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Carnival of Souls (1962) Plus avec IMDbPro »

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51 utilisateurs sur 54 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Effective and Uneasy, 3 août 2003

Auteur : Robert J. Maxwell (rmax304823@yahoo.com) de Deming, New Mexico

This is something like a full-length episode of the Twilight Zone, popular at the time of the movie's release. It's cheaply made, the photography is grainy, the story basically simple, and the acting nothing to write home about -- but this is one effective film if you're into dread.

Candace Hilligoss is a pretty blonde with a sharp nose and a vulnerable quality about her. (She might remind the viewer of that Twilight Zone episode that starred Inger Stevens continually running into a guy in black, "The Hitch Hiker," maybe?) Candace Hilligoss is not a major actress but it's difficult to imagine a better fit between the individual and the role. She's pretty enough so that men might find it pleasant to stand next to her in the supermarket checkout line, but not too pretty. Her face is defined by its bone structure so that you can almost see the skull beneat the skin. Her slanted, over-sized blue eyes suggest some sort of startled prey animal. And her movements, her body language, are both clumsy and extremely feminine. She wobbles when she runs and minces when she walks. And she's the right age too -- thirtyish -- not a fledgling with a great big Future ahead of her. The successive loss of her friends, her home town, her job in Utah, her room in the boarding house, and eventually her car, is enough to leave anyone in a state of desperation -- especially someone whose sole marketable skill seems to be playing the organ.

The narrative has been gone over so I'll skip any description of it. What distinguishes this movie from others of its type is that, with the exception of the opening scenes of the accident at the bridge, there is no one at all who acts in a perfectly normal manner. (Unlike Inger Stevens, Hilligos has no ordinary sailor to pick up and talk to.) The pervading sense of disquiet is enhanced by the efficient use of locations -- a church, a vast ballroom, a decrepit and deserted amusement park at the end of a pier. And I think the performers contribute as well, their very amateurish awkwardness promoting in the viewer a feeling that "something" is not quite right about what we're witnessing. Even the scenes of quotidian life -- finding a job, fending off a neighbor's advances, trying to be polite to a polite landlady -- seem to be imbued with a kind of hard-to-define cockeyed quality. Hilligoss is living in a universe in which nothing, and nobody, has an identity whose validity can be taken for granted. Not even her psychiatrist can be trusted to be what he seems.

There are no big shock moments. Nobody gets slaughtered in a shower. Nothing is "evil" in any ordinary sense. Everything is simply "wrong." And the only music in the score is played on a church organ, mostly eerie chords that shimmer in the background. It's quietly done by director Herk Harvey.

Sidney Berger, who plays Hilligoss's odd neighbor, was in real life a speech instructor at the nearby University of Kansas. The leader of the dead is played by the director. This weird, subdued piece comes to us out of Lawrence, Kansas. It's pretty good for Lawrence, Kansas. But don't set your expectations too high. It's an old black-and-white horror movie, made by amateurs on a minescule budget. But within the limits set by those conditions, it's pretty good for anywhere, for that matter.

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37 utilisateurs sur 39 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Most Resourceful Modest Budget Horror, 28 novembre 2004
Auteur : tostinati de Etats-Unis

After viewing this legendary flick for the first time, I have to say that the quality they achieved on a shoestring is still impressive today. Every penny spent on this little film makes its way before the viewer, which is something that can't be said of most major budget films then or now. Corman used "getting the money up on the screen" as his yardstick for his own success as low budget producer and director. But while I like the Corman cheapies, like Bucket of Blood and Little Shop of Horrors, and acknowledge that they possess a relatively high level of workman-like resourcefulness, it's hard to deny that Carnival makes many of Corman's films look slapped-out and unimaginative in comparison. Corman usually steered clear of anything poetic, dabbling with it most pointedly in the dream sequences in his first Poe adaptations. In contrast, this films makers are quoted to the effect that they were inspired by Bergman and Cocteau. Now, with such heroic ambition, Carnival could have turned out a laughable mess. But the films dark waking dream atmosphere is well realized. They had some really great locations– the pavilion, the wooden bridge, the organ factory and the church with the "casting out demons" stained glass. The actress playing the heroine is lucky (or skillful) casting, too; she doesn't look or act quite like the average person, which is perfect for the story. If I picked one thing to complain about, it would be the interlude with the guy from across the hall in the rooming house, about the writing of that section and especially about the actor who played him. But I won't. There's just too much good to be said about this small masterpiece of independent film making.

