The Evil (1978)

A psychologist (Richard Crenna) and his doctor wife (Joanna Pettet) buy a dilapidated historical mansion with a dark past. Hoping to restore the estate, he accepts the help of some of his students and patients. But when a secret door in the basement is opened, a malevolent presence is unleashed and traps everyone inside with no means of escape. Directed by Gus Trikonis, this silly horror film feels like a TV movie but it was a theatrical release. The film actually received some favorable reviews but I found it lacked originality and the dumb dialogue edges the film toward camp. Example: the characters are trapped in a house by an evil spirit with no way out and when a hysterical girl shrieks, "We're never getting out of here alive!", her boyfriend slaps her and says, "It's all right!". Huh? You're trapped in a house with Satan (Victor Buono) living in the basement and it's "all right"? Then when Crenna tells everyone to stick together and no one venture off by themselves for safety reasons, what happens? Yes, everyone ventures off alone so they can meet a grisly end. It's that kind of movie. It's sort of enjoyable in the way that bad movies can sometimes be but just know what you're in for. With Andrew Prine, Cassie Yates, Lynne Moody and Robert Viharo.