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Rating:

Review

Carnival of Souls is a film that has a well known reputation as cult classic and for good reason. Mary Henry’s life goes terribly wrong when she accepts race that leads her to crash off a bridge and plunge into the muddy waters below. Everyone thinks the three girls in the died, but Mary Henry emerges out of the river unscaved. She now sets out to start a new life as an organ player (which everyone agrees is better than an organ donor). But she finds her self haunted by men in white-face and the idea that she doesn’t quite belong.

Reason to Watch

This is a cult classic, it is kinda spooky, kinda weird and the man sharing her bed and breakfast is kinda creepy. Makes for some good viewing.

Context

Clocking in a micro budget, director Herk Harvey intended the the film to only ever be seen as B-Movie. It flopped at the cinema and really found a home and an audience on late night TV.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

“I don’t know those big words, I’m just an ordinary guy who works in a warehouse.”
“You had a fright, hysteria won’t solve anything.”
“I am a person of strong will, the time to go out there is now and if have to, I will go out alone.”
“I not only drink really, I really drink.”

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

Plaster on a face mask so you like one of the ghouls, turn out all the lights and get shit faced on Whisky because you don’t just want to really like this film, you want to like this film really drunk. If you are going to make night of it, you might consider getting in Night of the Living Dead too and making it a double feature.

Trivia

David Lynch named this film as being an influence for his “Lost Highway”.
Star Candace Hilligoss was a Lee Strasberg-trained actress, however Carnival of Souls was one of only 2 films she appeared.
Director Herk Harvey plays the man in white face who freaks out Mary throughout the film.

Educational Content

1. Women can’t drive straight.
2. Men in white face is scary, men in black face is racist.
3. Souls enjoy a nice slow dance.
4. Church organ players don’t have to believe in God and can earn a pretty good wage.

Justification for Rating

So the ending is not going surprise anyone, but other than that there is a lot to like. For a small budget B-Movie it is actually quite scary, but then director Herk Harvey did spend his career making social guidance films like “What About Alcoholism?”, “Make Your Home Safe” and the truly shocking “Pork: The Meal with a Squeal”. This film gets 4.5 for giving me the willies when I watch it alone and laughs when I watch it with friends. A cult classic that should make up the corner stone of any horror DVD (download) collection.

Rating:

Review

Klaas van Gelder is the wealthy owner of a jungle plantation and married to the beautiful Dina. During a confrontation with his just-fired plantation manager (Barney Chavez, played by Raymond Burr), he discovers Chavez and Dina are having an affair and is thrown by Chavez into the path of a venomous snake. The murder is witnessed by Al-long, an old native woman, who provides a false alibi for Chavez the next day during questioning by police commissioner Taro (Lon Chaney). After witnessing the murder Al-long has, in fact, placed a voodoo spell on Chavez. Now married to Dina, he is cursed to turn into a gorilla each night as Taro begins to investigate the natives’ reports of a terrifying creature stalking the jungle. Worried and alienated by her husband, Dina is comforted by the local doctor, Viet. Increasingly unable to resist the draw of the jungle, Chavez continues to neglect his wife and is eventually suspicious and jealous of her relationship with Viet. He forces her into the jungle, where all parties converge for a final confrontation.

Reason to Watch

This particular film is one-stop shopping for the clich\u00e9s of the genre: beautiful and buxom blond (with a first-rate scream), creepy old woman with an eastern-European accent (in a tropical jungle, no less), urbane sub-supporting actor (also in love with the leading lady), exotic location, and sinister music.

Context

While dark and grainy cinematography often lends cheesiness to this genre’, it actually contributes to the quality of the special effects in this movie. You’ll find yourself unwilling to look away, determined to wait for a good look at the gorilla.

Most Memorable Quote(s)

Dr. Viet: White people shouldn’t live too long in the jungle.
Dina: (screaming in the distance)
Taro: Over here!
Dina: (screaming in the distance)
Taro: Over there!
Dina: (screaming in the distance)
Taro: Over here!
Narrator: Like something that has been haunting the world for millions of years, the jungle has punished Barney Chavez for his crime!

What You Need to Get Through This Movie

If you intend to avoid headaches and temporary blindness, you’ll want to ratchet the brightness button on your TV up a bit.

Trivia

This film was actually created for the sole purpose of being a second feature to a more mainstream film.

Educational Content

Who would have ever thought that Maria Ouspenskaya wasn’t the only actress in Hollywood that could play, opposite Lon Chaney, an old woman with an Eastern European accent?

Justification for Rating

Bride of the Gorilla is worth watching just to see a Lon Chaney movie in which the hand that turns hairy and beast-like isn’t Chaney’s.

Rating:

Review

Fonda Chu is a young woman who was just released from prison and is looking to make a fresh start. Things begin to look promising when a letter arrives offering her work at a newspaper in small town. Inquiring minds want to know who she is and where she came from. But it seems that no matter how hard she tries someone will not let her forget her past. Strange and awful things begin to happen to those around her and all fingers point straight to her. Fonda must figure out who is responsible and answer questions to her past before it is too late. Read the rest of this entry »

Rating:

Review

Bloody Pit of Horror, is a film that is set in an Italian castle. A photographer as brought a group of models and crew to the castle to do a photo shoot. As you may have guessed the castle is haunted. Haunted, yes, haunted. Hundreds of years ago an executioner was himself put to death in the castle and now his spirit dwells forever in the castle. The present day castle resident believes this spirit is in him, and he will do anything to keep intruders out the castle, even killing. Almost immediately the killing starts and the executioner is loving the moment. Sexy girls with empty spaces between their ears are everywhere in this movie and our dear executioner is attempting to torture each of them as well as the others at the castle. This film is fill with cheesy script and bad props yet it’s entertaining. Read the rest of this entry »

September 11th, 2010 at the Tampa Pitcher Show Cult Flicks Latest Movie Troll 2 “Best Worst Movie”