The Church

The Church (La chiesa, 1989) is an Italian horror film directed by Michele Soavi — watch it online on iFILM. The premise is embedded in the building itself: a Gothic cathedral constructed in the Middle Ages directly over a mass grave, where Teutonic knights buried the villagers they slaughtered as witches. The evil didn't go anywhere. It was just sealed under the stone.

Centuries later, a new librarian named Evan and a restorer named Lisa stumble onto an old parchment pointing to a hidden burial chamber beneath the foundations. Once they break through, the cathedral locks its doors — and everyone inside becomes part of something that has been waiting a very long time. The cast includes Hugh Quarshie, Thomas Arana, and a teenage Asia Argento. The screenplay came from Dario Argento, who also produced.

Soavi gives the building more presence than most horror directors give their monsters. The vaulted ceilings, narrow passages, and stained glass aren't just backdrop — they work architecturally as a trap. Stream The Church (1989) online on iFILM.