The Entity (1981)

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

Frank De Felitta (novel)
Frank De Felitta (writer)

Release Date:

4 February 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There is no escape from something you cannot see

Plot:

Supposedly based partially on a true story, a woman is tormented and sexually molested by an invisible demon.

Plot Keywords:

Attack | Demon | Haunted House | Mirror | Scream

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Barbara Hershey	...	Carla Moran
Ron Silver	...	Phil Sneiderman
David Labiosa	...	Billy
George Coe	...	Dr. Weber
Margaret Blye	...	Cindy Nash
Jacqueline Brookes	...	Dr. Cooley
Richard Brestoff	...	Gene Kraft
Michael Alldredge	...	George Nash
Raymond Singer	...	Joe Mehan
Allan Rich	...	Dr. Walcott
Natasha Ryan	...	Julie
Melanie Gaffin	...	Kim
Alex Rocco	...	Jerry Anderson
Sully Boyar	...	Mr. Reisz
Tom Stern	...	Woody Browne

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Netherlands:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Alleanza Cinematografica Italiana (A.C.I.)

Trivia:

Robert MacNaughton auditioned for a role for this film, after being asked because the casting director saw him in an off-Broadway play, in New York.

Quotes:

Carla Moran: I mean I'd rather be dead than living the way I've been living. Do you understand that?
Phil Sneiderman: Yes, I can understand that. Yes. I also understand that I care very much what happens to you. Very much. And I know that in your heart you know the difference between reality and fantasy. Carla, look at me, Carla - our reason, our intelligence:That's the only thing that distinguishes us between any other species of animal...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Gravedancers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Tou Can't Have Me

To have stirred up such diametrically opposite views here, THE ENTITY must rate above mediocre.

When any film incurs user-comments that are at a 180 degree variance from one to the next, the odds are it is the subject itself which is the catalyst behind the emotion. We have those who admire its technical expertise (at least for 1981) and who recall its fear-factor and professionalism to others who deplore the entire work, branding its laughable script and effects. The truth I suspect lies midway between these inconsistent comments.

To start with there are always going to be a significant percentage of the population who are affronted by the concept of a young girl being sexually assaulted by a ghost for a prolonged period of time....whether it actually happened or not. This, incidentally IS based on a true story that was itself the grounding for Frank De Felita's top selling book. If the notion is a distasteful one, the chances of you liking the film are slim HOWEVER technically adept it is. As it transpires, Barbara Hershey is remarkably good as Carla Moran, the young lady with a problem neither the Police, the Medical Profession or the supposed experts of the paranormal have much luck with. The rapes and sexual assaults are both graphic and quite worrying. Some loopy reviewer likened them to scenes in the SCREAM and I KNOW WHAT YOU DID films! Huh? I think being taken apart by a psycho with a knife or hook is way THIS side of normal compared to being sexually molested in your own bed! but hey, thats just MY opinion!

For its day THE ENTITY was nearer the edge of hard-core horror than many of its contemporaries. I suspect those who claimed to have "laughed" at the entire thing are having themselves on or at least putting up a front for whatever reason. The film was not laughable! I can understand those who believed the film was exploitive and bordering on the distasteful - but hey, so was SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!

I believe you owe it to yourself to find a copy of this film (a) If you have never seen it or (b) If some reasonably heavy-duty horror scenes appeal to you!

All up I would rate this a 6.6 which probably errs on the side of conservativeness.