Long before movies like The Sixth Sense, The Others (also inspired by The Turn of the Screw), and even Ghost there came this 1962 independent horror film, which in addition to the ghost-reversal genre also inspired directors such as David Lynch and George A. Romero. Indeed, the ghouls in this film complement those of Night of the Living Dead. Shot in Lawrence, Kansas, and Salt Lake City, Utah, Carnival of Souls is an experiment in terror that relies more on mood and characterization than special effects. Shot in black and white, the film may feel slow and may not evoke many scares for modern audiences, as this genre has since been done to death, but for those interested in a curio that set the standard, Carnival of Souls is worth a look.
The story centers on a young woman by the name of Mary (Candace Hilligoss) who at the film’s opening is along for a ride with a couple of girlfriends. A car with two boys pulls alongside them, with the passenger challenging the girls to a friendly race. The race turns deadly, however, along a two-lane bridge, where one car accidently strikes the other, sending the girls plummeting into a deep body of water below.
Hours later, Mary emerges from the water. She is in shock and is quickly tended to by local law-enforcement personnel. Mary then proceeds with her plan to play the organ for a church, although she herself is not religious. A moody, organ-driven score courtesy of Gene Moore punctuates the woman’s somber, melancholy mood.
After making a good impression with the church’s priest, Mary rents a room from Mrs. Thomas and meets the only other tenant, John Linden, who takes a special shin to her. But Mary is aloof, preferring to be alone. Aggravating her mood even more is that fact that she begins to experience bizarre interludes in which she loses her sense of hearing and notices that no one else can see her. She also begins to see a ghoulish figure out of the corner of eye. This character, known as “The Man,” is strange and menacing from a distance.
Mary soon learns of an abandoned carnival, a place once filled with frivolity but since closed down for some unknown reason. It is here that The Man and other ghosts—or ghouls—spend their time, mostly dancing at different speeds, a hint that time means nothing in their realm. At length Mary encounters these beings up close, and as they surround her, she begins to dance with The Man, her face becoming as ghoulish as his. As she succumbs to slumber, we feel that this time she will not wake up again.
In the meantime, men have successfully recovered the girls’ car. Inside they find Mary, quite dead.
Directed by Herk Harvey (who plays The Man), Carnival of Souls is an uneven film. Although Hilligoss is quite good, other players lack the acting chops to help her carry the film. Hilligoss’ scenes with Sidney Berge (who plays John Linden) are particularly awkward, with Berge’s overacting detracting from the scenes. The melancholy and moody atmosphere throughout the film is very effective, and it’s easy to fall prey to some of the scares, even when you can sense they are coming.
In 1998, directors Adam Grossman and Ian Kessner remade Carnival of Souls, releasing it as Wes Craven Presents “Carnival of Souls.” Avoid this version and instead take the time to watch the original B-movie. It might surprise you.
This movie is part of 50 Movies: Horror Classics, a collection of 50 horror movies on DVD that feature Vincent Price, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and many more. It’s available for only $13.49 at Amazon!
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