Spectres (1987) – Marcello Avallone.

'No one has crossed this threshold in 2,000 years!!!!'

I'm not an archaeologist, but if I were, I'd absolutely be the kind that would deliberately profane cursed ancient pagan tombs,rather than Professor Lasky (Donald Pleasence), who doesn't plan for the royal drubbing he and his students receive at the demonic hands of his especially wrathful spectral nemesis! When I was younger, and even stupider, many film scribes predictably made derisory comments about 80s Italian horror, but their continued popularity on boutique DVD/Blu-ray editions proves the snarky naysayers wrong. Looking a tad more lavish than Filmirage product, Avallone's atmospheric splatter-Gothic freakscene benefits greatly from quality photography, Mr Pleasence's unique charisma,and its evocative Historical locations. Avallone stages some effective shocks, creatively contrived in-camera, heightened by some strikingly lurid practical FX. The restored edition of Spectres is a Bobby Dazzler, the doomy claustrophobia within the crepuscular catacombs notably pops on HD! Spectres remains a slow-creeping descent into sinisterly subterranean Euro-horror, wherein a malevolent pre-Christian entity destroys any who foolishly disturbs its primordial slumber. Spectres continued value as marvellously mental B-Horror shenanigans has increased over time, this loopy labyrinth of demon-delivered death is no mere VHS-era relic, but a veritable treasure trove of enjoyably OTT Italian horror.