Movie Review: THE INCUBUS (1982)

So, I've owned THE INCUBUS for over 2-decades on VHS, but I'd only ever watched it once before. My recollections of the majority of the film were somewhat dim, and I recall it being slow and a bit boring. What I did recall quite clearly, however, is the essence of that last minute or so of the film, which I won't spoil here. That climax (no pun intended) really stays with you.

Its a shame the rest of the film can't quite measure up to that powerful and disturbing ending.

Don't get me wrong: THE INCUBUS is a good horror-flick, and easily in the top-tier of horror flicks to come out of Canada in the 70's and 80's. It has a creepy atmosphere that creates a constant sensation of unease, as if you know something malevolent is out there, lurking just outside your field of vision. The scoring is excellent, and lends to those feelings of unease, and it also boasts an excellent soundtrack. The performances are good, with John Cassavetes delivering a strong, if odd, performance.

Another plus in its favor is the fact that it doesn't revel in the exploitative aspects of its subject matter. The rapes in the film are not played for anything resembling titillation, and are meant to be shocking and horrifying, which is exactly how they come off. One of the things that makes the likes of I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE and LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT so hard to sit through is directly attributable to the exploitation that permeates them. THE INCUBUS doesn't do that, as most of the assaults don't even occur on-camera, and I have to admire that.

Many of the characters in this film are haunted by events from their past, particularly Cassavetes' Dr. Sam Cordell, who remains haunted by the death of his wife many years before, and the role he played in the accident that claimed her.

Part of the problem with this film, however, is that most of the plot-threads relating to these revelations from the past aren't explored in any real sense. They get mentioned, and then promptly dropped, never to resurface. As a result, these moments of exposition end up serving no purpose, save to pad out the film, and to muddy up the plot. Essentially, THE INCUBUS struggles to find its thematic footing throughout. Is it a slasher-film? Is it a mystery? Is it a supernatural-thriller? It tries to be all of these things, but doesn't find a way of mixing them well, which leads to a film with conflicts of tone.

When it comes to Cordell, there's a particular sore-point that just really stretches my suspension of disbelief, and that relates to his 18 year-old daughter, Jenny. An early scene establishes the fact that he worries about her, and his continued suspicion of her sort-of-boyfriend, Tim, keeps that concern alive. And yet, with women getting raped to death left and right, the idea of sending Jenny out-of-town never occurs to him? Highly implausible from where I'm sitting.

Anyway, my issues aside, this film isn't the boring slog I initially thought it was when I first watched it. Its a slow-burn to be sure, but its creepy, has a few moments of slasher-esque gore, and has one hell of a rib-sticking ending.

Three-and-a-half stars. ***1/2