The Church – For his second feature film – and first full collaboration with co-writer/producer/mentor Dario Argento – writer/director Michele Soavi unleashes a “mind-blowing” (Bloody Disgusting), “breathtaking” (Slant) “masterwork” (DVD Drive-In): In a gothic cathedral built on the mass grave of a Teutonic purge, an ancient discovery by the new librarian will release an unholy maelstrom of madness, violence and demonic vengeance. Tomas Arana (THE SECT), Feodor Chaliapin (INFERNO), Hugh Quarshie (NIGHTBREED), Barbara Cupisti (CEMETERY MAN) and Asia Argento co-star in this Italian horror milestone co-written Franco Ferrini (PHENOMENA), with a Soavi-approved 4K scan from the Rome vault negative and over 3 hours of Special Features – including new interviews with Soavi and Dario Argento.

The Sect – The third feature by director Michele Soavi – his second collaboration with producer/co-writer Dario Argento – has been called “deranged” (We Are Cult), “disturbing” (Blu-ray.com), and “long overdue for reevaluation” (Bloody Disgusting). Now it can be experienced like never before: As a global satanic cabal grows in ferocity, an unwitting young schoolteacher (Kelly Curtis – sister of Jamie Lee – in her sole genre role) is chosen to deliver the ultimate evil. Herbert Lom (COUNT DRACULA), Mariangela Giordano (BURIAL GROUND) and Giovanni Lombardo Radice (THE HOUSE ON THE EDGE OF THE PARK) co-star in “a nightmarish fever dream from a visionary filmmaker” (Good Efficient Butchery), scanned in 4K from the vault negative with over 3 hours of Special Features – including new interviews with Argento and Soavi – for the first time ever.

Cemetery Man – It’s been called “stylish and gruesome” (Washington Post), “grotesque and touching” (AV Club) and “an experience unlike any other” (Bloody Disgusting). Now this magnum opus by director Michele Soavi – “the best Italian horror film of the ‘90s” (Fangoria) – can be experienced fully restored in 4K for the very first time: Rupert Everett stars as cemetery watchman Francesco Dellamorte, tasked with dispatching the recently deceased when they rise from their graves. But when he falls in love with a beautiful young widow (Anna Falchi), will his resurrected lust for life become greater than his bond with death? François Hadji-Lazaro (THE CITY OF LOST CHILDREN) co-stars in the finest erotic romantic existential black comedy zombie gorefest of our time, with a Soavi-approved scan from the Cinecittà negative and over 3 hours of Special Features – including new interviews with Soavi and Everett.

For thoughts on The Church, The Sect, and Cemetery Man, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

Video Quality

The Church, The Sect, and Cemetery Man come to Blu-Ray individually courtesy of Severin in their original 1.85:1 (The Church & The Sect) and 1.66:1 (Cemetery Man) aspect ratios. All three have been sourced from a first-rate 4K scan from the Original Camera Negatives approved by director Michele Soavi. There is also a 4K UHD Blu-Ray available for each of these from Severin that was not made available for review. The Church & The Sect were previously released on Blu-Ray by Scorpion Releasing in 2018 from an older master, but we have never seen those discs to compare. Based on what we have researched, these releases are a welcome upgrade. Cemetery Man is making its Blu-Ray debut domestically. These films share a lot of the same qualities, so we will be evaluating them as a group with any differences noted.

These transfers look exceptional with the striking architecture and various domestic environments shining in high definition with natural grain intact and deftly resolved. There are only a handful of moments during the presentation that take a slight step back in terms of clarity, most likely due to the state of the original film elements. The Sect is slightly behind the other two in terms of clarity, but only by a small degree. Black levels are strong but a few shadowy scenes struggle with delineation and fine detail. The contrast is firmly defined, and there is virtually no print damage to be found outside a few stray moments that made it through the restoration phase. There is a stellar amount of detail present throughout with standout textures on the costumes and within the production design. The new transfers show off a favorable amount of depth and enhanced detail. Severin has done a commendable job with this trio of horror favorites. With as good as these looks, we can only assume the 4K UHD Blu-Ray options are a knockout.

Audio Quality

These Blu-Ray releases come with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo tracks in English and Italian (lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 for Cemetery Man in Italian). The Church and Cemetery Man also add an English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track to the proceedings, while Cemetery Man takes things one step further by providing an English Dolby Atmos track. The films are very atmospheric with unsettling sound effects given a decent weight within the mix. The Atmos track for Cemetery Man opens things up quite nicely for an expansive experience, but it is not monumentally different from the 5.1 track.

