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Les secrets de l'invisible

Original title: The Unseen
  • 1980
  • 12
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
5.3/10
2.5K
YOUR RATING
Barbara Bach in Les secrets de l'invisible (1980)
A trio of female reporters find themselves staying overnight in a house occupied by a hostile being lurking in the basement.
Play trailer1:59
1 Video
67 Photos
Slasher HorrorHorrorThriller

Three female reporters find themselves staying overnight in a house occupied by a hostile being that lurks in the basement.Three female reporters find themselves staying overnight in a house occupied by a hostile being that lurks in the basement.Three female reporters find themselves staying overnight in a house occupied by a hostile being that lurks in the basement.

  • Director
    • Danny Steinmann
  • Writers
    • Michael L. Grace
    • Kim Henkel
    • Nancy Rifkin
  • Stars
    • Barbara Bach
    • Sydney Lassick
    • Lelia Goldoni
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.3/10
    2.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Danny Steinmann
    • Writers
      • Michael L. Grace
      • Kim Henkel
      • Nancy Rifkin
    • Stars
      • Barbara Bach
      • Sydney Lassick
      • Lelia Goldoni
    • 54User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:59
    Trailer

    Photos67

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    Top cast8

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    Barbara Bach
    Barbara Bach
    • Jennifer Fast
    Sydney Lassick
    Sydney Lassick
    • Ernest Keller
    Lelia Goldoni
    Lelia Goldoni
    • Virginia Keller
    Karen Lamm
    Karen Lamm
    • Karen Fast
    Douglas Barr
    Douglas Barr
    • Tony Ross
    • (as Doug Barr)
    Lois Young
    • Vicki Thompson
    Maida Severn
    Maida Severn
    • Solvang Lady
    Stephen Furst
    Stephen Furst
    • 'Junior' Keller (The Unseen)
    • Director
      • Danny Steinmann
    • Writers
      • Michael L. Grace
      • Kim Henkel
      • Nancy Rifkin
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews54

    5.32.4K
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    Featured reviews

    5drownsoda90

    Rather dull proceedings sprinkled with memorable moments

    "The Unseen" has Barbara Bach as one of three female Los Angeles news reporters who are in Northern California to cover a local festival. They end up boarding at an old farmhouse after finding all the hotels in town to be booked, and each individually come face-to-face with a sinister presence lurking in the basement of the home.

    Given the credentials of its makers, one would think that "The Unseen" would excel as a genre picture— an early directing credit of cult filmmaker Danny Steinmann, director of "Savage Streets" and "Friday the 13th: A New Beginning," it was also co-written by Kim "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" Henkel, and even featured crew members fresh off of John Carpenter's "Halloween." What could possibly go wrong, right? Well, sort of.

    "The Unseen" is a visually appealing film; the cinematography is slick and there is a fair amount of atmosphere here (never mind the overuse of slow-motion shots at peak suspense sequences); it does have a fair share of problems though. Not only is is it staggeringly predictable, but it's also incredibly dull for the first hour. Mind, this is not a body count film by any means, but what it lacks in visual carnage, it fails to make up for in adequate suspense.

    There are two key scenes that occur in the film's first hour that kept me drawn in, and they are admittedly well-executed. That's really all to be had here though. Family hysterics abound as the loopy couple who own the farmhouse exhibit their own neuroses, and the familial drama reaches its peak point in the film's goofy climax where the "unseen"'s true identity is revealed (not to much surprise). The film is in many ways similar to Denny Harris' "The Silent Scream," which was made the same year— they share very similar tonal elements, and also complement each other in terms of architectural dwellings of the villains; "The Unseen" lurks in the basement, while the villain in "The Silent Scream" resides in a secret attic. They actually would make a fantastic double feature, though "Silent Scream" is a bit more engaging of a film.

    The performances here are actually decent, though Barbara Bach is lacking in the emotive department; she does make up for this though with a great performance during the finale sequences, letting some impressive screams loose. Stephen Furst deserves attention for a disturbing turn as the "unseen," and Sydney Lassick and Lelia Goldoni are madcap mad and wildly hysterical, respectively.

    Overall, "The Unseen" is a decent offering from the genre, but doesn't seem to know whether it wants to be a suspense film or a slasher film. Its victim list is far too short to qualify it as a slasher picture, but it lacks the cohesive tension of a suspense film. What we end up with is a dull and ultimately predictable horror flick that is just enough to be slightly memorable, but not enough to truly stand out. There are some well-played sequences and a decent climax, but the majority of the picture is too plodding to truly engage with. 5/10.
    TonyDood

    Mentally ill fun

    This is not a film for the typical horror fan; this movie appeals to those who enjoy a little mental disturbance with their terror. Or even a laugh or two. I can't believe they didn't know that it was funny to watch Stephn Furst acting like a mentally challenged mutant monster, ala "The Goonies," it HAD to be intentional, and as such I applaud the filmmakers!

