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Title: CATACOMBS: Overlooked Empire Pictures film that needs a DVD release Post by: Chris K. on June 14, 2003, 12:44:46 AM I just watched the rare Empire Pictures film CATACOMBS (1988) and I must say that those out there who considered Empire to be another run-of-the-mill independent production company that only made dull B-movies, you might want to take a look at this particular film.
The basic plot is that in a Catholic monestary in Italy is trying to cope with a possessed soul during the Middle Ages. The possessed being is sealed up to his death in the monestary's catacombs. We turn to the Modern Day and the possessed soul threatens the monestary once again and it's up to an American priest (played by Timothy Van Patten) to put an end to it all. Directed by David Schmoeller, responsible for the 1986 Empire film CRAWLSPACE which featured Klaus Kinski, CATACOMBS is quite a moody little picture that has some great moments (i.e., their is a great scene in which a statue of Jesus Christ approcahing one of the monks and stabbing him). Yet CATACOMBS was Empire's attempt to make a "quality" film in the same vein as THE CALLER (1987). Yet CATACOMBS only recieved a breif release to theatres in New York and Los Angeles. And then when 1989 hit, Empire Pictures closed and the films were sold to TransWorld Entertainment (TWE) who released CATACOMBS on home video in that year. Then in 1994, TWE also started Epic Holdings and loaned CATACOMBS to Columbia/Tri-Star home video. However, TWE had produced two films THE CURSE (1987) and CURSE II (1988), as well as purchasing a film called PANGA (1991) featuring Christopher Lee and released it as CURSE III: BLOOD SACRIFICE via Columbia/Tri-Star. So, TWE and Columbia/Tri-Star issue CATACOMBS as CURSE V: THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE! Talk about adding insult to injury! MGM owns most of the Empire Pictures films as they are releasing GHOULIES (1984), GHOULIES II (1987), and TROLL (1986) on DVD. I do hope that CATACOMBS will make it on their DVD Double Feature list. If so, I also hope MGM will release it as CATACOMBS and not as CURSE V. Title: Re: CATACOMBS: Overlooked Empire Pictures film that needs a DVD release Post by: BadMovieBuff on June 14, 2003, 01:35:59 AM I should check out this movie sometime. I had no idea Curse III was a movie called Panga!
Title: Re: CATACOMBS: Overlooked Empire Pictures film that needs a DVD release Post by: Haze on June 15, 2003, 03:12:16 PM this whole series is just full of oddities and films that have promise. All of the Curse films sound interesting but I would hope they could release 3 and 4 under their true names. I have heard that Curse 3 and 4 are actually pretty good especially compared to Curse 1 and 2. But whatever, I can't find any of them as it is.
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