THE ENTITY
US, 1981, 119 minutes, Colour.
Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, Alex Rocco.
Directed by Sidney J. Furie.
The Entity is a popular thriller, made in the era after the success of The Exorcist.
Barbara Hershey is good as a woman who is attacked by a mysterious demonic presence, sexuality assaulted and raped. Hershey is convincing in showing the terror of this experience as well as getting psychologically stronger as she seeks help from a psychiatrist, played by Ron Silver, who believes that everything is in her head.
The film was written and directed by Frank de Felitta, who had written a number of films in this vein like Audrey Rose (from his novel), The Killer in the Mirror, Scissors.
The film is conventional enough in its dramatisation of the malevolent attacks. However, it still gives an audience a fright. So much so, that a remake was planned for 2008, directed by Hideo Nakati, the Japanese director responsible for The Ring series and Dark Water. The film is allegedly based on a true story.
The film was directed by Canadian Sidney J. Furey who began direction in 1959, spent the first part of the 1960s in Britain, especially with The Leather Boys. He had great success with the first of the Harry Palmer, Len Deighton films, The Ipcress File. He then moved to the United States, had some success in the 1970s with The Lawyer, Little Fauss and Big Halsey and Lady Sings the Blues. He also made Superman 4 in the 1980s. However, his career was mainly in small-budget action thrillers.
1. Interest in the '70s and '80s in the psychological, parapsychological, the occult? The stream of films on evil possession? Poltergeists? The traditions and conventions of the genre by early 180s? This film as a successful example of the genre?
2. The alleged truth of the incidents? The work of author Frank de Felitta (Audrey Rose and Reincarnation)? The atmosphere of authenticity of the film? Names and dates? The plausibility of the incidents and experiences? Medical aspects, psychological aspects, parapsychological investigations?
3. Panavision and colour photography? The large screen and the looming impact of the experience - especially for Carla? Musical score, especially with the pounding notes? The special effects, especially for the entity's raping Carla? The poltergeist phenomena in the rooms and the house? The ordinariness of California, the phenomena? The importance of the elaborate sets for the final experiment? The photography style, especially with angles, profiles, close-ups? Audiences being involved with the experience of the entity - straightforwardly and at angles?
4. The impact of the film on a feminine audience? Identification with Carla and her experiences? Her family, husband, children? The psychological experience and the harrowing emotions? Barbara Hershey's skill in the central role?
5. The introduction to Carla as the ordinary American woman, typist and her typing errors, coming how and her relationship with Billy and the girls? The house and the rent? Her age - and the age discrepancy between herself and Billy? Her relationship with Jerry? Audiences identifying with contemporary marital experience? The importance of her later telling her life story to the doctor? Her father and his incestuous relationship with her? Mario and leaving home, love? Billy? Her age? Bob and the experience of marriage, the daughters? Jerry and the possibility of a relationship? The doctor highlighting her story and focusing on aspects to explain her fear, relationships with men, hurt?
6. The experience of the entity and its suddenness? The violence of the rape and the attendant psychological and poltergeist effects? The bath, her dreams? The explosive experience? The family racing from the house, watching from the car? Going to Connie's? Connie's house exploding? The experiences being witnessed by Connie and her husband? Bill and his trying to save his mother and the experience of the static? Connie and Jerry and their reactions to the experiences? The parapsychological group and their photography of the effects etc.?
7. The effect of the experiences on Carla: at home, in herself, going to Connie's and the support that she found, Connie's husband and his criticism, driving all day, being persuaded to go to the doctor, the talk, the tests, the group? Jerry's coming back and her not telling him? Her worry?
8. The psychological theories: the emphasis on Freud and Freudian interpretation of hysteria, sexual attitudes and behaviour? The theory of Carla's psyche creating the effects? What was happening inside her? From outside? Sexual activity, masturbation, relationship with Jerry? The screenplay exemplifying Freudian theory?
9. Carla's relationship with Connie - friendship and support, advice to see Dr. Sneiderman, the bookshop and the encounter with the parapsychologists? Her consent to them setting up their equipment? The tests? Jerry's reaction and concern - and his inability to face the consequences? Carla's reaction against Dr. Sneiderman and consenting to the parapsychological tests? Her experience in the house, the entity attacking her, Dr. Sneiderman rescuing her? The final explosion?
10. Dr. Sneiderman and his work, his ability to talk to Carla, his interest in her and in her case, the discussions with the Board? His questions and her reaction to their probing nature? His advancing the psychological theories and her reaction against these? His visit to her home?
11. The reaction of the psychologists and psychiatrists? Dr. Weber and his backing Dr. Sneiderman? Sharing the Board discussions? The psychology versus the parapsychology interpretation of the reality? Dr. Weber’s witnessing the experiments? The contrast with Dr. Cooley and her attitudes?
12. The parapsychologists: theories, naivety in setting up the equipment and observing the phenomena, Dr. Cooley and her supervision, the photography of the experiences, the setting up of the elaborate set, the experience of the entity and the shattering ending?
13. Connie and her support of Carla? George and his scepticism? Jerry and his love for Carla, the experience of the phenomena and his not being able to cope? His walking away from the hospital?
14. Billy and the story of his birth, growing up, his competence, Carla's possible infatuation with him? The girls and her care for them?
15. The picture of ordinary American domestic scene and the intrusion of outside malevolent forces and their effect? Carla's decision to confront the entity? The effect on her, strengthening her? The final information that the attacks continued but less frequently?
