The story of A Visit from the Incubus
A Visit from the Incubus opens on a premise that's equal parts unsettling and absurd: Lucy, a young Victorian woman adrift in the Old West, is being tormented by nightly visits from an incubus—a supernatural entity with a taste for sexual violation. What could've been purely grim instead becomes something stranger, funnier, and more human. Her friend Madeleine tries to console her, but there's only so much sympathy can do against a demon. Desperate for escape and income, Lucy lands a job singing at the local saloon, a place of rowdy cowboys, saucy can-can girls, and—wouldn't you know it—the incubus has followed her there too. The film's final act pivots sharply: instead of victimhood, Lucy and the Incubus face off in a showdown that nobody quite sees coming. At 27 minutes, the film moves with the pace of something that knows exactly what it wants to say and doesn't waste a frame getting there.
Behind the making of A Visit from the Incubus
Directed and produced by Anna Biller under her Anna Biller Productions banner, A Visit from the Incubus emerged in 2001 as a singular vision—a short film that refuses easy categorization. Biller, who'd go on to create the cult phenomenon The Love Witch (2015), brings her signature aesthetic here: meticulous production design, a palette that feels almost hand-painted, and a willingness to treat B-movie material with genuine artistic care. The film spans multiple genres—horror, comedy, music, and western—but doesn't feel scattered; instead, it feels like Biller is working in her own language, one where those boundaries don't really exist. The IMDb community has rated it 6.4/10, which tells you something important: this isn't a film designed to please everyone, and it doesn't try. It's a work made for people who get the joke, who understand that you can take your subject matter seriously while refusing to take yourself seriously. The runtime—a brisk 27 minutes—gives the whole thing the feel of a fever dream, something you experience rather than something that explains itself to you.
What makes A Visit from the Incubus stand out
What's striking is how the film manages to address something genuinely dark—sexual assault, the supernatural violation of a woman's body and autonomy—while wrapping it in camp, color, and humor. That's not a contradiction. It's actually the whole point. The audience reviews capture this balance perfectly: one viewer noted the film is "a story about a woman's triumph after a supernatural sexual trespass," but also "lovingly campy, colorful, and funny." That's the alchemy Biller pulls off. She doesn't minimize Lucy's suffering, but she also doesn't wallow in it. Instead, she gives her protagonist agency, a voice, and ultimately—a way out that feels earned rather than handed to her. The performances are pitched just right: there's a theatricality to everything, a knowingness, but it never tips into parody. The saloon sequence, where Lucy performs while the incubus lurks among the cowboys, becomes genuinely tense because you believe Lucy's desperation even as the setting itself is deliberately artificial. It's a high-wire act, and Biller walks it without a net. The film's commitment to its own visual language—those colors, the costumes, the way the frame is composed—makes it feel like stepping into a storybook that's been left out in the rain and is starting to bleed at the edges.
How to watch A Visit from the Incubus online
A Visit from the Incubus is available across major OTT services, which means you've got options depending on your subscription setup. Rather than hunting across a dozen platforms yourself, Movie OTT maintains a real-time tracker of where this title streams right now—whether that's Netflix, Prime Video, or another major service. The "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page will show you exactly which platforms currently have it available in your region, so you can jump straight to watching without the guesswork. At just 27 minutes, it's the kind of film that fits into an evening without demanding a huge time commitment, making it perfect for discovery. Given how specific and singular Biller's vision is, it's worth seeking out wherever it's currently streaming.
Frequently asked questions
Q: Who directed A Visit from the Incubus?
Anna Biller directed and produced the film under her own production company, Anna Biller Productions. Biller is also known for directing the cult classic The Love Witch (2015), and her distinctive visual style is evident throughout this 2001 short.
Q: Is A Visit from the Incubus based on a true story?
No, it's an original work of fiction created by Anna Biller. The film blends folklore about incubi (supernatural entities from myth and legend) with the Western genre and musical comedy elements to create something entirely Biller's own.
Q: How long is A Visit from the Incubus?
The film runs 27 minutes, making it a short film rather than a feature. This compact runtime works in its favor—it moves quickly and leaves you wanting to discuss it immediately afterward.
Q: What genres does A Visit from the Incubus combine?
A Visit from the Incubus blends horror, comedy, music, and Western genres into a single film. It's campy and colorful, but grounded in genuine themes about female agency and survival.
Q: Where can I stream A Visit from the Incubus right now?
The film is available on major OTT platforms. Check the "Where to Watch" widget at the top of this page to see current availability in your region, or visit Movie OTT's streaming tracker for up-to-date information.
Final thoughts on A Visit from the Incubus
A Visit from the Incubus is a small film with a big personality. It doesn't have the budget or runtime of a feature, but it doesn't need them—it's got something rarer: a clear artistic vision and the skill to execute it. If you're tired of horror that takes itself too seriously, or Westerns that can't find their sense of humor, or musicals that forget to be weird, this is your film. Lucy's story—from tormented victim to woman who faces down her demon—stays with you long after those 27 minutes end. That's the mark of something made with real care and real conviction.
