Review of Carnival of Souls (1962) by Paul P — 07 Jun 2007

A Can't Cheat Death... :=8(.

Odd, eerie, effective little b-moovie about an up-tight, mousy organist who survives (sort of...) a car wreck off a bridge, only to be pursued by visions of faces and dead people. Campy at times, unsettling at others, Carnival of Souls is nonetheless entertaining and imaginative. This moovie is a classis example of cow a good story can not only survive low-budget productions, it can thrive because of it - think Blair Witch Project. Creepy organ score underlines the overall broody, macabre atmosphere. Director Herk Harvey imbues the film with sublety and suspense, and also plays the grinning, pursuing "man". Most of the cast and crew don't seem to have worked in the business again, which is rather unfortunate, although Candace Hilligoss does appear in '64's Curse of the Living Corpse. The paltry '98 remake is disappointingly mediocre. The MooCow says definitely check out this cult classic of the macabre!! ;=8).