Review of The Entity (1982) by Mark B — 29 Jan 2008

The Entity is an incredibly creepy film that grabs you right from the start.

Barbara Hershey is a single mother trying to work as we as raise her three children. Her life is made even more of a misery when a malevolent and viscious invisible spirit begins to visit and sexually attack her in the family home. Ron Silver plays the psychiatrist who is frantically trying to help her, but whilst academics argue over how to rid her off this menace, she falls victim to it time and time again.

This is undoubtedly one of the creepiest films I have seen for some time. The fact that the film is based on true events, with the actual parapsychologists that handled the case on board as technical advisors, only enforces its impact.

Hershey is outstanding in her role as the victimised mother. That she is victimised throughout the film but still comes across convincingly as a very strong woman is much to her credit.

The camera work used in each of the attacks is also very well done, especially as there is no antagonist which can be filmed - all the impact of each scene is down to the camera and Hershey.

There are, however, some very good scenes using Stan Winston's creative vision. Shots of a naked or topless Hershey being handled by an invisible force are very convincing and instantly nerve-tingling.

What lets this film down though, is the pacing. After being grabbed right from the start, the film eventually plateauxs until finally reaching an over-stylised ending.

The true accounts of the doctors that handled the case make fascinating reading, especially as they throw more light onto the events of the film - which whilst included many actual events, were manipulated in a way that depicted something quite different to what the original witnesses believed to have happened.

A very spooky film.