Incubus poster & wallpaper

William Shatner, Allyson Ames, Eloise Hardt

This black and white horror movie, filmed in California but with dialogue in Esperanto, is unlike anything you've ever seen. Incubus inverts the usual moral battle of a good person tempted by e...( read more  read more... )vil. When a headstrong, blond, young succubus named Kia (Allyson Ames) becomes bored with luring the corrupt and sinful to their ultimate demise, she decides she's going to tackle a truly good man (in the form of a very young William Shatner, of all people). An older, wiser succubus warns Kia that the good have an uncanny power called love, but Kia recklessly dives in, confident in her seductive powers--until she finds herself spiritually defiled by goodness and must summon an incubus (Milos Milos) to enact revenge. The pacing is slow but eerily effective, as are the stark cinematography and low-budget effects. Shatner's intonations are just as distinctive in Esperanto as in English, but that only adds to the movie's overall stylization. Incubus shares a kinship with Carnival of Souls, another low-budget black and white horror film that has more going on than buckets of gore. Though Incubus would seem to be heavily influenced by Ingmar Bergman, director Leslie Stevens has said he was more affected by Japanese samurai films. A strikingly unique and beautifully creepy film. --Bret Fetzer

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55% liked it

1,337 ratings

Critics

63% liked it

8 critics

Unrated, 76 min.

Directed by: Leslie Stevens

Release Date: January 1, 1965

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DVD Release Date: May 8, 2001

Stats: 98 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (98)

  • kenstachnik
    March 25, 2008
    kenstachnik
    Very very weird. The only movie ever shot in Esperanto
  • ClintonKirk
    February 1, 2008
    ClintonKirk
    A really interesting film, mainly as a curiosity, shot in creepy black and white and starring Bill Shatner. Spoken in the constructed language of Esperanto and subtitled in English, this Gothic horror movie is definitely unique and one of those odd film relics that are the punch...( read more)lines to trivia questions.
  • mjgildea
    November 22, 2006
    mjgildea
    Complete and total ridiculousness. Classic Shatner overacting.
  • phaedrus99
    June 23, 2008
    phaedrus99
    Wonderful early William Shatner. Suspenseful. The direction is reminiscent of some of Ingmar Bergman's work
  • estespouse
    November 26, 2007
    estespouse
    Esperanto schmesperanto.
  • mattmartinez11
    November 8, 2007
    mattmartinez11
    There are two ways to watch this movie, 1) as pure camp, or 2) as an odd foreign-language arthouse horror film. I rented it purely with the intention of watching it as #1, but not long into it, I suddenly started to appreciate it as #2. (No, I'm not comparing it to crap.) I later...( read more) found out that writer/director Leslie Stevens had also created The Outer Limits, and this movie feels like it could have been an extended episode of that TV series. The setting immediately intrigued me, as it's as though it's anywhere but nowhere. There's no particular time given; the clothing (especially Shatner's) looks as though it could be modern. (In a neat touch, though, Shatner never wears his jacket like a jacket but drapes it over his shoulders like a cape.) Then there's the fact that the supernatural and the natural interact freely without any mention of it being truly extraordinary. Add to that the fact that the characters all speak an unknown (and dead) language, and it all adds up to a truly otherworldly feel. Honestly, I feel as though the Esperanto actually helps to temper Shatner's performance. I mean, he's still Shatner, so the viewer does have to get over that, but he's very naturalistic (with the exception of scene or two). The cinematography is also top notch. Overall, I think it's an atmospheric masterpiece. Now, if only someone could find a clean print so new subtitles could be added that don't obscure the bottom third of the screen.
  • hugonar
    November 1, 2007
    hugonar
    Not interested. I generally avoid horror movies.
  • Venieza
    July 19, 2007
    Venieza
    All CLASSICS are GOOD
  • marilamerma
    May 31, 2007
    marilamerma
    Ye si want to see it! ermmmm no wait! you are not talking about Incubus the band??? erm then no. sorry
  • blackeyedsurfer
    May 9, 2007
    blackeyedsurfer
    Couldn't pay attention to it.

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Comments

  • LedZeppelinRockz
    January 2, 2008
    LedZeppelinRockz
    shoot i thought this was about the band incubus... oh well then.
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Incubus Trivia

  • What movie is this tagline from, "If you think you can escape, you're dreaming"?  Answer »
  • Who connects Knots, Incubus, My Bosses Daughter, Van Wilder, American Pie 2, Josie And The Pussy Cats, Just Visitin ?  Answer »
  • The 1965 William Shatner movie "Incubus" was filmed entirely in what supposedly emerging world language?  Answer »
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