THE INCUBUS (1981), aka INCUBUS

Director: John Hough

Writer: George Franklin adapting Ray Russell’s novel Incubus

Producers: Marc Boyman, John M. Eckert

Cast: John Cassavetes, John Ireland, Kerrie Keane, Erin Flannery, Duncan McIntosh, Helen Hughes, Mitch Martin, Harvey Atkin, Matt Birman, Harry Ditson, Denise Fergusson, Jack Van Evera, Helen Udy, Neil Dainard, Michelle Davros, Lisa Bunting, Dirk McLean, Jennifer Leake, Brian Young, Beverly Cooper, Wes Lee, Barbara Franklin, James Bearden, Jefferson Mappin, Jude Beny, Alan Bridle, Jeremy Hole, Brian Montague, Mary Pirie (uncredited), with Bruce Dickinson, Chris Aylmer, and Paul Samson of the band Samson. 

A series of rapes and murders plagues the small town of Galen, Wisconsin. Widower Dr. Sam Cordell (John Cassavetes) is consulted by the local law enforcement to examine the victims. His teenage daughter Jenny (Erin Flannery) is seeing Tim Galen (Duncan McIntosh), a young man whose recurring nightmares seem to be connected to the brutal crimes. 

The Flashback Fanatic movie review

The Incubus is a film that succeeds almost entirely on its odd and often off-putting dynamic between all of its main characters. Much of this may be intentional to create potential red herrings, as the story is both a tale of mystery as well as of horror. Increasing this movie’s effectiveness is its title menace that is quite unique and remains vague and ambiguous no matter how much we learn about it.

British director John Hough had already helmed the horror films Twins of Evil (1971) and The Legend of Hell House (1973). He brings a fine sense of dread as well as a very off-kilter feeling to The Incubus. The well-staged attacks are intense, but discreet enough to keep the killer hidden from the audience and heightening our apprehension. We are not anymore sure of what we are dealing with than the residents of Galen.

There are rather strange main characters in this movie. Aside from young Tim Galen that spends almost all of his screen time distraught or having nightmare-induced fits, there is his severe grandmother Agatha (Helen Hughes) harboring secrets. Laura Kincaid (Kerrie Keane), the beautiful owner of the town’s newspaper, always seems isolated from all the other characters in the film. She remains wide-eyed and unblinking in most of her scenes. Even as it seems that she will become the love interest for the film’s main protagonist Dr. Sam Cordell, each scene that she shares with him never plays out in a comfortable and natural manner. This is hardly surprising as the doctor, played by John Cassavetes, has his share of emotional baggage, and acts in a rather eccentric manner, often doing and saying things that seem odd or inappropriate. The character is introduced arriving home to accidentally see his naked daughter stepping out of the shower. His reaction seems to be almost guilty for what he may be feeling about his daughter in that moment.

This film presents us many little interactions between the main characters that seem inappropriate and uncomfortable. We always have a sense that each of these characters are not only conflicted, but may be concealing their true natures. In fact, it seems that the more intimate a scene is between two characters the more uncomfortable things become. This is in sync with a film about a menace that commits the physically intimate act of brutal and deadly rape. This unease is maintained throughout the film and enhances the air of suspicion and uncertainty that the viewer should share with the residents of Galen.

The Incubus is an adaptation of the 1976 Ray Russell novel Incubus. In the film the general plot of the novel is followed, though the particulars about the nature of the menace are very sporadically presented. As a result, many viewers probably felt that the film’s final revelation is a bit too abrupt or even inexplicable. It is not quite a where-the-hell-did-that come-from surprise, but a first time viewing of the film may make it seem so.