The Entity (1982)

Director:

Sidney J. Furie

Writers:

Frank De Felitta (novel)
Frank De Felitta (screenplay)

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 | Mistreatment | Bodiless Entity | Bathtub

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
Curt Lowens	...	Dr. Wilkes
Paula Victor	...	Dr. Chevalier
Lee Wilkof	...	Dr. L. Hose
Deborah Stevenson	...	Intern
Mark Weiner	...	Intern
Lisa Marie Gurley	...	Receptionist (as Lisa Gurley)
Chris Howell	...	Guard
John Branagan	...	Student
Daniel Furie	...	Student
Amy Kirkpatrick	...	Student
Todd Kutches	...	Student
Pauline Lomas	...	Student
Renee Neimark	...	Nurse

Directed by
Sidney J. Furie

Writing credits
Frank De Felitta		(novel)
Frank De Felitta		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael Leone	....	executive producer
Andrew Pfeffer	....	executive producer (as Andrew D.T. Pfeffer)
Harold Schneider	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Bernstein

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum

Film Editing by
Frank J. Urioste

Casting by
Barbara Claman		(as Barbara S. Claman)

Production Design by
Charles Rosen

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Makeup Department
Zoltan Elek	....	makeup artist
James Kagel	....	special makeup effects creator
Christine Lee	....	hair stylist
Stan Winston	....	special makeup effects creator

Production Management
David Salven	....	executive in charge of production
David Salven	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William Cosentino	....	second assistant director
Tommy Thompson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gene Anderson	....	assistant property master
Barry Bedig	....	property master
Nigel A. Boucher	....	lead man (as Nigel Boucher)
Frank L. Brown	....	lead man (as Frank Brown)
Richard Eckols	....	construction foreman
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator (as Bruce Gfeller)
Daniel Gluck	....	set designer
Tony Leonardi	....	painter (as A.J. Leonardi Jr.)
John Tyrrell	....	painter foreman
Boyd Willat	....	set designer
Mark Sparks	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Robert W. Harris	....	cable person (as Robert Harris)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator (as Marvin Lewis)
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Keith Stafford	....	sound effects editor
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Martin Bresin	....	special effects (as Marty Bresin)
Joe Digaetano	....	special effects
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects
Steve Lombardi	....	special effects
Gary Monak	....	special effects
Robert G. Willard	....	special effects (as Bob Willard)

Visual Effects by
Tom Ajar	....	process projectionist: visual effects unit (as Thomas Ajar)
Allen Blaisdell	....	assistant camera: visual effects unit
Jim Brigham	....	projection consultant: visual effects unit
James Cotten	....	puppeteer: visual effects unit
William Cruse	....	visual effects designer
Sam DiMaggio	....	camera operator: visual effects unit
Elizabeth Goldsmith	....	production coordinator: visual effects unit
Margaret Goldsmith	....	production assistant: visual effects unit
Mentor Huebner	....	illustrator: visual effects unit
Phil Keil	....	camera technician: visual effects unit
Julie Kelly	....	production assistant: visual effects unit
Norman Markowitz	....	process projectionist: visual effects unit
Francis McConnell	....	optical assistant: visual effects unit
Hubert Nichols	....	optical camera operator: visual effects unit
Paul Nielson	....	camera technician: visual effects unit
George Risko	....	ice sculpture: visual effects unit
Walter Shipley	....	optical coordinator: visual effects unit (as Walt Shipley)
Kim Waugh	....	production assistant: visual effects unit
Bill Wysock	....	electrical engineering: visual effects unit

Stunts
John Ashby	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts (as Janet Gibbs)
Ron Burke	....	stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunts (as Bill Burton)
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Shawn Howell	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Thomas Huff)
Linda Jacobs	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunts (as Ernie Orsatti)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts (as Harry Wowchuck)

Camera and Electrical Department
Leon Ayres	....	grip
Ben Beaird	....	grip
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera
Emmett Brown	....	key grip (as Emmett A. Brown)
John Englert	....	best boy (as John D. Englert)
Jon Timothy Evans	....	gaffer (as Jon T. Evans)
Robert E. Gaynor	....	dolly grip
John R. Hamilton	....	still photographer
Dennis M. Kuneff	....	grip
Hal Landaker	....	video consultant
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joe Marquette Jr.)
Michael R. Marquette	....	second assistant camera
W.J. Randall	....	grip
J.B. Richner	....	best boy (as Jonathan B. Richner)
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Gary Stark	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Casting Department
Judy Courtney	....	casting associate: BCI N.Y.
Vince Liebhart	....	casting associate: BCI N.Y.
Tom O'Shea	....	casting associate: BCI N.Y.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costumer
Nancy McArdle	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Derek Brechin	....	assistant editor
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant editor
Robert Raring	....	color timer

Music Department
Joel Fein	....	music recording mixer
Ken Wilhoit	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Jerry F. Johnson	....	transportation captain (as Jerry Johnson)
William Hogue	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Ed Begley Jr.	....	additional voice (as Ed Begley)
Jerrold T. Brandt Jr.	....	production representative: ACP
Kathy Breen	....	assistant: Mr. Furie
Mickey Chonos	....	caterer
Carol DeBeau	....	assistant auditor (as Carol DuBeau)
Robert Eggenweiler	....	location manager
Lyla Foggia	....	unit publicist
Leigh French	....	additional voice
Kerry Gaynor	....	technical advisor
Merrill Grinnell	....	production assistant
Marcia Karr	....	stand-in
Gene Kraft	....	title designer
Renee Neimark	....	first aid
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor
Jane Prosnit	....	production coordinator
Todd Schneider	....	production assistant
Arlene Singer-Gross	....	studio teacher (as Arlene Singer)
Barry Taff	....	technical advisor
Ann Tait	....	production controller
Mark Weiner	....	stand-in

Production Companies

• American Cinema Productions
• Pelleport Investments

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hachette-Fox Distribution (1983) (France) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CBS/Fox (video)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Special Effects Unlimited

Other Companies

• B.C.I. Casting  casting (as BCI)
• Custom Looping  additional voices
• Susie's Casting Service  extra casting
• Creative Mobile Studio  location services
• Village Recorder, The  music recorded at (as Village Recorders)
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  rerecorded at
• Modern Film Effects  titles
• Samcine  Louma crane by

Also Known As:

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 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Laird International Studio - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

American Cinema Productions

Trivia:

The real-life Carla Moran's teenage son described a particularly vicious attack in which Carla was thrown by the malevolent force and hit her head. He tried to intervene, but he was also thrown, breaking his arm. In the filming of the movie, the actor playing the son broke his arm in that scene, and the curtains tore from top to bottom without explanation.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Near end of film the scientist gives exhibition of liquid Helium and states temperature of -473 F. Liquid Helium is actually only -457 F, and "absolute zero" of -459 F has never been attained.

Quotes:

Carla Moran:Your halo is burning.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in An American Haunting (2005)

Soundtrack:

Saturday Nite's All Right For Fighting

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.