Movie Review: Incubus

Incubus
1965
Directed by Leslie Stevens


If the fact that this movie is entirely in Esperanto, and stars William Shatner , isn't bizzare enough for you, then you will be delighted (or maybe horrifed) to know that these two items are merely the tip of the Incubus iceberg.

Kia, the succubus, is very good at leading men to their death. But she becomes disatisfied with killing corrupt men, and wants to harvest a pure soul for the fires of Hell. However, her (what could only be described as) succubus den mother tries to dissaude her from the idea, saying that the good have a dangerous power called love.

Enter the wounded soilder Marco, played by William Shatner, who apperently is pure of heart and without taint.

Beautifully shot black and white wackiness ensues. Kai falls for Marco. Marco's sister goes blind. Evil Sucubus Den Mother makes blind sister mute. Kai's heart is broken. Evil Sucubus Den Mother raises an Incubus to rape and kill Marco's sister. Kia repents. Giant devil goat attacks. The End...errr I mean Fino.

Despite the low budget horror atmosphere, I was surpsringly impressed and distrubed by this film. The cinematography was a definte homage to Bergmen's The Seventh Seal. So that was a plus. The rape and death of the sister made me sad even though I saw it coming. The goat scared the crap out of me.

I also felt horrible for Kia and wondered if there was any hope for me, which is commonly a sign I'm out past my bedtime. In legends succubi typically only seduce men, sometimes killing them from exhaustion. But Kia collected rotten souls. The Evil Den Mother compares the corrupt souls to wheat, saying that eventually they need to be harvested. Understandably, Kia tires of this employment and looks for something better. I started to get maudlin over the whole thing. My roommate said I was not allowed to over empathize with a William Shanter movie and made me go to bed.

So there you have it. Incubus, a movie you should only watch in a large group. Especially, if you are afriad of goats or have unresolved succubi identity issues.

So on that note. I leave you with something fun and uplifting. Captin Kirk and Spock slash! This video is excellent. I've watched it about 4 times now, just ohhhing and awwwing over the sepia filter and pacing. Enjoy it and share it with someone you love.