Carnival of Souls

Carnival of Souls
Directed byHerk Harvey
Written by
  • Herk Harvey * John Clifford
Produced byHerk Harvey
StarringCandace Hilligoss
CinematographyMaurice Prather
Edited by
  • Bill de Jarnette * Dan Palmquist
Music byGene Moore
Distributed byHerts-Lion International Corp.
Release date
  • September 26, 1962 (1962-09-26)
Running time
80 minutes (original theatrical cut)
  • 84 minutes (director's cut)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Carnival of Souls is a 1962 American independent horror movie. It was written, produced, and directed by Herk Harvey, and starring Candace Hilligoss. The story is about Mary Henry, a young woman who had a car accident. She moves to a new city, but she can't fit in. She becomes curious about the pavilion of an abandoned carnival. The director Harvey is also in the movie as a creepy stranger who follows her a lot.

It was filmed in Lawrence, Kansas and Salt Lake City. Carnival of Souls was filmed on a budget of $33,000. Since the 1980s, the film has been noted by critics and film scholars for its cinematography and foreboding atmosphere.

Release

Carnival of Souls was shown at the Main Street Theatre in Lawrence, Kansas, in September 1962. The US release of Carnival of Souls did not include a copyright on the prints, so the movie was automatically in the public domain.

Reception

Complex Magazine said Carnival of Souls was number 39 on its list of the 50 scariest movies ever made.

Leonard Maltin gave Carnival of Souls two-and-a-half out of four stars. He said the movie was an "eerie", and "imaginative low budget effort."

References

  1. 1 2 Weldon, Michael (1996). The Psychotronic Video Guide To Film. New York City: Macmillan Publishers. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-312-13149-4.
  2. ↑ TCM.com
  3. ↑ MUBI
  4. ↑ Brody, Richard (September 27, 2016). "The Front Row: "Carnival of Souls"". The New Yorker. New York City: Condé Nast.
  5. ↑ "Immediate Family, The Bear, Dad, Next of Kin, Carnival of Souls, 1989 – Siskel and Ebert Movie Reviews". Archived from the original on 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  6. ↑ Hilligoss 2016, p. 187.
  7. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (April 7, 2011). "'Carnival of Souls': The movie that inspired 'Insidious' is the spookiest, weirdest, and maybe greatest horror film you've never seen". Entertainment Weekly. New York City: Meredith Corporation. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  8. ↑ Barone, Matt; et al. (July 18, 2013). "The 50 Scariest Movies of All Time". Complex Magazine. New York City: Complex Media Inc. Archived from the original on October 5, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
  9. ↑ Maltin 2014, p. 218.

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