Carnival of Souls
Seen it?1962 | 78 min | Horror, Mystery, Fantasy
Saturday SpecialWhy it’s a Saturday Special
It earned strong reviews (86% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. A strong pick for the weekend.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for anyone who likes to be kept guessing, horror fans and fantasy fans. If you loved House on Haunted Hill, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Scary.
- The pace
- Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 18 min.
- What might put you off
- Made in 1962: an older pace and style.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Mary Henry ends up the sole survivor of a fatal car accident through mysterious circumstances. Trying to put the incident behind her, she moves to Utah and takes a job as a church organist. But her fresh start is interrupted by visions of a fiendish man. As the visions begin to occur more frequently, Mary finds herself drawn to the deserted carnival on the outskirts of town. The strangely alluring carnival may hold the secret to her tragic past.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
86% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
6.9 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 139K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Herk Harvey
- Candace HilligossMary Henry
- Herk HarveyThe Man
- Sidney BergerJohn Linden
- Frances FeistMrs. Thomas
- Art EllisonMinister
- Stan LevittDr. Samuels
- Tom McGinnisOrgan Factory Boss
- Forbes CaldwellOrgan Factory Worker
- Dan PalmquistGas Station Attendant
- Bill de JarnetteMechanic