Reviews (110)

Unbelievable
Almost as eerie and unexplainable for me as the film itself, is the fact that this film has made it to DVD and by Criterion no less. This movie is close to my heart because I know Larry Sneegas, who played the young hood at the beginning who asks the girls "Wanna drag ?" (Larry was also part of the production crew for this and many other "industrial" films with director Herk Harvey). The historic Englewood theater here in Kansas City showed CARNIVAL a few years ago as part of a tribute to local film makers and what a treat to see it for the first time on the big screen! Larry has been gracious enough to loan me his VHS copy of THE MOVIE THAT WOULDN'T DIE documentary that Criterion has included ... some great background on this small-but-mighty film and I can't wait to see all the other "extras" on the disc as well. I've seen both versions of the movie (again thanks to Larry) and while they each work marvelously, who wouldn't prefer the director's "more zombies" cut? The reviews below really capture the film's essence, so all I can say is ENJOY !

Finally on DVD! One of the spookiest films ever made....
I had the great pleasure of seeing Carnival of Souls in its theatrical re-release in the mid-90s. Having seen it on video beforehand, I had some idea of what atmosphere the film created for the viewer. Seeing it in the theatre though was a completely spooky experience! Though the film may not be shocking or especially terrifying by today's standards, it still holds it own as an outre masterpiece of suspense.

A thousand THANK-YOUs to Criterion for bringing it to DVD. What a great package to have both cuts of the film, plus all the extra features (especially the extended montage of outtakes set to that bone-chilling soundtrack!) The documentary featuring the cast reunion is another bonus, as is the very interesting history of the SaltAir Resort from which Herk Harvey took his inspiration for the story.

The film is timeless in its use of stark black-and white, and light and dark to convey the extreme isolation felt by Candace Hilligoss' character, Mary the church organist. The soundtrack is quite eerie and used so effectively.

It is obvious how many "horror" films have been influenced by Carnival of Souls, in particular NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by George Romero. The jerky/choppy editing style, the b/w photography, hysterical/hyperkinetic acting are all mirrored by so many present-day films. CARNIVAL is and always will be a unique piece of film-making. The excellent presentation on DVD shows it to its best advantage.

6 stars out of 5!!!

crap
It sounds cheap. It looks cheap. There was nothing scary or entertaining about it. The plot doesn't make sense. People talk to her, everything blurs then they don't see or hear her. Dumb. I had to force myself and my friends to watch it. I love old horror films but this one was a dud. I don't understand the reviews saying how great this movie is. Don't waste your money.

Disturbing and Creepy cult classic comes to DVD!!!
Carnival of Souls was made on a shoe-string budget by industrial filmmaker Herk Harvey and stars the enigmatic and beautiful Candace Hilligoss as the lead character who manages to be constantly isolated from everyone around her. There are so many excellent transitions and shots in the movie it was obvious that who ever put it together had been an excellent film editior at the very least. As the film has been extensively reviewed here I want to focus on the DVD releases. Aside from the original cut of the film, 82 minutes, there where several prints that had been trimmed down both by the director and perhaps for TV although I have seen the complete film on cable as well as edited versions. The Image "movie-only" release (by the way Image also co-produced the Criterion Collection release) has the complete version of the movie and best print that I have seen. There is an active menu with some of the spooky organ music with icons for chapters and the films trailer. At first I thought the icon for "recommendations" was just a link to a one page marketing promo. However, if you click on the title boxes you get a trailer for each of the other Image releases shown. Quite a nice little "Easter Egg"!
I am glad I have the other versions as well because I think the edited prints are also interesting. The Alpha Video version actually has a slightly higher bit rate than the Image edition and only a tiny amount of pixelization here and there detracts from a very sharp picture, it clocks in at 77 minutes and is a great bargain. The Diamond DVD release has an identical running time, but a lower bit rate and still some pixelization in a couple of scenes. However considering that you get a copy of 1960's "Horror Hotel" with Christopher Lee included it is a great buy for just a few bucks. Curiously, the Diamond edition "Carnival of Souls/"Horror Hotel" is supposedly out of print yet I found a copy in a store recently and got another new copy on-line for my little brother's collection. Goodtimes has released "Carnival of Souls" with a high bit rate and sharp picture but a few more skips and pops. Also, the running time is the shortest, 75 minutes, as it cuts out a couple more scenes such as when Candace Hilligoss stops for gas and directions entering Salt Lake City. However, my Goodtimes edition is a two sided disc with "Carnival" on one side and a decent print of "Night of the Living Dead" on the other. For those of you who don't like two sided discs, Goodtimes has also released both films seperately for just a few bucks each. Criterion Collection has released the utlimate edition with two cuts of the film and loads of extras including a commentary. However, it you are on a budget you do have other options. So make some popcorn and enjoy the show. Thanks, CAL