    The story is about something horrible in the basement and Barbara Bach finds out what it is, after the usual set-up story points. There's little more to it than that. The reason to seek this film out is if you are a lover of mutants and like a little madness in your scary movies.

    Otherwise, stick to something more safe and traditional.
    5lee_eisenberg

    Ringo's wife meets Flounder

    Since "The Unseen" is your basic B movie, the only reason to see it is that it stars Barbara Bach (Ringo Starr's wife), Stephen Furst (Flounder in "Animal House") and Sydney Lassick (Cheswith in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and also the principal in "Carrie"). No, seriously. That's the only reason to check it out: The Beatles, John Belushi and Stephen King are linked by a story of three women staying in a house inhabited by a carnivorous inbred! If only the founders of Solvang had predicted this! Sorry if I haven't done the greatest job describing the movie. It's just that a cast like this easily eclipses the movie, in my view. Granted, there are a few of the requirements for horror flicks, namely the bathtub scene. Otherwise, nothing significant here.

    PS: Barbara Bach had previously starred in a similar movie with a similarly jaw-dropping cast. That movie was the Italian horror flick "L'isola delli uomini pesce" (called "Screamers" in the US), in which she co-starred with Mel Ferrer, aka Audrey Hepburn's ex. Yes, it's true. Ringo Starr's soon-to-be wife and Audrey Hepburn's ex co-starred in a movie about half-human, half-fish creatures.
    8silversprdave

    Good atmosphere saves a slow paced movie

    The Unseen is done in a style more like old Hollywood mysteries than a horror show. The film is somewhat slow but lots of bizarre imagery keeps it the film alive and watchable. The basic idea of young girls stalked by something in the basement is old, but good acting and production make the movie worth watching. The movie is notable for its emotional impact and certainly not for any explicit action or special effects. I rated it an 8 out of 10.
    7annablair-19191

    Suspenseful

    I had seen The Unseen on TV years ago, but I didn't remember enjoying it that much. Something about it felt bland. Upon rewatching it a few nights ago, I was surprised by how well made and entertaining it was.

    Three female reporters (including Barbara Bach) head up to Slovang, California to cover a big festival. There's a mix up with their hotel room and they find themselves without a place to stay. An odd man (Sydney Lassick) offers them a room at his home and they accept. Little do they know that this will be a huge mistake that will put all their lives at risk.

    The Unseen won't get any major points for creative gore effects or inventive murders. In fact, that might be why I didn't care for it much when I saw it, having been raised on Friday the 13th movies. The death scenes are unremarkable and a little boring, but the story surrounding them is far better than most of the junk they'd throw into slasher films around this time. The characters actually have arcs and things to do and don't just sit around waiting to be killed off.

    Barbara Bach is beautiful and handles herself fine during the finale when she's drenched in rain, mud, and blood, but she's a little comatose throughout the rest of the film. She's likable enough, but one does wonder what a more interesting actress would have done with the role. Lassick is at his creepy best and Lelia Goldoni as his put upon wife might just steal the show in a role that has precious few lines, but a lot of presence. She's playing for maximum Greek tragedy and she's wonderful. Stephen Furst of Animal House fame shows up in a totally unrecognizable role and brings his character a ton of unexpected pathos even under pounds of prosthetics. It's a marvel of a performance.

    The Unseen could have used a little more thought and detail put into the murder set pieces to make them scarier and a little more creative, but the rest of the package is so interesting that it's not that big of a deal.

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    Related interests

    Roger Jackson in Scream (1996)
    Slasher Horror
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Danny Steinmann was upset with the final cut of the film because it missed most of the major scares. He had his name removed from the movie and was credited under the pseudonym "Peter Foleg".
    • Goofs
      When Jennifer dislodges the power box, it short circuits and begins arcing over several inches. However, regular household power is 110/220 volts (the 220 being two independent 110-volt feeds). Under normal conditions, it takes approximately 1000 volts to arc one inch. Therefore, the voltage on the power box would have to be around 3-4000 volts in order to arc that far. Household power does not have the voltage necessary to produce a 3 to 4-inch arc.
    • Quotes

      Ernest Keller: I wonder what Junior's fate would be... I wonder... Seems obvious to me, my dear, they would not treat him so kindly. He would suffer greatly.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Unseen: Interview with Make-up Effects Artist Craig Reardon (2008)

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    FAQ16

    • How long is The Unseen?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 2, 1982 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Watch on Pave TV
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • L'invisible
    • Filming locations
      • 11840 W. Telegraph Rd., Santa Paula, California, USA(House Exteriors)
    • Production company
      • Triune Films (II)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 29m(89 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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