8 Horror Movies Supposedly Based On "True" Events
4. The Entity (1982)
1982's The Entity was rather quiet about its roots in an actual case of paranormal phenomena.
The film stars Barbara Hershey as a woman experiencing a series of sexual attacks from an unseen predator. By itself this is shocking enough: mixing the paranormal and sexual violence is deeply uncomfortable. A brief crawl concludes that the events we have just witnessed are true. But just how accurate is that statement?
All that is known for sure is The Entity was born of reports from a woman named Doris Bither in 1974. Her claims of violation by unseen spirits have been retold through the years by parapsychologist Barry Taff. However, other than his word and one photo of a supposedly "ghostly" orb, there is little other evidence as to just how much of this actually took place.
The fact that best selling fiction author Frank De Felitta was appointed to write a novel in 1978 means one can't help but become skeptical of these claims. Releasing only one year after The Amityville Horror book became a phenomenon makes it quite feasible this bizarre story was exaggerated for a blooming marketplace.
In the years since neighbours of claimant Doris Bither have been open about her struggles with mental illness and alcoholism. Could The Entity have been born of eagerness to advance careers at the expense of a vulnerable woman?