"I'm not taking vows. I just play the organ."
Carnival of Souls is the horror movie Albert Camus might have made. It's a lot like George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead - - black and white, low-budget, a simple horror story that's really about human beings' isolation in their own skins.

The acting ensemble in Romero's film is consistently better, but Carnival of Souls only has one real character, and Candace Hilligoss as Mary is very good. It's probably only her performance that has kept this movie around for over forty years.

It's 1962 in a small town, and two young guys in a hot rod and three young women in another car are drag racing. They get to the bridge outside of town, finally going fast enough to feel alive when . . .

. . . Mary crawls out of the river, covered in mud, the only female survivor. The other two girls paid the price for giving in to the thrill of the boys' challenge.

Seemingly unaffected (almost in the clinical sense of being without affect), Mary follows her plan to go to another small town where she's been hired as a church organist. She doesn't believe in the church, though; she's a musician and playing the organ is just a job.

Mary's drive to her new town is the scariest bit of filmmaking I've seen in a long time.

Trying to settle into her new life, Mary starts to crack up. Besides seeing an apparition connected to an old ruined carnival, Mary is suddenly unable to hear the people around her.

Three men say they want to help her - - a would-be boyfriend who's only interested in sex and leaves her when she lets her despair show, a doctor who violently shakes her and orders her to his office for his expert help, and the minister she works for who fires her when something possesses her and she "profanes" his church with carnival music. Love, science, and God all fail her.

If Mary had only been able to hang on for five or ten years, maybe she would have found more satisfying work, or support from other women, or been stronger herself. In 1962 Mary felt the nothingness eating her alive, but she couldn't see a way out in time. She lost the race. ... Read more

Reviews (110)

Unbelievable
Almost as eerie and unexplainable for me as the film itself, is the fact that this film has made it to DVD and by Criterion no less. This movie is close to my heart because I know Larry Sneegas, who played the young hood at the beginning who asks the girls "Wanna drag ?" (Larry was also part of the production crew for this and many other "industrial" films with director Herk Harvey). The historic Englewood theater here in Kansas City showed CARNIVAL a few years ago as part of a tribute to local film makers and what a treat to see it for the first time on the big screen! Larry has been gracious enough to loan me his VHS copy of THE MOVIE THAT WOULDN'T DIE documentary that Criterion has included ... some great background on this small-but-mighty film and I can't wait to see all the other "extras" on the disc as well. I've seen both versions of the movie (again thanks to Larry) and while they each work marvelously, who wouldn't prefer the director's "more zombies" cut? The reviews below really capture the film's essence, so all I can say is ENJOY !

Finally on DVD! One of the spookiest films ever made....
I had the great pleasure of seeing Carnival of Souls in its theatrical re-release in the mid-90s. Having seen it on video beforehand, I had some idea of what atmosphere the film created for the viewer. Seeing it in the theatre though was a completely spooky experience! Though the film may not be shocking or especially terrifying by today's standards, it still holds it own as an outre masterpiece of suspense.