Ten stars. See it.

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57 utilisateurs sur 84 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
The problem with rediscovery at the hands of distributors like Criterion, 7 février 2005
Auteur : BornJaded (BornJaded@aol.com) de Etats-Unis

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

The unexpected popularity that sneaks up on movies like 'Carnival of Souls' is a double-edged sword. The positive aspects, of course, are renewed interest in undeservedly forgotten and neglected gems, as well as gloriously informative 2-disc DVD editions put out by Criterion. The negative result, however, is that the glowing aura created by the excitement and publicity of rediscovery often outshines the actual value of the given film, leaving one feeling underwhelmed.

This happened for me with 'Carnival of Souls,' which is undeniably a film that has a creepy and eerie effect, but is also a film that is slight and does not stand up against the reputation that now precedes it. Movies like this work best when encountered casually on television late at night, where one might be blindsided by its hypnotic pull. When one goes to it after having read adjectives like "creepy" and "eerie" applied to it, the movie is confronted by expectations which are likely to be disappointed. And while the Criterion edition offers an insanely satisfying cache of supplements, having access to materials such as interviews with director Herk Harvey, detailed backstory, production stills, advertising materials, and television documentaries on the film and on the current condition of the locations used offers a sense of comfort and reassurance that destroys the movie's mystique.

The paper-thin story follows a young church organist named Mary who survives a nasty car wreck and leaves town to take a job in Utah, where she lodges in a boarding house and fends off the aggressive advances of her across-the-hall neighbor. Strange things begin happening to Mary. She is haunted by visions of a ghastly-looking stranger, is entranced by a decaying nearby bathhouse/carnival grounds long abandoned, and experiences inexplicable episodes where sounds of the outside world are suddenly muted and others fail to notice or respond to her.

The movie's most notable attribute is its skill in establishing atmosphere and a sense of dread. Yet, there's no payoff, and while that's okay, the movie is modest and, at 78 minutes (or 83, if you're watching the director's cut), rather short. If you come to this movie from a position of curiosity, there's a danger of being left with a "that's it?" sort of feeling.

The element I found most intriguing was the pointed passivity of the Mary character. Indifferent to her job and to those around her, Mary is completely detached, and the movie very nearly becomes a character study of a schizoid personality. Surprisingly, the parts that were most engaging for me involved Mary's across-the-hall neighbor, a man named John Linden who is alcoholic, persistent, and very, very horny. Linden's scenes all entail his trying to get into Mary's pants, and he is almost jarringly sexually coercive -- a rapist in the making. Screenwriter John Clifford and actor Sidney Bergen invest this character with an unexpected degree of dimension. If the movie obviously foretells Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead,' it also hints at 'Repulsion.'

There are a great many tasty lost artifacts from the prime of drive-in fare and B-movies, some of which get ostentatiously found and marketed as cult films, thus depriving one of the pleasure of personal discovery. The less you know about 'Carnival of Souls' before viewing it, the more likely you are to enjoy it.

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30 utilisateurs sur 32 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Way Ahead of Its Time, 20 janvier 2006

Auteur : aimless-46 de Kentucky

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

"I don't belong in the world….something separates me from other people" says Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) in perhaps the most lyrical horror film ever made. It is the unlikely 1962 masterpiece "Carnival of Souls" which philosophically fleshes out the premise of "Twilight Zone's" "The Hitch Hiker" episode (January 1960). The one where Inger Stevens (as Nan Adams) plays a young woman driving cross country who keeps passing the "same" man standing by the side of the road. Its masterpiece quality was unlikely because it was the low budget first feature film of Herk Harvey (a director of educational short films), using actors with little acting for the camera experience, and with a story structure adapted to fit sets and locations to which Harvey had free access.

