The Unholy *** (1988, Trevor Howard, Ben Cross, Hal Holbrook, Ruben Rabasa, Ned Beatty) – Classic Movie Review 11,241

Director Camilo Vila’s 1988 horror The Unholy stars Trevor Howard as blind priest Father Silva, who takes on the forces of Satan, in this powerful, solidly plotted chiller. Ben Cross and Hal Holbrook co-star as Father Michael and the archbishop.

Catholic priests are being murdered in New Orleans so Father Michael (Ben Cross) is called in to fight the demon Daesidarius or The Unholy. But the demon, disguised as a beautiful woman (Nicole Fortier), tries to seduce the Father into breaking his vows and then he would be murdered in the act of sinning like the other priests.

The screenplay by Philip Yordan and Fernando Fonseca has surprisingly convincing characterisation as well as its solid plot to recommend it, and Vilo’s direction moves at terrific speed.

It is Howard’s penultimate film, before The Dawning.

Also in the cast are Ruben Rabasa, Nicole Fortier, Phil Becker, Jill Carroll, William Russ, Claudia Robinson and Ned Beatty as Lt. Stern, with Phil Becker, Susan Bearden, Xavier Barquet, Jeff D’Onofio, Martha Hester, John Boyland, Norma Donaldson, Earleen Carey and Anthony Deans Jr.

Philip Yordan wrote the unfilmed script in the Seventies after the successes of The Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976). Director Vila found it years later in Yordan’s office while they were working on another project and it finally got made.

The Unholy (2021) is based on the book Shrine by James Herbert.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,241

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