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| Carnival of Souls (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Made at a cost of $33,000 in 1962, Carnival of Souls has been a highly influential cult film though it was barely noticed on its initial release. The story is somewhat absurd, the acting is at times amateurish, and the production quality reflects the low budget nature of the film. In this film the location is the real focal point of the film.
The director, Herk Harvey, got his inspiration for Carnival of Souls after seeing an abandoned amusement park on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. It's this location as well as other locales around Lawrence, Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah that contribute to the weird yet familiar atmosphere that this film depicts.
The fact that the film has a black and white noirish look to it and an eerie soundtrack of organ music throughout adds to the dreamlike effect of the film. Carnival of Souls is much like a feature length episode of the original Twilight Zone. And maybe even more like some unsettling dream that might have caused you to wake up in the middle of the night.
Have you seen Carnival of Souls? Do you enjoy films in black and white? Have you ever seen or visited an abandoned amusement park?