One of these locations was an organ factory. This not only dictated the film's unique and beautiful score but it suggested a profession for the main character (Mary Henry), a church organist. With this they really got lucky because it brings in many disturbing religious images and undertones. A church organist seemingly possessed by her instrument, as her playing alternates between the spiritual and the profane, deeply disturbs her wrapped-too-tight" minister who would have benefited from Pollyanna's advice about the "rejoicing texts". The organ factory also serves nicely for a Carol Reed-type angular shot with the huge organ pipes in the foreground and the diminutive figure of Hilligoss far below. This early shot sets the existential tone for what will follow. Finally, there is the moment when she is alone on the highway and her radio will only pick up organ music.

The other location is the abandoned Saltair Pavilion outside Salt Lake City. Much of the story takes place here as Mary Henry is mysteriously drawn to the place. Watch for this shot of her in front of a promotional poster for the Pavilion, on the poster is a look-alike blonde with the same hairstyle. Since the late 19th century, Saltair had been a family swimming/recreational facility built out into the Great Salt Lake. The huge pavilion looks like a strange cross between an Eastern Orthodox church and an Arabian Nights palace. The falling lake level doomed the swimming feature but the place operated as an amusement park until abandoned five years before the filming of "Carnival of Souls". At the time of filming the actual pealing paint, broken glass, collapsed staircases, and general disorder made for a better location than even the best production designer could have constructed. It also works well from a "language of film" symbolic perspective as Mary is shown walking through an unnatural circular passage, which reinforces other subtle off-kilter elements that occur throughout the film.

While much of the film's texture was the happy result of the low budget necessity of using these available locations, the casting of Hilligoss worked out even better. Probably cast because she was the most beautiful actress available for the price, Harvey hit a home run because she brings exactly the right sterile and distanced qualities that the film needs in its main character. Hilligoss might have been an acting-for-the-camera novice but she had extensive stage experience. Harvey was able to get an extraordinary nonverbal performance from her, unexpectedly taking the film deep into the concept of human alienation. Much like "The Incredible Shinking Man", with its existential theme of separation from society, "Carnival of Souls" also transcends its genre and explores the isolation of someone who feels they no longer belong. And like "TISM", the resolution is the realization that loss of identity is freedom, that the infinite and the infinitesimal are the same, that you are not alone because you are a part of something bigger.

The two occasions where Mary Henry suddenly becomes invisible to everyone are much more vivid because Hilligoss is so beautiful. Unlike a person of average appearance, an especially beautiful woman walking down the street is used to drawing stares from virtually everyone. For such a person the phenomenon of sudden invisibility would be far more jarring than for those who are used to not being noticed in the passing crowd.

For budget reasons, egg white was used on the faces of the "dead" cast members, including Harvey himself who plays Mary's recurring apparition. This has an especially eerie effect with black and white film and would be adopted a few years later by George Romero for "Night of the Living Dead".

Educational film veteran Frances Feist plays Mary's cherubic landlady and John Linden plays her slimy (on the make) neighbor. Both are excellent, and the disjointed and stilted acting style of their scenes with Hilligoss will remind many viewers of David Lynch's "Eraserhead".

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

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31 utilisateurs sur 37 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
The ultimate cult horror masterpiece, 6 mars 2001

Auteur : Scott Murray (Django-21) de Scotland

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

I love this film! It's one of my all time favourite movies and I'd rate it as a deservedly acclaimed cult classic and the eeriest, most strangely compelling, most unforgettable and greatest horror movie of all time.

The camera work is beautiful. The organ music, creepy carnival and director Herk Harvey as the figure of Death are all unforgettably eerie. The first time I saw this film (I had already read about it's making in an issue of Fangoria) was on BBC2's Moviedrome introduced by Alex Cox (himself the director of Repo Man, the lacklustre and innacurate Sid & Nancy and the amazing Well Did You Evah music video. On watching the film I was captivated and fascinated and ultimately at the film's conclusion had a strange feeling of deja vu, as if I'd seen it before in a dream or something, long ago.

