The following article contains discussions of rape that some readers may find disturbing.
While not common, there are some horror movies based on true stories, leading some to question if The Entity’s Carla Moran is a real person. The 1982 supernatural horror film, directed by Sidney J. Furie, tells the story of a woman terrorized by vicious unseen attackers, sparking huge controversy when it was released.
In the film, when single mom Carla Moran (Barbara Hershey) is assaulted and raped by a poltergeist, no one believes her. Her psychiatrist, Dr. Sneiderman (Ron Silver), believes that she is hallucinating, and even Carla’s teenage son thinks it’s all in her head – at first. Eventually, Carla gets help from two parapsychologists who try to help her get rid of the dangerous entity. With shockingly graphic scenes of sexual violence, it may seem hard to believe that Carla’s story is based on true events. However, what happened to her in the movie allegedly happened to a real person.
The character of Carla Moran is fictional, but her story is inspired by an actual person. In the 1970s, a woman named Doris Bither lived in Culver City, California, with her four children. In 1974, following a lecture at a local bookstore, Bither approached Dr. Barry Taff and Dr. Kerry Gaynor, two parapsychologists from UCLA. She told the men that she had been experiencing poltergeist activity in her home, including being sexually assaulted by a large invisible spirit while held down by two smaller ones.
The parapsychologists reacted to her tale with skepticism, but Bither invited them into her home to witness the paranormal activity for themselves. They experienced a series of strange events, including flickering lights, cabinet doors flinging open, and pots and pans seemingly thrown across the room. They also experienced strange smells and cold temperatures, and they interviewed Bither’s children, who corroborated her story.
As the events in The Entity unfold, it seems like a typical horror movie, but the story is rooted in true events. The 1970s marked a period of increased interest in parapsychology, and Bither’s case is one of the most well-known cases of alleged hauntings. However, some reports have questioned the authenticity of the events, and Bither’s family has disputed certain claims made about the case.
The inspiration behind The Entity is a Frank Felitta novel of the same name, published in 1978. The book was a bestseller and sparked a renewed interest in parapsychology, which, in turn, led to the creation of the 1982 film. While the movie is fictionalized, it is based on real events, making it a unique blend of fact and fiction.