A respected psychologist, portrayed by Richard Crenna, buys a large estate nestled within the Southwestern mountains, intending to transform it into a facility for drug rehabilitation. He assembles a group of students and colleagues, and their work gets underway when unsettling paranormal events begin and people start dying in disturbing ways. "The Evil" (1978) falls under the category of haunted house horror, similar to films like "The Legend of Hell House" (1973), "The Devil's Nightmare" (1971), and the upcoming "The Amityville Horror" (1979). While it doesn’t reach the heights of “Devil’s Nightmare” or match the quality of “Amityville Horror,” its standard is comparable to “Legend of Hell House," and it would later influence other supernatural movies, such as “Ghost” (1990). Crenna, perhaps most recognized for his role as Col. Trautman in the Rambo series, delivers a solid performance as the lead character. Victor Buono also appears in an intriguing part—some may recall him playing King Tut on the campy Batman television show. Joanna Pettet, Mary Louise Weller, Cassie Yates, and Lynne Moody round out the female cast. Pettet and Weller are visually striking, although not particularly curvy. It’s noteworthy to observe the fashion trends of the mid-1970s, where women wore very tight pants that accentuated every contour—a style that isn't especially flattering. Some viewers express dissatisfaction with the ending, but at least the film doesn't offer a vague resolution; instead, it plainly reveals the origin of "the evil." C.J. Arnold (Crenna), a successful psychologist, acknowledges that he once made lighthearted remarks about God and the devil during social gatherings. The final scenes reveal a disturbing truth. It’s possible things could have been presented in a more traditional fashion, but the filmmakers seemingly lacked the resources to do so (comparable to 1985's "Legend"). Consequently, they opted for an unconventional approach. Ultimately, this is a passable yet somewhat disappointing haunted house movie. The startling moments feel excessive and occasionally comical, and it would have benefited from more focus on character development. A standout feature is the castle-like mansion itself, which brought to mind my visit to Mansfield Reformatory in Ohio, the prison featured in “The Shawshank Redemption.” The film’s running time is 1 hour and 29 minutes; filming took place at Montezuma Castle in northern New Mexico, as well as nearby Las Vegas (a different location than the more famous city in Nevada, which lies 500 miles to the west). GRADE: C+

Source on TMDB