There are a number of surreal and creepy scenes in the film. The scene where Mary (Candace Hilligoss) goes to the abandoned carnival during the day has a surreal, dreamlike and sensual beauty. Whereas the later scenes

of Mary playing the church organ and seeing in her mind, the dead rising from the sea and the film's carnival/beach conclusion are at once dreamlike and yet somehow documentarylike at the same time. It's unforgettable imagery like this that makes this film such an unforgettable experience. On the other hand, the drunk lodger's attempts to seduce Mary are amusing and some of her biting dialogue and sarcasm helps keep the non horror moments entertaining. The film is also notable for having a clear influence on

films and filmmakers like George A Romero's classic "Night Of The Living Dead" (another 60s b/w horror classic) and David Lynch (compare Herk Harvey's ghoul with Killer Bob's surreal and frightening appearances at unexpected times in Twin Peaks). Be warned however, once you experience the dreamlike qualities of this eerie masterpiece, I can't

guarantee you'll ever awake from it.

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24 utilisateurs sur 28 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
In the dark, your fantasies get so far out of hand., 25 septembre 2004
Auteur : Andy (film-critic) de Bookseller of the Blue Ridge

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

The sound was horrible in this film. The acting seemed like it was done by high school students. The score was unneeded. The direction was horrible. Nothing was explained.

I loved this film.

I know, many of you are probably wondering why I loved a film that denounces everything I feel is needed in a film, but for some odd reason in this film it worked. This was a very scary movie. Not the kind of scary that you need blood or violence to make you jump, but the kind that the violins seemed to shrill your way to behind a pillow. I was really impressed that this film was released in 1962. I would put money down that if this film were to be released today it would do really well.

As I watched this film, I made the comment that this could very well have been a Mystery Science Theater 3000 film. There were certain elements to it that I could see Joel or the bots just making fun of. So, in that sense, I am glad that I didn't see the film with those guys commenting through it, I may not have enjoyed it as much. This was a film full of symbolism, of imagination, and of surprises. I loved the way that Mary went from real life to when people couldn't hear or see her. It showed that something supernatural was at work instead of just some crazy guy following her around. The carnival was spooky. This is one of those films that you would put on at Halloween with a great bottle of wine and your best girl by your side.

Without giving too much away, I enjoyed how this film came to it's conclusion. As the visions of the phantom man became greater and greater, it was obvious that the cops were getting closer and closer to finding the car. I also enjoyed the fact that the "undead" of the film all came out of water to be reborn. It was great foreshadowing to what would happen to Mary.

The director took many risks with the symbolism that he used, and it worked better than some films with today's CGI abilities. You could tell as you watched this film that imagination was flowing with the writer of this film.

It proved that even without a budget you could make a film that would last the test of time, and even be remade over and over again. The surprises were easy, but fun. I saw the ending of this film coming a mile away, but it still kept my attention.

Overall, this film is like a great wine. Imagine opening a bottle of merlot from 1962 and having the whole afternoon to enjoy it. That is how I feel about this film. A definite for anyone to have in their collection!!

Grade: ***** out of *****

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24 utilisateurs sur 29 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Semi-Forgotten Classic, 23 août 2000
Auteur : Kevin (jkstevens57@aol.com)

Not many people know of this film, surprisingly--this is one of the most intelligently constructed and atmospheric horror (for lack of a better term) movies of all time. Whenever I do run across someone else who has seen this film, there is an instantaneous, unspoken understanding in regards to the enduring creepiness of this film.

My first viewing of COS occurred when I had inexplicably awoke in the middle of the night as a boy and switched on the TV. I had missed the opening minutes, but was powerfully drawn into the story. I sat transfixed until the shock ending, and think I just stared until after the sign off and following screen static. The next day I was not entirely sure I had actually watched this film or dreamed it--nobody else had ever heard of it and I never did catch the title (for some reason, its never shown much). Needless to say I was creeped out for days! Films that can affect one's sensibilities like this are golden! Find it and watch it in the middle of the night--alone.

