Is Incubus a Hidden Treasure or Dumpster Fire?
Blu-ray Distributed By: Vinegar Syndrome / October 30, 2018
A quiet New England town becomes the site of a grisly murder and assault, leaving a young man dead and his girlfriend in critical condition. Sam Cordell, head surgeon and medical examiner at the local hospital, senses something isn’t quite normal about the attacker, but barely a day later, another woman is savagely assaulted and killed. With the realization that a maniac is on the loose, Sam, with the help of police chief Hank Walden and newspaper columnist Laura Kincaid, must unravel the mystery before additional murders occur, all the while unaware that Sam’s own daughter, Jenny, might be next on the victim list…
An intense and disturbing supernatural slasher, John Hough’s (LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, AMERICAN GOTHIC) THE INCUBUS stars acclaimed actor and filmmaker John Cassavetes (A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE), John Ireland (THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME) and Kerrie Keane (SPASMS) in her feature film debut. Stylishly photographed by Albert J. Dunk (CLASS OF 1984) and scored by Stanley Meyers (THE DEER HUNTER), Vinegar Syndrome brings this 80s terror classic to Blu-ray for the first time.
Trashmen Rubbish Round Table
Jimbo
JimboIncubus, blu-ray released by Vinegar Syndrome, was my pick this time…
Travis
I pulled a Jamie on this one and needed some trailer refreshers to jog my memory.
Jamie
That’s funny as this one stayed with me, which is a good sign.
Jimbo
I think this movie is fantastic, but it is far from perfect. It’s one of Vinegar Syndrome’s more “sophisticated” releases. It’s not just some drive-in trash or sexploitation flick. Incubus boasts an excellent cast, talented director, and a story that kept me thinking well after we watched it.
Jamie
I rather enjoyed Incubus. It’s a strange movie albeit with odd overtones of incest and demonology. But what works is the fast pacing and entertaining moments such as the violent deaths. One farmer gets a shovel in his throat that causes him to blow off his foot with a shotgun, while being tossed out of a barn.
Travis
While I did like this, and lots of stuff left an impression, I don’t recall things that make this a great film on the whole. I have to think that’s somewhat of a hit on my final score.
Jimbo
It has a dreamlike quality about it. The first two-thirds keep you interested with evolving information that’s clouded in ambiguity, further elevating the mystery. I only felt like the movie started to drag in the final act when the movie devolves into talking heads trying to vocalize and explain some of the strange goings-on from Act 1 and 2.
There’s a bit of a head fake at the beginning. The movie sets itself up like a traditional slasher mystery, like Friday the 13th. There’s a young couple lounging at a quarry, and we get some laughable moments as the boyfriend calls his girlfriend a “bitch” in a insulting, yet flirtatious, kind of way. She certainly didn’t seem to mind… (But we got a good chuckle out of it.) Out of sight, is our unseen killer. Director John Hough makes use of the traditional POV “stalker shot” to illustrate an intruder lurking behind some concealing object. And true to form, the couple end up perishing in a bloody and horrible way.
But the movie quickly pivots to let you know this is going to be a much more atmospheric and somber affair. Tonally, Incubus reminds me more of films like The Changeling or Hough’s earlier film efforts – The Legend of Hell House or The Watcher in the Woods.
Travis
The opening scene is pretty goddamn funny, and Sam’s (Cassavetes) repeated use of the phrase “dry rape” becomes humorous the more times people say it. A few of the stalk and kills are good for either the previously mentioned gore or for smushing titties on glass which is always funny.
This isn’t a comedy though! I have to assume they went for a straight horror with the incubus angle. I just wish the plot and execution were a little better.
Jamie
The movie’s plot is a bit muddled and it’s never clear as to why this demon has chosen it’s victims.
