SHOP CARNIVAL OF...
IMDb >
Carnival of Souls (1962)
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotesOverview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv scheduleAwards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage boardPlot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotesFun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQOther Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDeskPromotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo galleryExternal Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsCarnival of Souls (1962)
| Photos (see all 24 | slideshow) |
Overview
Release Date:
2 November 1962 (Finland) moreTagline:
She Was A Stranger Among The Living. morePlot:
After a traumatic accident, a woman becomes drawn to a mysterious abandoned carnival. full summary | add synopsisUser Comments:
Fascinating, Influential Only Feature By Herk Harvey moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Candace Hilligoss | ... | Mary Henry | |
| Frances Feist | ... | Mrs. Thomas, Landlady | |
| Sidney Berger | ... | John Linden | |
| Art Ellison | ... | Minister | |
| Stan Levitt | ... | Dr. Samuels | |
| Tom McGinnis | ... | Organ Factory Boss | |
| Forbes Caldwell | ... | Organ Factory Worker | |
| Dan Palmquist | ... | Gas Station Attendant | |
| Bill de Jarnette | ... | Mechanic (as Bill De Jarnette) | |
| Steve Boozer | ... | Chip, Man at Juke Box | |
| Pamela Ballard | ... | Dress Sales Lady | |
| Larry Sneegas | ... | Drag Racer | |
| Cari Conboy | ... | Lake Zombie | |
| Karen Pyles | ... | Dress Store Customer | |
| T.C. Adams | ... | Dancing Zombie |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parentsRuntime:
78 min | 91 min (original version) | USA:84 min (director's cut)Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 moreSound Mix:
MonoCertification:
USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:PG (re-release) (1990) | Canada:G (Quebec) (1997) | Germany:12 | Canada:R (Manitoba) (2002) | Canada:AA (Ontario) (1990) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) (1962) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) (1991) | Finland:K-18 (re-rating) (1962) | Australia:PG | Norway:16 | UK:15 (video rating)MOVIEmeter: 
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
This film was shot on location in Salt Lake City, Utah, and in Lawrence, Kansas, with interior shots at the Centron Studios in Lawrence. Centron was an industrial film company, producing industrial and educational films and "social guidance" short subjects in the 1950s into the 1960s. Most of this film's technical staff, including director Herk Harvey and screenwriter John Clifford, were Centron employees. moreGoofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: Many of the long shots were looped in the crowd scene following the accident, and other shots were dubbed with the audio track from other shots with which they were intercut. The audio and the mouth movements of the actors drift in and out of sync across the various shots in this scene. moreQuotes:
John Linden: That's just what I need! Get mixed up with some girl who's off her rocker! moreFAQ
What have critics said?Is this available on DVD?
Watch this film on archive.org or Flick by Flick
more
more
Message Boards
Discuss this title with other users on IMDb message board for Carnival of Souls (1962) moreRecommendations
If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
Show more recommendations
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
| The Shining | Let's Scare Jessica to Death | The Living and the Dead | The Fog | Jacob's Ladder |
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
IMDb User Rating:
|
Related Links
| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| IMDb Fantasy section | IMDb USA section | Add this title to MyMovies |

















Herk Harvey toiled away for over a decade in educational and
industrial films before taking a chance on filming a feature length
movie in the Fall of 1961. He gathered backers from Lawrence,
Kansas, used a graduate film student (Sandy Berger) to cast the
lead (Candace Hilligoss), and filmed the movie during a three
week vacation period. The center set piece was the abandoned
Saltair amusement park in Utah, which has its own mysterious
history. The story goes that Harvey was traveling home to
Lawrence, Kansas on business and came upon the Saltair
amusement park from afar, stopped, became fascinated by it, and
then returned with the idea of making a horror movie featuring it.
He approached his colleague John Clifford to write the script and
Carnival Of Souls was born. Often cited as an influence on
Directors George A. Romero and David Lynch, Carnival Of Souls is
an eerie film about what happens when a young girl emerges from
what looks to be certain death. Herk Harvey creates a spooky little
chiller that draws us in right from the beginning. The black and
white cinematography is Bergmanesque in construction with
inventive camera angles and an ethereal feel. The scenes that
come to mind are the ones in the organ factory and the
amusement park pavilion. Gene Moore's music on the organ may
be one of the most unique soundtracks ever created, especially for
a horror film; it adds immeasurably to the moody atmosphere. The
make-up effects are also very effective,considering the film is in
black and white. The film relies on its Twilight Zone-like ability to
make everyday people, places, and activities seem suspect. The
acting by Candace Hilligoss is very good for such a low budget
production, and reportedly she didn't know what her character's
motivation was throughout the filming; Harvey's intent was to
maintain a look of confusion on Hilligoss' face. This is very evident
in retrospect, and is the main reason why the audience identifies
with her so easily. For a film that had to be edited so quickly, with
an entire reel of film being lost by the developer, there are very few
technical errors. Although the film is somewhat predictable
eventually, it still remains a fascinating, influential, original work of
horror outside the Hollywood mainstream. Unfortunately, this was
the only feature film Herk Harvey made due to the fact that he was
never paid by the distributors, who went out of business. Today it
has become a cult item among horror film buffs. Quite an
achievement for an industrial filmmaker from Lawrence, Kansas. 3
of 4 stars.