‘Dark Sanctuary: The Story of The Church’ out now on Amazon Prime
‘Dark Sanctuary: The Story of The Church’ out now on Amazon Prime
The documentary “Dark Sanctuary: The Story of The Church” is now available on Amazon Prime Video, as well as on Blu-ray, DVD, and other digital platforms. Released by Cleopatra Entertainment on March 31, 2025, the film explores the cultural impact of the Dallas-based goth club The Church and its community of artists, outcasts, and music lovers.
Directed by Timothy Stevens and produced by Spectrograph Films, the documentary features interviews with prominent figures from the dark electronic and industrial music scene, including cEvin Key (Skinny Puppy), Patrick Codenys (Front 242), Bill Leeb (Front Line Assembly), Paul Oakenfold, and Claude S. (Anything Box).
cEvin Key also co-wrote the film’s title track with a separate standalone digital soundtrack composed by Joe Virus which accompanies the film’s release.
The narrative centers on Joe Virus, longtime DJ at The Church, tracing his personal and musical journey from his early days at the club in the 1990s through to its closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The film documents his reflections on community, identity, and the loss of a cultural landmark.
According to director Timothy Stevens, “We couldn’t be more excited to release [the film] through Cleopatra Entertainment given their street cred with fans of dark alternative music. The Church is the ‘Studio 54’ of goth clubs, and it’s a piece of music history the world needs to know about.”
The release follows official festival selections at the Dallas International Film Festival and KNON Film Festival.
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Chief editor of Side-Line – which basically means I spend my days wading through a relentless flood of press releases from labels, artists, DJs, and zealous correspondents. My job? Strip out the promo nonsense, verify what’s actually real, and decide which stories make the cut and which get tossed into the digital void. Outside the news filter bubble, I’m all in for quality sushi and helping raise funds for Ukraine’s ongoing fight against the modern-day axis of evil. Besides music I’m also an SEO and AI content flow specialist and have an interest in everything finance from stocks to crypto. There is music in everything!