A thousand THANK-YOUs to Criterion for bringing it to DVD. What a great package to have both cuts of the film, plus all the extra features (especially the extended montage of outtakes set to that bone-chilling soundtrack!) The documentary featuring the cast reunion is another bonus, as is the very interesting history of the SaltAir Resort from which Herk Harvey took his inspiration for the story.

The film is timeless in its use of stark black-and white, and light and dark to convey the extreme isolation felt by Candace Hilligoss' character, Mary the church organist. The soundtrack is quite eerie and used so effectively.

It is obvious how many "horror" films have been influenced by Carnival of Souls, in particular NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD by George Romero. The jerky/choppy editing style, the b/w photography, hysterical/hyperkinetic acting are all mirrored by so many present-day films. CARNIVAL is and always will be a unique piece of film-making. The excellent presentation on DVD shows it to its best advantage.

6 stars out of 5!!!

crap
It sounds cheap. It looks cheap. There was nothing scary or entertaining about it. The plot doesn't make sense. People talk to her, everything blurs then they don't see or hear her. Dumb. I had to force myself and my friends to watch it. I love old horror films but this one was a dud. I don't understand the reviews saying how great this movie is. Don't waste your money.

Disturbing and Creepy cult classic comes to DVD!!!
Carnival of Souls was made on a shoe-string budget by industrial filmmaker Herk Harvey and stars the enigmatic and beautiful Candace Hilligoss as the lead character who manages to be constantly isolated from everyone around her. There are so many excellent transitions and shots in the movie it was obvious that who ever put it together had been an excellent film editior at the very least. As the film has been extensively reviewed here I want to focus on the DVD releases. Aside from the original cut of the film, 82 minutes, there where several prints that had been trimmed down both by the director and perhaps for TV although I have seen the complete film on cable as well as edited versions. The Image "movie-only" release (by the way Image also co-produced the Criterion Collection release) has the complete version of the movie and best print that I have seen. There is an active menu with some of the spooky organ music with icons for chapters and the films trailer. At first I thought the icon for "recommendations" was just a link to a one page marketing promo. However, if you click on the title boxes you get a trailer for each of the other Image releases shown. Quite a nice little "Easter Egg"!
I am glad I have the other versions as well because I think the edited prints are also interesting. The Alpha Video version actually has a slightly higher bit rate than the Image edition and only a tiny amount of pixelization here and there detracts from a very sharp picture, it clocks in at 77 minutes and is a great bargain. The Diamond DVD release has an identical running time, but a lower bit rate and still some pixelization in a couple of scenes. However considering that you get a copy of 1960's "Horror Hotel" with Christopher Lee included it is a great buy for just a few bucks. Curiously, the Diamond edition "Carnival of Souls/"Horror Hotel" is supposedly out of print yet I found a copy in a store recently and got another new copy on-line for my little brother's collection. Goodtimes has released "Carnival of Souls" with a high bit rate and sharp picture but a few more skips and pops. Also, the running time is the shortest, 75 minutes, as it cuts out a couple more scenes such as when Candace Hilligoss stops for gas and directions entering Salt Lake City. However, my Goodtimes edition is a two sided disc with "Carnival" on one side and a decent print of "Night of the Living Dead" on the other. For those of you who don't like two sided discs, Goodtimes has also released both films seperately for just a few bucks each. Criterion Collection has released the utlimate edition with two cuts of the film and loads of extras including a commentary. However, it you are on a budget you do have other options. So make some popcorn and enjoy the show. Thanks, CAL

"I'm not taking vows. I just play the organ."
Carnival of Souls is the horror movie Albert Camus might have made. It's a lot like George Romero's original Night of the Living Dead - - black and white, low-budget, a simple horror story that's really about human beings' isolation in their own skins.

The acting ensemble in Romero's film is consistently better, but Carnival of Souls only has one real character, and Candace Hilligoss as Mary is very good. It's probably only her performance that has kept this movie around for over forty years.

