The Entity

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.[1] The screenplay, like the novel, introduces several elements that were not investigated as part of the Bither case (including the allegations of spectral rape and the capture of an entity).[5][6]

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.[7]

Barbara Hershey was cast in the role of Carla Moran only ten days prior to production.

Several actresses were considered for the role of Carla Moran, including Jill Clayburgh, Sally Field, Jane Fonda, and Bette Midler, but all four declined the offer.[8] Barbara Hershey was cast in the role only ten days before production was scheduled to begin.[8] Hershey had hesitations about the part due to the nudity in the screenplay, but agreed to it after director Sidney J. Furie assured her the nude sequences would be accomplished via body doubles and mannequins.[8] Recalling her casting, Hershey said: "I was frightened. I didn't know how it would be edited or marketed. But I knew that Sid saw potential in the film to approach the subject from a humanistic and psychiatric viewpoint, from a mother's viewpoint...  and I felt it was a worthwhile risk."[8]

Ron Silver was cast as Dr. Sniderman, the psychologist who questions the supernatural nature of Carla's attacks,[8] while Alex Rocco was given the part of Jerry, her absent boyfriend.[8] Furie had originally sought Craig T. Nelson for the role of Jerry, but producer Harold Schneider refused to cast Nelson.[9] David Labiosa, a New York-based actor, was cast as Carla's teenage son Billy, based on his performance in the television film Death Penalty (1980) opposite Colleen Dewhurst.[10]

The Entity was made under a tax shelter by the newly-established American Cinema International Productions, and had originally been optioned to Roman Polanski.[1] Principal photography of The Entity began in Los Angeles on March 30, 1981.[10] The shoot lasted a period of ten weeks, and was completed in late June 1981.[11] Furie was pleased with the small production, later commenting: "There were no extras waiting in buses, no six camera crews, no bullshit. And at every point, we knew the film was working pretty well."[11] The exteriors of the Moran home were shot at a house in El Segundo, while a set was constructed in Los Angeles for the home's interiors.[10] Stylistically, Furie and his cinematographer, Stephen H. Burum, employed frequent use of close-ups and Dutch angles.[8] The shoot was temporarily halted when Labiosa accidentally broke his wrist while filming a scene in which he is thrown backward by the entity.[12] Labiosa's injury resulted in him being written out of several scenes.[13]

During filming, Furie excised a subplot involving overt incestuous feelings between Carla and her son, Billy.[12] A dream sequence in the original screenplay featured Carla fantasizing about taking her son's virginity.[14] Labiosa recalled: "I think it was awkward for everyone to do, because of what the whole thing implied. I often wonder what the film would have been like had they kept it in."[14] According to Labiosa, a scene was filmed in which Carla observes Billy shirtless outside, which hinted at this subplot, but this scene was cut from the film.[13]

The majority of the special effects in the film were achieved with practical methods,[15] and were supervised by Stan Winston.[10] For example, the scene in which Carla's nude body is groped by the entity was shot featuring a latex dummy body with suction cups built inside, which allowed crew members to manipulate it to appear as though fingers were making impressions on her flesh; Hershey's body, aside from her head, was hidden beneath the bed during this scene.[15] The construction of the dummy body cost the production $65,000 to create.[8]

The film would be among the final productions made by American Cinema Productions before it filed for bankruptcy in December 1981.[16]

The film opened in the United Kingdom on September 30, 1982 and was met by protests from women's rights groups who deemed the film offensive due to its graphic depictions of sexual assault.[14] 20th Century Fox released the film in the United States on February 4, 1983, with little prepublicity.[14] It grossed $3.7 million during its opening weekend,[3] going on to gross a total of $13.3 million.[3] In response to the protests against the film, star Barbara Hershey publicly responded, telling a reporter: "I resent being put in the position of defending the film. We worked really hard not to make it exploitative. Rape is one of the ugliest if not the ugliest thing that can happen to someone. It's murder of a sort. I have no answer for those people who are offended."[3]

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported a 62% approval rating based on 13 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10.[17]

Richard F. Shepard, in a New York Times review, praised Hershey's performance but went on to say "The Entity offers thrills in short staccato bursts and dull science in long bursts."[18]

Contemporary criticism of the film has been favorable: Andrew Dowler of the Toronto publication Now praised the lead performances, writing: "Hershey gives Carla a believable mix of hopelessness and grit, and Ron Silver strikes the right note as an over-assertive psychologist who may have more than a professional interest in the case. Director Sidney J. Furie keeps them in the foreground, but uses slightly off-kilter angles to make his very ordinary settings creepy and cramped."[19] American film theorist Michael Atkinson lauded the film, writing: "There may not be, outside of David Cronenberg's wonder cabinet, a more nitro-powered horror-movie metaphor hell than that fueling this post-Exorcist remnant...  It's like the movie is writing its own library of fiery feminist theory. It remains unnerving and savage, arguably the most eloquent movie ever made in Hollywood about the struggle of the sexual underclass."[20]

Director Martin Scorsese has also remarked his appreciation for the film, and ranked it the fourth-scariest horror film of all time, above Psycho and The Shining.[21]

Anchor Bay Entertainment released The Entity on DVD in 2005,[22] and later issued a standalone Blu-ray disc in July 2012.[23] On June 11, 2019, Scream Factory released a collector's edition Blu-ray disc of the film featuring new interviews and other newly-commissioned bonus material.[24]

Avant-garde filmmaker Peter Tscherkassky used a print of this film for his 1999 short Outer Space.[25][26][27][28][29][30]

• Michael Doyle, "The Devil's Plaything", Rue Morgue #124 (July 2012), p. 16-22.
• Michael Doyle, "Home is Where the Hell Is", Rue Morgue #124 (July 2012), p. 20-21.