The Entity (1981)

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

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

Release Date:

4 February 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | 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:

Mother Son Relationship | Tormented | Bookstore | Female Rear Nudity | Bodiless Entity

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 (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

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

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: All right. All right, bastard. I've finished running. So do what you want. Take your time - buddy. Take your time. Really, I'm thankful for the, uh... rest. I'm so... tired of being scared. So it's all right, it really is, it's all right. You can, uh, do anything you want to me, you can, uh, torture me, kill me, anything. But you can't have me. You cannot touch me.
[pause]
Carla Moran: That's mine.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Entity Files (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

Poor, Poor Pitiful Me

not a very well-made film, but effective; 7/10

The Entity has an extremely sloppy script. First of all, it basically repeats itself a dozen times. Each attack is more or less identical. The biggest problem has to do with the psychologist. He thinks it's all in Carla's head. It would have been nice for the filmmakers to give us the possibility for interpretation, but we see these attacks outside of Carla's point of view. The audience knows for sure that what is happening is real. And then there are half a dozen witnesses. When they corroborate her story, the psychologist still refuses to believe them. Jerry (Alex Rocco) swears that he saw Carla's body being manipulated by an unseen force, and Dr. Sneiderman still believes it's all just in her head. What this does is make him the bad guy throughout the film - we know that, because of him, Carla's attacks are going to go on without a chance of relief. And the script wants us to feel a romantic connection between the two of them. A lot of the film is told from his point of view, trying to get us to believe he is a helpful force, and all we can do is despise him as if he were a weasel taking advantage. This, more than anything else, stops the film dead in its tracks.

However, there are a couple of positive things that save the film and make it worth a watch. Barbara Hershey is absolutely excellent as the frightened victim who gradually grows stronger. The rest of the acting isn't bad, either, but only her performance stands out. Also, the special effects, even though they are very cheap, are enormously effective. Well, the lightning wasn't, but this film goes to show you that a simple rattling mirror is worth so much more than a million dollar CGI ghost.

...and wait until the final moments of the film. I don't think ANYTHING has made me shiver as violently as that moment after the door slams closed. Also, I've rarely been as proud of a character after Carla opens it right back up.