The Entity Poster
So far, we’ve looked at ghost films that ooze with the gothic, the gimmicky, the spooky and the classy, but 1981 saw the release of a ghost film that turned the ghost genre ugly. Apparently based on a true and unresolved case, The Entity tells the story of a women who is violently abused and raped constantly by an invisible ghostly figure (or figures!).
Starring Barabara Hershey (who recently appeared in hit film, Black Swan) as a single mother, this film presented entities as something much more vulgar, evil, menacing and violent than ever before. Whilst films such as The Amityville Horror may have its fair share of demonic ghostly activity, it still fades in comparison to The Entity. No longer where ghosts merely moving furniture, tapping on walls, or telling priests to “Get Out” but now, for the first time in a mainstream film, they were psychically abusing and tormenting their victims. Throughout the movie, the description of the invisible entity is always vulgar – from its smell to its touch. Perhaps one of the biggest influences on this film was not the kooky, spooky Vincent Price classics, but something a little more gnarly and exploitative, such as the boom in grindhouse movies from the 70s.
It’s not just the invisible being that was new and different, but the story itself. The plot is constantly twisting the audience into new and uncharted territory, throwing us into no sense of security – anything can happen! 1982 was also the early stages of the huge slasher genre that would sweep across cinemas through the 80s. Slasher films are known for their high body count. But here, the cast is very small as are the deaths offering something completely different. So whilst the film borrowed from the shocking nature of exploitation, it was also a much classier film than the majority of the horror films being released.
Easily one of the greatest and most jaw-dropping ghost movie you’ll ever see, The Entity is absolutely terrifying!
For a more recent but equally terrifying haunted house, ghostly thriller don’t miss The Pact!
Break-out horror movie smash of the year that has been electrifying hardened genre fans and non-horror fans alike, “The Pact” combines the supernatural terrors of “Paranormal Activity” with the tense atmospherics of a serial killer thriller to create a unique, modern-day take on the classic ghost story.
And it’s out on October 1st! Pre-order yours here.
Previous Parts:
- Part I: Things That Stay Silent In The Night!
- Part II: The Terrifying Twenties
- Part III: The Uninvited
- Part IV: House On Haunted Hill
- Part V: Ghoulish Gimmicks & Shocking Spookshows
- Part VI: The Innocents – Classic British Chills
- Part VII: The Haunting
- Part VIII: Low Budget Terrors – Let’s Scare Jessica To Death!
- Part IX: The Amityville Horror
- Part X: There’s Something In The Fog!
- Part XI: The Shining
- Part XII: The Changeling
- Part XIII: Ghost Story
- PART XIV: The Entity
Based on a book by Peter Straub, Ghost Story is an old fashioned haunted yarn notable for being the final dramatic outing for song ‘n’ dance man Fred Astaire.