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25 utilisateurs sur 34 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Fascinating, Influential Only Feature By Herk Harvey, 21 juin 2004

Auteur : CitizenCaine de Las Vegas, Nevada

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

Herk Harvey toiled away for over a decade in educational and industrial films before taking a chance on filming a feature length movie in the Fall of 1961. He gathered backers from Lawrence, Kansas, used a graduate film student (Sandy Berger) to cast the lead (Candace Hilligoss), and filmed the movie during a three week vacation period. The center set piece was the abandoned Saltair amusement park in Utah, which has its own mysterious history. The story goes that Harvey was traveling home to Lawrence, Kansas on business and came upon the Saltair amusement park from afar, stopped, became fascinated by it, and then returned with the idea of making a horror movie featuring it.

He approached his colleague John Clifford to write the script and Carnival Of Souls was born. Often cited as an influence on Directors George A. Romero and David Lynch, Carnival Of Souls is an eerie film about what happens when a young girl emerges from what looks to be certain death. Herk Harvey creates a spooky little chiller that draws us in right from the beginning. The black and white cinematography is Bergmanesque in construction with inventive camera angles and an ethereal feel. The scenes that come to mind are the ones in the organ factory and the amusement park pavilion. Gene Moore's music on the organ may be one of the most unique soundtracks ever created, especially for a horror film; it adds immeasurably to the moody atmosphere. The make-up effects are also very effective,considering the film is in black and white. The film relies on its Twilight Zone-like ability to make everyday people, places, and activities seem suspect. The acting by Candace Hilligoss is very good for such a low budget production, and reportedly she didn't know what her character's motivation was throughout the filming; Harvey's intent was to maintain a look of confusion on Hilligoss' face. This is very evident in retrospect, and is the main reason why the audience identifies with her so easily.

For a film that had to be edited so quickly, with an entire reel of film being lost by the developer, there are very few technical errors. Although the film is somewhat predictable eventually, it still remains a fascinating, influential, original work of horror outside the Hollywood mainstream. Unfortunately, this was the only feature film Herk Harvey made due to the fact that he was never paid by the distributors, who went out of business. Today it has become a cult staple among horror film buffs; that's quite an achievement for an industrial filmmaker from Lawrence, Kansas. *** of 4 stars.

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20 utilisateurs sur 27 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
You won't shout, you won't scream because you'll feel too desolated and scared to do it., 27 février 1999

Auteur : David Velez Rodriguez (losvelez@col-online.com) de bogota colombia

How scary a movie can be? Carnival of souls is scary as no other movie is by one simply reason, this film won't only frighten you to death but also will lead you to a desolation state: You won't shout, you won't scream because you'll feel too desolated and scared to do it. The plot happens to be superb: I love it when the whole plot starts making sense by the very end.

Candace Hilligoss play Mary Henry the lead role; the character is great and her performance is magnificent, she just gives the movie a vulnerable element that sometimes turns to be dark and mysterious.

Carnival of Souls became a cult film with plenty of honors; it's not only one of the most scary movies ever but also is a masterpiece of moviemaking.

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15 utilisateurs sur 18 ont trouvé ce commentaire utile :
Classic B movie horror., 15 janvier 2005

Auteur : imanx1962 de Etats-Unis

*** Ce commentaire peut contenir des spoilers ***

This movie is the epitome of "B' movie horror. Herk Harvey shows how small budget and holding the audience on edge by not showing everything that they are afraid of. By letting us use our imagination, our own fears take over and give the fright we are looking for. Very close to nightmare we have all had. I think this movie can show what simple techniques can do to scare the hell out of us. IE the scene while Candace Hilligoss was driving and a reflection appeared in the side car window. You must look past some over acting but Herk uses many real towns people in the movie.Put this up with 'Night of the living dead" Original. Must have your light off when watching this movie.

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