The dialogue-driven scenes are broken up with scenes of violence or otherwise haunting imagery where the tracks wake up more concretely. The individual scores come through quite well in relation to the competing sounds. Dialogue sounds clear without spine-tingling sound effects or the music trouncing on important information. There is not much in the way of wear and tear to these tracks, as damage and hissing it largely avoided. These tracks present everything just as you would want without major issues. Optional English SDH and English (for Italian audio) subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Church

Interviews: A collection of great interviews are provided in which the creative team delves into various different aspects of the production.
- The Mystery Of The Cathedrals – Interview With Director Michele Soavi (19:46)
- Alchemical Possession – Interview With Co-Screenwriter/Producer Dario Argento (12:41)
- The Eleventh Commandment – Interview With Co-Screenwriter Franco Ferrini (13:18)
- The Ghostwriter – Interview With Co-Screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti (18:36)
- Lotte – Interview With Actress Asia Argento (8:36)
- Here Comes The Bride – Interview With Actress Antonella Vitale (10:56)
- A Demon Named Evan – Interview With Actor Tomas Arana (25:37)
- Father Giovanni – Interview With Actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice (14:14)
- Monsters And Demons – Interview With Special FX Artist Sergio Stivaletti (19:41)
- Holy Ground – Interview With Make-Up Artist Franco Casagni (9:46)
- Building The Church – Interview With Set Designer Antonello Geleng (20:46)
- The Right-Hand Man – Interview With Assistant Director Claudio Lattanzi (16:50)
- Return To The Land Of The Demons – Interview With Alan Jones, Author Of Profondo Argento (5:59)
Trailer (2:05)

The Sect

Interviews: A collection of great interviews are provided in which the creative team delves into various different aspects of the production.
- Sympathy For The Devil – Interview With Director Michele Soavi (20:14)
- (You’re The) Devil In Disguise – Interview With Co-Screenwriter/Producer Dario Argento (15:19)
- Catacumba – Interview With Co-Screenwriter Gianni Romoli (35:22)
- Cult Of Personality – Interview With Actor Tomas Arana (20:09)
- Owner Of A Lonely Heart – Interview With Actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice (12:17)
- In The Shaded Area – Interview With Cinematographer Raffaele Mertes (27:57)
- Four Times Argento – Interview With Composer Pino Donaggio (12:44)
- Total Eclipse – Interview With Special FX Artist Sergio Stivaletti (12:51)
- Oh Well – Interview With Set Designer Antonello Geleng (23:06)
- The Birth Of Evil – Interview With Film Historian Fabrizio Spurio (25:20)
- Into The Dark Well – Interview With Alan Jones, Author Of Profondo Argento (5:21)
Catacomb In The Kitchen – Michele Soavi Shows Us His Dark Basement: A three-minute peek behind the curtain with the filmmaker showing off some cool things from his collection.
Italian Trailer (1:35)
U.S. Release Trailer (1:26)

Cemetery Man

Audio Commentary: Director Michele Soavi and Screenwriter Gianni Romoli provide a commentary track in which the creative team reflects on the process of making the film, the inspiration for the story, the shooting locations, the memorable moments that were experienced, the audience response, and more.
Interviews: A collection of great interviews are provided in which the creative team delves into various different aspects of the production.
- At The Graves – Interview With Michele Soavi (35:49)
- Of Love And Death – Interview With Actor Rupert Everett (20:37)
- She – Interview With Actress Anna Falchi (24:15)
Archival Making-Of: A nearly 19-minute vintage piece that takes a look at the production of the film.

Final Thoughts

The films of Michele Soavi are glorious fun, especially in the early day run of The Church, The Sect, and Cemetery Man. This incredible talent seemed to improve in some way with every new project, so it only makes sense that Cemetery Man is our favorite of this trio. That being said, there is not a bad note in the bunch, and sitting down with any of these films is a wise investment of your time. It is not just the obvious elements that will chill you, but rather the lingering dread that they manage to conjure in the audience. Severin has released these three films on Blu-Ray individually featuring a splendid A/V presentation and an avalanche owf special features that make them even more appealing. Fans of the filmmaker will not want to miss these. Recommended

The Church is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

The Sect is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Cemetery Man is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Severin has supplied copies of these discs free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.