Prey (1977)

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A deadly alien lands in the English countryside and assumes the form of a human male. Two lesbians living in a large manor invite him for dinner, and then to stay the night. He studies them with great curiosity… but he’s also hungry. He eats their chickens and some of the local wildlife. His presence begins to drive a wedge between the women, just as one of them begins to suspect there’s something not quite right about him.

Prey starts like a horror film, but director Norman J. Warren (Inseminoid) quickly turns it into a somewhat surprising chamber drama. The women turn out not to have an idyllic relationship. Jessica (Glory Annen) threatens to leave, but the controlling Josephine (Sally Faulkner) won’t hear of it. The alien (Barry Stokes) stokes jealousy with his mere presence, but when Josephine determines he’s a threat to them, Jessica doesn’t believe her. In fact, she thinks Josephine may have even killed her old boyfriend.

Some of the acting is stiff and there’s some dialogue that lands with a thud. The sci-fi and horror angles of the story are downplayed, mostly suggested with off-camera sounds and lighting. It’s just as well, because when the alien isn’t in human form, his makeup is less than convincing. But for its original premise and interesting character dynamics, Prey is a curiosity worth a gander.