Jimbo
I don’t think the plot is muddled at all. I do think the style is a little all over the place. Some scenes play like traditional slasher fare (opening scene, farmer scene). While others aspects play more metaphysical and dream-like (Jenny’s boyfriend having fever dreams). But it all still seems to work because John Cassavetes is intense and serious as Sam, and he grounds the film. And the rape attacks are most certainly not played for laughs.
Jamie
John Hough is a great director and while this doesn’t hold a candle to The Legend of Hell House, a horror film I hold near and dear to me, this is still a pretty entertaining film and has some genuine moments of atmosphere and horror.
I would have liked to have seen the creature more at the end. It’s way too brief.
Travis
Good point. I understand the reasons to hold off on showing a monster (either budget or dramatic), but once you do, don’t half ass it. Always frustrating.
Jimbo
I think you guys just stumbled upon the most fundamental problem with Incubus. This movie is structured as a mystery, not a monster movie. The title “Incubus” (if you know what that is) suggests the opposite.
I think the screenwriters (and author of the original 1976 novel by the same name) assume you either don’t know what an incubus is or won’t ask prior to watching this. For us, the title “Incubus” betrays the most fundamental mystery and potential surprise at the end. I’m not suggesting they should have changed the title. But I think we would have enjoyed the movie even more if we didn’t know an incubus was at play. Instead, I think we spend more time (too soon) anticipating to see the monster.
Jamie
I agree, the anticipation of the monster was what I was waiting for. Granted you see it’s hands as he pulls the legs from one of its victims. Typically this doesn’t bother me but like you said, with a title like Incubus, I was expecting to see more of the monster.
I also wasn’t quite sure how the “twist” ending played out – seems like it came out of nowhere.
Jimbo
I think the John Hough or Kerrie Keane interviews on the blu-ray address this directly (Admittedly I turned on the blu-ray special features but only half payed attention). I’m pretty sure I overheard Kerrie Keane mention that the decision on the identity of the Incubus was a last minute decision.
I haven’t read the book, but based on how the movie is structured, I suspect that someone during production may have predicted, or had the foresight, that the target audience would know what an incubus is/was. How else can you explain the kind of cheap “gotcha” twist ending? The creepy incest undertones and Sam’s backstory regarding the mysterious death of his wife leads me to believe the book has a much different ending.
As it stands, the ending only barely makes sense with a few lines of expository dialogue during Act 3. I feel like the ending cheapens Incubus, but not in a gratuitous or trashy way.
Jamie
The film never came off as trashy where something like Humanoids From the Deep, another monster that rapes its victims, is pure exploitation. Along with other sexually motivated monsters like The Beast Within and to some extent, Wolfen.
Travis
Good point on the comparison to Humanoids (which is a great movie on its own). While this certainly had the potential to be extra trashy, and it does have the slasher POV stalkings, it does try to keep up appearances by staying as serious as possible with the subject material. Incubus is certainly better than The Beast Within. I think I’m talking myself into liking this movie more?
Jimbo
Even though the ending feels like a cheat, I think it’s a testament to the talents of the filmmakers that this movie still remains very effective. Even though I was expecting to see an Incubus from the very beginning, I was still completely engrossed in the character’s journey. I cared about the cast – especially young, vulnerable Jenny. And Hough is successful creating a generally suspenseful and creepy atmosphere.
Hidden Treasure/Dumpster Fire?
Hidden Treasure
| Jimbo: |  (4.0 / 5) |
| Jamie: |  (3.5 / 5) |
| Travis: |  (3.0 / 5) |
| Average: | (3.5 / 5) |
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Special Features
- Region A Blu-ray/DVD combo
- Newly scanned & restored in 4k, mostly from its 35mm negative, with one reel sourced from a 35mm print
- Interview with director John Hough
- Interview with lead actress Kerrie Keane
- Interview with cinematographer Albert J. Dunk
- Trims and alternate shots
- Original theatrical trailer
- TV spots
- Commentary track with The Hysteria Continues!
- Reversible cover artwork
- English SDH subtitles
