The Evil Clergyman

Mrs. Brady (Barbara Crampton) meets her former landlady (Una Brandon-Jones) in her old house and asks to see her room one last time after her lover Jonathan (Jeffrey Combs) committed suicide. Jonathan was a priest that hanged himself when Mrs. Brady left him. Now she misses Jonathan and the forbidden sex with him. When she enters the room, she sees his ghost, the ghost of a clergyman (David Warner) that Jonathan killed and a rat-like demon with human face (David Gale) while she is tortured by memories and by the evil creatures.

"The Evil Clergyman" is an erotic and creepy short film that had been lost for many years and found in a VHS copy in 2012. The nightmarish atmosphere associated to the erotic scenes are amazing and work since Barbara Crampton is a very beautiful and sexy woman and actress. All the cast are inspired and deliver solid performances. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Clérigo do Mal" ("The Evil Clergyman")

Lost until 2012 this Pulse Pounders (1988) segment is drastically better than the second released short Trancers: City of Lost Angels (1988) which was rather underwhelming.

The story is about Said Brady (played by Barbara Crampton) visiting her recently deceased lover's estate (played by Jeffrey Combs) where she is visited by a human faced rat and a dead priest who both have different intentions for her.

Production wise, the film looks good and takes place in (what I can only guess is Charles Band's) castle. The short is filled with a thick and moody atmosphere/soundtrack and very solid performances by the small, but great cast. The only critique I have is that I would've like to see this as a feature length adaptation instead of a 25-minute short (perhaps even directed by someone like Stuart Gordon even?).

7/10.