Taglines: Based on a true story….that isn’t over yet.
The Entity movie storyline. As if struggling to make ends meet and trying to get her life back on track wasn’t enough, the hard-working single mother of three, Carla Moran, finds herself with the back to the wall when she comes face-to-face with an inexplicable supernatural incident. Sexually assaulted in her locked-up home, Carla is having a hard time telling the difference between fact and fantasy.
However, both the unseen assailant and the painful bruises in hard-to-reach parts of her body are very real. Now–as all attempts with psychotherapy failed, and the late-night paranormal attacks become increasingly violent–Carla has no other choice but to turn to a team of parapsychologists who offer, at least, hope for a resolution. But, is there an escape from abstract evil? Can Carla beat the Entity?
The Entity is a 1982 American supernatural horror film directed by Sidney J. Furie, and written by Frank De Felitta, who adapted his 1978 novel of the same name. The film stars Barbara Hershey as a single mother in Los Angeles who is raped and tormented by an invisible assailant.
Like the novel, the film is based on the 1974 case of Doris Bither, a woman who claimed to have been repeatedly sexually assaulted by an invisible entity, and who was observed by doctoral students at the University of California, Los Angeles. Despite being filmed and planned for a release in 1981, the movie was not released in worldwide theaters until September 1982 and February 1983 in the United States.
Film scholar Daniel Kremer interprets The Entity as a parable for female sexual victimhood, citing the lead character of Carla Moran as a woman who “goes head-to-head with a gaggle of men (including the “entity” itself). If the men of the film do not undermine her credibility or sanity, they objectify her, exploit her victimhood, belittle her ability to take control of her unfortunate circumstances, and ultimately give her the dignity of a glorified lab rat.”
Screenwriter Frank De Felitta adapted the screenplay from his own novel, which was based on the case of Doris Bither, a woman who alleged to have been sexually assaulted by an invisible supernatural entity on numerous occasions.
In a rare interview with Rue Morgue magazine in July 2012, director Sidney J. Furie told journalist Michael Doyle that he did not consider The Entity to be a horror film in spite of its extreme imagery, unsettling atmosphere and horrific plot. Instead, Furie said he considers The Entity to be more of a “supernatural suspense movie.” Furie also confessed that he intentionally avoided researching the actual case upon which The Entity is based as he “did not want to judge the characters and story in any way.” Neither he nor actress Barbara Hershey met with Doris Bither, the woman on whom the character of Carla Moran was based, at any point.
The Entity (1983)
Directed by: Sidney J. Furie
Starring: Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, David Labiosa, George Coe, Margaret Blye, Jacqueline Brookes, Michael Alldredge, Natasha Ryan, Melanie Gaffin, Alex Rocco, Sully Boyar, Deborah Stevenson
Screenplay by: Frank De Felitta
Production Design by: Charles Rosen
Cinematography by: Stephen H. Burum
Film Editing by: Frank J. Urioste
Set Decoration by: Jerry Wunderlich
Music by: Charles Bernstein
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: February 4, 1983
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