It's 1962 in a small town, and two young guys in a hot rod and three young women in another car are drag racing. They get to the bridge outside of town, finally going fast enough to feel alive when . . .

. . . Mary crawls out of the river, covered in mud, the only female survivor. The other two girls paid the price for giving in to the thrill of the boys' challenge.

Seemingly unaffected (almost in the clinical sense of being without affect), Mary follows her plan to go to another small town where she's been hired as a church organist. She doesn't believe in the church, though; she's a musician and playing the organ is just a job.

Mary's drive to her new town is the scariest bit of filmmaking I've seen in a long time.

Trying to settle into her new life, Mary starts to crack up. Besides seeing an apparition connected to an old ruined carnival, Mary is suddenly unable to hear the people around her.

Three men say they want to help her - - a would-be boyfriend who's only interested in sex and leaves her when she lets her despair show, a doctor who violently shakes her and orders her to his office for his expert help, and the minister she works for who fires her when something possesses her and she "profanes" his church with carnival music. Love, science, and God all fail her.

If Mary had only been able to hang on for five or ten years, maybe she would have found more satisfying work, or support from other women, or been stronger herself. In 1962 Mary felt the nothingness eating her alive, but she couldn't see a way out in time. She lost the race. ... Read more

Description

With CANDACE HILLIGOSS. Directed by HERK HARVEY. This amazingly clever and genuinely spooky horror film has over the decades deservedly earned the title of bona-fide cult classic. It is the saga of Mary Henry, a young woman who apparently drowns when the car she is riding in goes off a bridge during a drag race. Rescue workers note the impossibility of anyone surviving the accident. Yet Mary miraculously emerges unscathed from what should have been her watery grave. She promptly sets out for Utah and her new job as a church organist. While on the road, a ghostlike vision appears for a split second in her car window. As the time passes and Mary settles into her new surroundings, additional apparitions slowly but jarringly crowd into her consciousness. The chills begin to mount as these seemingly living ghosts become more and more real and frightening. Mary also finds herself inexplicably drawn to an abandoned carnival site: a locale which surely will prove to be loaded with hidden secrets. This astonishing film was shot on a minuscule budget, but offers more genuine scares than many a special effects-laden Hollywood chiller costing millions to produce. It was industrial filmmaker Herk Harveys sole venture into feature filmmaking. He also appears in front of the camera, as one of the apparitions. 80 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Herk Harvey's cult classic black & white 1962 horror film
"Carnival of Souls," the only theatrical film every directed by Herk Harvey, is a cult classic with a most deserved reputation that puts it on a par with dead George Romero's "Night of the Living Dead" in terms of shoestring productions. Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) accepts a car ride from a group of other young girls, only to end up in a drag race that sees the car go over a bridge with only Mary surviving. Having taken a job as a church organist in Salt Lake City, Mary heads for her new home, passing a deserted pavilion on the outskirts of town. Mary is drawn to the ruined bathing center/carnival, but has bigger problems since she keeps seeing a leering, corpse-like man (played by Harvey) watching her. Again and again Mary has the eerie of experience of suddenly finding herself in a silent world where no one seems to notice her. Eventually she returns to the pavilions to understand her final fate.

"Carnvial of Souls" came about because Herk Harvey drove by Saltair, the deserted 1940s tourist resort outside Salt Lake City, and decided it would make a powerful location for a horror film. Harvey recruited John Clifford to come up with a screenplay that would involve Harvey's image of dead bodies rising from the lake to pursue their victim. The finished product certainly evokes a nightmarish quality that makes you ignore the technical problems with overdubbing, campy performances by the supporting cast, and such. Hilligloss, trained in the Method by Strassberg but denied any hint of her character's motivation by the director, only made one other film, "Curse of the Living Corpse" (1964), but this film is enough to secure her reputation in the field. Sidney Berger (the all too friendly guy down the hall at her boarding house) does a cameo as a cop in the 1998 "Wes Craven Presents Carnival of Souls" debacle, which does not compare on any level to this evocative horror classic. ... Read more