 on 4K Blu-ray. The Italian horror film was directed by Michele Soavi and produced by Dario Argento.){kind=link}
After making an impression with The Church (1989), Michele Soavi would re-team with Dario Argento, who would serve as a producer and screenwriter on The Sect (1991). Also, going by the titles The Devil’s Daughter, Demons 4, and possibly others, Soavi takes the viewer on a whacked-out terror ride unlike anything else he’d done previously. Having been available in numerous editions over the years, Severin Films debuted the film in a 4K release that, much like The Church, allows it to be seen the way it should have always been.
Miriam Kreisl (Kelly Curtis), an American schoolteacher living abroad in Frankfurt, Germany, leads an unassuming life until the day she nearly strikes an enigmatic elderly man, Moebius Kelly (Herbert Lom), with her car. She takes him to her home, where his presence feels strangely foreboding. Before long, the man passes away under mysterious circumstances, leaving behind unanswered questions.
Miriam’s reality begins to unravel when she discovers ancient catacombs beneath her house, their dark corridors whispering secrets best left buried. As the strange events escalate, a charming doctor named Frank (Michel Adatte) steps in, offering his support and expertise. Together, they venture deeper into the shadows of Miriam’s world, uncovering chilling revelations that threaten to consume them both.
While visually striking, The Sect has always felt about thirty minutes too long. An unnecessary subplot and some other confusing moments could just be excised from the final film. If you can get past those faults, there are some great moments that may end up making your skin crawl.
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While not as prolific an actress as her little sister, Jamie Lee, Kelly Curtis delivers a powerful performance and can carry a film without issue. Soavi has had a long film career but left the horror genre behind, and with The Sect, you get the feeling he’s just getting started. Four years later, he achieves perfection in the genre with Cemetery Man (1995).
The 4K transfer is stunning. It looks really clean without any noticeable damage and maintains just enough grain for that nostalgic feel. It serves the nightmarish visuals very well, giving Soavi’s vision a new life.
The two-disc set has a UHD with the feature film and the U.S. release trailer. The second has several interviews with Michele Soavi, Dario Argento, co-screenwriter Gianni Romoli, actor Tomas Arana, actor Giovanni Lombardo Radice, cinematographer Raffaele Mertes, composer Pino Donaggio, effects artist Sergio Stivaletti, set designer Antonello Geleng, film historian Fabrizio Spurio, author Alan Jones, and more. The extras give the set a well-documented look at the finished film and its legacy.
Despite its flaws, The Sect is a memorable film from the Italian masters of horror.
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