100 Days of Horror Day Two - Carnival of Souls!

Hey peeps, what's good.

I'm just on Day Two of this thing and I've already begun to question its logic. I'm an a bad mood, don't feel like even talking to people, let alone focusing my attention on ... well, anything. But, I am trying to prove something to myself, dammit. So I am doing it, the blogging, the watching, and the potential socializing.

Part of the reason is that DO enjoy today's movie, unlike yesterday's turd, "The Ring." "Carnival of Souls" is a cool film and one I find I could watch at just about any time. Here's the skinny below:

Carnival of Souls (1962): Directed by Herk Harvey. Starring Candace Hilligoss and Sydney Berger.

What’s Good: An independent horror classic, this is one of those films that every aspiring filmmaker should see. Because like the films of famed B-Movie director Ed Wood, there is a love of moviemaking at the heart of this odd piece of cinema. Candace Hilligoss stars as a professional church organist who moves to a new town and a new life, only to be plagued by a series of disturbing events. She finds herself pulled to a strange abandoned carnival on the outskirts of town where the souls of the dead twirl in endless dance.

What’s bad: A shoestring budget and no major studio support, making it an independent film in every aspect. So you also lack for what counts as hard hitting talent, although Hilligoss is enchanting in a walleyed kind of way, and Berger is a hark back to the Golden Age of Hollywood, where every male lead seemed to start every line of dialogue with, “Say …” and ended it with “See?”

Why we like it: What’s not to like? Well, okay it’s an acquired taste, like fine caviar, and just about as fishy at times. But Sydney Berger is very comical and while you can detect the ending about halfway through if you pay close enough attention, it is still a shocker when it hits and has been repeated in many films since.

Memorable stuff: Plenty! The so-called “Dance of the Dead” at the titular carnival is bizarre and the scene where Hilligoss trances out and starts in with the Richard Wright organ solos is also great. And while there are no real lines to recall, Sydney Berger is great to watch and most of the memorable dialogue is between Berger and Hilligoss as he tries to logic his way into her drawers. Oh and listen – avoid the late-90s remake at ALL costs. Despite the fact that Wes Craven’s names is attached to the production, it is awful to the point of being almost unwatchable.

Thanx for reading, fiends and lowlifes!