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Writer's picturedraton

Carnival of souls (1962)

Updated: May 13, 2022


A group of kids slow motion race across a bridge and one of the cars inexplicably drives into the river. Candace Hilligoss (the main character) walks out of the river a few hours later and the rest of the film is spent following her as she deals with the aftermath of the accident. This film looks amazing. I love the way it is shot from the opening credits to the end scene. At times it looks like an Alfred Hitchcock movie but plays out a little like a David Lynch film. The paranoia the main character feels is heavily pressed into her scenes from her expressions to the cinematography. This was directed by Herk Harvey who also plays the creepy man who keeps showing up to haunt Candace throughout the film. What the film lacks in acting chops, make up, and effects it makes up for in atmosphere and settings. The combination of a low budget and the steadily declining structure and narrative leave me feeling like this is right on the border of art house film. Every movie needs an ending and this film has one. You can call it a twist or whatever you want, and this film has plenty that is up for interpretation. I give it a 5 out of 10. This is not my kind of film, the characters are interesting, but there are not many of them and I like a more straightforward approach to film. I'm not a film snob, I don't need everything to have a deeper meaning. I do think there is a lot to enjoy here though, and there are parts of this I think should be art hanging on a wall.


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