Not a shocker. No blood. No gore. No violence. No sex. No dirty words. Just a creepy movie. It was like one of those stories told around a campfire brought to life.
It has to be one of the best movies I've ever seen. I'm so glad I stumbled upon it. Too many "horror" movies are shock and gore porn. This movie should be required for horror filmmakers.
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I'd even say it works because it's low budget. If this had been major studio produced it would never have been as creepy.
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This movie is just a rip-off of the Rod Serling Twilight Zone "Hitch-Hiker" episode that aired a year before this movie was made. The only reason this movie was made was because the director had $30,000 to spend and was fascinated with an abandoned carnival he saw in Utah.
shareHonestly, I grew up watching the Twilight Zone, and I never once made the connection to COS. The film and that TV episode are two completely different things----in COS, the main character never picks up any hitchhikers at all. So I've never really gotten the claim that it "ripped off" that TZ episode. Other than that,I like this film too---the fact that it's a genuinely weird, spooky low-budget indie with some memorable scares (and scenes)is why it become such a cult classic (the last 15 minutes, with Mary being chased by the ghosts, comes off more like a scene from a European horror film, and are genuinely eerie and haunting.) I got it on VHS myself.
shareThere's one thing this film managed to do to me - frighten me. Yes, when the film was over I found myself saying, "Now this a real horror film!" As I've gotten older, horror films -- and by horror I don't mean blood and guts -- or any film who's main attempt is to scare you, rarely effect me/scare me. I find various films creepy, yes indeed, but scary? Can't say so. This film though, contain some of the most terrifying and unforgettable images I have ever seen on screen; all the shots of "The Man" and the ghouls sent chills down my spine. In the film's final moments when they began chasing her... man, not even those running "zombies" from "28 Days Later" gave me the same heart pounding, unease feeling. This is truly one of the creepiest films ever made.
Oh, my god. I'm in line to see Meryl Streep strip? NO BLOODY WAY!
"Carnival of Souls" was frequently shown on Chicago TV in the 1960s and 1970s and it never fails but to frighten me. It's a very unsettling film. I think it's a combination of the lead actress, Ms. Hilligoss, that it's filmed on some very odd locations (especially the deserted wrecked carnival) and the excellent cinematography. One doesn't really wish to analyze it, nor shall I - just let it happen.
share"Unsettling" is the perfect word for this movie. As well as it being scary in a traditional sense, there's something I can't put my finger on. Something to do with the weird dreaminess of it all.
K.R.I.T
I love this film! It creeps the heck out of me, every time I watch it! The first time those faces came out of the water, I almost wet my pants!
The music is superb, and the cinematography simply brilliant.
My favorite films,period, tend to be low-budget films. The filmmakers are forced to actually MAKE a story instead of concentrating on stupid CGI.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
I recently got this film on dvd! It was indeed an good old-fashioned horror film! This film had almost NO violence in it, but it was far more creepy and scary than Jason, Freddy, Michael, or any slasher film will ever be! To make a scary movie, I think that a creepy atmosphere and creepy music is far more important than blood and gore! I also liked the fact that there was no gutter language or porn in this film, too!
shareI almost never like this kind of video. It was okay for late night TV back in the day when they were all sponsored by used car dealers.
But this one is real. And as you say, none of that violence or stupid special effects with huge worms eating towns, etc.
I love it. Honestly, it's a really good film.
It's that early-'60s/JFK/TwilightZone/PSYCHO/ColdWar era end-of-the-world thing.
It's like ground zero for All Things Creepy.
And the shoestring budget just makes it more effective.
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I have to agree 100% with you. This film IS the definition of creepy. I love this film, and films like it. I bought it for 6.99 as a double feature disc with another film( I can't remember which one)...but I found it a steal! I love this film!!!!
sharei remember the first time i watched this film.. i was home, alone, my husband was at work... near the end, i almost jumped... such a creepy underrated chiller and Candace is fantastic.
shareI agree about this movie being creepy. The scariest scene to me was when the old dead guy was walking towards the girl, it cuts to the girl for a moment, and then it cuts backs to the old guy but with his face up close to the camera as he continues walking towards her. Seeing that made me panic a little, and I'm not usually scared by horror movies.
Welcome to my Nightmare- Freddy Krueger
I liked the movie, it had some great horror elements in it,, however I wouldn't put it up there with Rosemary's Baby or the Shining.
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite
I liked the movie, it had some great horror elements in it,, however I wouldn't put it up there with Rosemary's Baby or the Shining.
This was the post I was waiting for. Agreed in full. This was a good horror film, well worth watching for horror fans, but it did have some very criticizeable aspects to it, including the very predictable ending.
I doubt I'd put it in the top 20 of creepiest movies ever.
I would have to say that Rosemary's Baby 1968 was the creepiest horror movie I've ever seen,, and ive seen over 500 of em at least
are you going to bark all day little doggie,, or are you going to bite
The creepiest thing about this movie is that annoying lecherous neighbor who lives in the same boarding house with her. he's the kind of guy that just being around him makes you want to take a shower to wash any rememberance of him off of you.
I must agree---this movie definitely creeps you out without the gratuitous blood and gore of most "horror" flix. Alfred Hitchcock was an expert at scaring the snot out of you by just using suspense instead of grossness..