"Let's Scare Jessica to Death" released in 1971, is a really strange film. Zohra Lampart is Jessica; she apparently has mental health issues, and was institutionalized for a time. She moves with her husband (Barton Heyman) to an old country home; their friend (Kevin O'Connor) goes with them. Right away, creepy stuff starts happening; Jessica sees a dead body, imagines a little girl is calling to her. The question is, it is real or is Jessica imagining them? Thrown in to the mix of this threesome is Emily (Mariclare Costello) a hippie-type drifter who was squatting in the old home. She stays on at their invitation -- why they invite her to stay is puzzling. The small town they have moved to has some very odd townsfolk, who treat the the newcomers with hostility. Director John Hancock does succeed in setting a very eerie tone, thanks primarily to the dark and sinister old home the threesome lives in. Yes, this is a B-picture, but the performances are good ones, primarily from Lampart. Why this woman did not become a major movie star is beyond me; with her exotic handsome looks and fine acting, she should have had more of a career. Costello also is in fine form; with her stunning blue eyes and red hair, we quickly begin to deduce that she is not all she pretends to be. The male actors aren't given much to do here; O'Connor predictably falls for Emily, and the husband also is attracted to her. This is not a perfect film, and the ending makes little sense. The story has a few holes and unanswered questions. Still, it does have that flavor of horror films made in the 1970's; very dark and brooding. Films of this era, like "Don't Look Now" and "Burnt Offerings" have a similar feel. So check this one out: it is worthwhile, despite its flaws.
Review of Let's Scare Jessica to Death
