In this supernatural thriller, Norah Benson (Shirley Mac Laine) is a wealthy woman living in Manhattan who keeps a watchful eye on her brother Joel (Perry King), who lives in a rough section of the East Village. When Joel begins acting strangely & playing too rough with the children, Norah begins to suspect that all is not right. After Joel is arrested for assaulting the custodian of his building, his girlfriend Carrie (Lisa Kohane) is found decapitated. Norah soon discovers that her brother has become involved with Santeria, a religion that combines voodoo with elements of Catholicism. This film predates ' The Exorcist' (1973) but deals with similar themes of possession & family trauma.