fascinated by a statue of the
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who finds himself battling a demonic force after being appointed to a new parish.
437:, after which the production relocated to Florida, where interiors were filmed.
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The Unholy reveals its true form—a monstrous creature—and two mutant creatures
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Mosely; the parish had been closed after Father Dennis's unsolved murder.
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Demons in the Flesh: The
Monsters of The Unholy: Documentary
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The film was released theatrically in the United States by
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in April 1988. It grossed $ 6,337,299 at the box office.
747:(DVD). Lionsgate Home Entertainment UK, Ltd. 2007 .
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791:(Blu-ray). Vestron Home Video / Lionsgate. 2017 .
677:(Blu-ray). Vestron Home Video / Lionsgate. 2017.
654:(Blu-ray). Vestron Home Video / Lionsgate. 2017.
304:in Luke's apartment, where he witnesses furious
897:Films set in religious buildings and structures
648:Sins of the Father: An Interview with Ben Cross
8:
444:for the film's conclusion, effects designer
27:
18:
558:on June 27, 2017 as part of Lionsgate's
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716:Harrington, Richard (April 23, 1988).
690:"Review/Film; Battling Satanic Forces"
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554:It was released for the first time on
246:in his final role. The film follows a
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433:Exterior photography was complete in
265:While praying in St. Agnes church in
230:directed by Camilo Vila and starring
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769:(DVD). Lionsgate Home Video. 2012.
269:, Father Dennis is confronted by a
867:American supernatural horror films
688:Goodman, Walter (April 23, 1988).
14:
583:Biodrowski, Steve (May 1988).
1:
917:English-language horror films
907:1980s English-language films
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593:. Fourth Castle Micromedia
440:In crafting the elaborate
403:Claudia Robinson as Teresa
887:Films shot in New Orleans
521:The film was released on
33:Theatrical release poster
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902:Films set in New Orleans
321:Immaculate Heart of Mary
159:April 22, 1988
652:The Unholy: Documentary
415:Earleen Carey as Lucile
406:Nicole Fortier as Demon
892:Vestron Pictures films
877:Religious horror films
388:Jill Carroll as Millie
882:Films set in churches
284:Upon moving into the
912:1980s American films
551:(1986), and others.
448:was inspired by the
394:as Archbishop Mosely
332:Cross of Saint Peter
723:The Washington Post
493:The Washington Post
379:as Lieutenant Stern
359:weep tears of blood
226:is a 1988 American
718:"'The Unholy' (R)"
695:The New York Times
510:Prince of Darkness
486:The New York Times
483:Walter Goodman of
479:Critical reception
353:for strength, and
16:1988 American film
862:1988 horror films
373:as Father Michael
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215:$ 6.3 million
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727:. Retrieved
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623:. Retrieved
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616:"The Unholy"
595:. Retrieved
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585:"The Unholy"
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392:Hal Holbrook
383:William Russ
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314:demonologist
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240:Hal Holbrook
222:
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175:Running time
152:Release date
135:Roger Bellon
126:Mark Melnick
118:Henry Vargas
101:Hal Holbrook
97:Jill Carroll
93:William Russ
457:film series
450:Alien queen
435:New Orleans
306:poltergeist
290:black magic
267:New Orleans
255:New Orleans
228:horror film
207:$ 7 million
179:102 minutes
68:Produced by
42:Camilo Vila
39:Directed by
857:1988 films
851:Categories
837:The Unholy
826:The Unholy
815:The Unholy
797:B07228DBTS
789:The Unholy
775:B008DVJOQ4
753:B000HN31FQ
745:The Unholy
675:The Unholy
570:References
517:Home media
501:The Unholy
426:Production
419:Lari White
377:Ned Beatty
308:activity.
297:confession
279:Archbishop
236:Ned Beatty
223:The Unholy
212:Box office
163:1988-04-22
88:Ned Beatty
47:Written by
22:The Unholy
729:March 13,
701:March 14,
625:March 31,
527:Lionsgate
412:as Claude
371:Ben Cross
325:virginity
232:Ben Cross
123:Edited by
83:Ben Cross
842:AllMovie
597:July 17,
545:(1986),
539:(1988),
461:Bob Keen
194:Language
131:Music by
76:Starring
556:Blu-ray
536:Waxwork
529:in the
467:Release
452:in the
385:as Luke
347:crucify
286:rectory
198:English
184:Country
161: (
795:
773:
751:
340:Easter
251:priest
242:, and
204:Budget
497:'
455:Alien
355:damns
301:Devil
271:demon
820:IMDb
793:ASIN
771:ASIN
749:ASIN
731:2018
703:2018
627:2011
599:2023
365:Cast
338:and
261:Plot
840:at
829:at
818:at
525:by
523:DVD
513:).
507:in
351:God
253:in
853::
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165:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
