Carnival of Souls/Horror Hotel

Rating:
Summary: Great cinematography
Review: Just wanted to add to the praise for this movie and single out the cinematography, which is some of the best I've ever seen. Criterion should be commended for releasing this little known movie in such an elegant edition. Even with its occasional flaws, this film is an amazing accomplishment and was, for me, a very pleasant surprise.

Rating:
Summary: Great craftsmanship by Criterion Collection
Review: As the writer of the original film I must say how pleased I am with the expertese of the producer and technicians at the Criterion Collection who compiled and made this DVD version of the film. I am especially delighted to see my friend Herk Harvey's efforts so wonderfully preserved. --John Clifford

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Summary: the blair witch has NOTHING on this flick!
Review: Very good film,a low-budget triumph of the director and cast over big bloated hollywood thinking.

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Summary: MAYBE TOO MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING
Review: Many viewers (including myself) caught this 1962 horror classic many many years ago on TV and some of the horrific imagery has stuck with us ever since. However, although the film has a lot going for it - the haunting B&W ghouls, the moody organ music, the great Saltair location, etc. - it really doesn't hold up that well dramatically. Don't want to trash a classic, but there's NO WAY you can't figure this one out in the first 10 minutes. Still, it's the overall ethereal weirdness and haunting imagery that make it a well-deserved minor classic in the horror genre. I do think CRITERION's DOUBLE (! ) DVD is a bit excessive, however....why have both "versions" of the film - the theatrical cut and the original director's cut? Surely, no viewer will bother watching the edited theatrical cut (edited by the distributor to put on a double-bill) when the original director's cut (only 5 minutes longer - and nothing substantial really) is here. Seems kind of pointless. Also, many of the extras on this Expensive DVD are a bit anal... maybe if I was a REALLY EXCESSIVE FAN of the film, I would want to watch an hour of boring industrial short films made by the company the director worked for....sorry, I don't care if they were made by Kubrick....they're BORING! Some of the reunion footage of the cast, crew and director in 1989 IS quite interesting...but this DVD easily could have been a One-Disc release. I feel like Criterion just wanted to milk us for more $$$ by including so much drivel.... I guess in the final analysis, though, Criterion should be commended for doing such a release at all. If you got the bucks...buy it!

Rating:
Summary: Forget The Sixth Sense
Review: This movie is GREAT! way ahead of its time. It seems to have a soul of its own,like a piece of art. I hate when new movies like the Sixth Sense come out and everyone is like "wow what an original idea" This is the idea. this is the movie! Love the organ music 2

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: Almost as eerie and unexplainable for me as the film itself, is the fact that this film has made it to DVD and by Criterion no less. This movie is close to my heart because I know Larry Sneegas, who played the young hood at the beginning who asks the girls "Wanna drag ?" (Larry was also part of the production crew for this and many other "industrial" films with director Herk Harvey). The historic Englewood theater here in Kansas City showed CARNIVAL a few years ago as part of a tribute to local film makers and what a treat to see it for the first time on the big screen! Larry has been gracious enough to loan me his VHS copy of THE MOVIE THAT WOULDN'T DIE documentary that Criterion has included ... some great background on this small-but-mighty film and I can't wait to see all the other "extras" on the disc as well. I've seen both versions of the movie (again thanks to Larry) and while they each work marvelously, who wouldn't prefer the director's "more zombies" cut? The reviews below really capture the film's essence, so all I can say is ENJOY !

Rating:
Summary: how did they do it?
Review: this film is incredible. it's so eerie and frightening and it obviously had a tiny budget. definitely one of a kind. it reminds me of occurrence at owl creek bridge by ambrose beirce.

Rating:
Summary: One of A Few Low Budget, Well Crafted Scary Films Ever Made
Review: This is the only film to cause me to suddenly realize the horrifying reality of what had befallen the heroine solely on the basis of a series of seemingly insignificant events. It doesn't rely on glitzy special effects, maniacal slashers, repulsive monsters or the last minute plot twist . Instead, it uses real life moody settings, creepy music, and a tremendous story to scare the living daylights out of you.

Rating:
Summary: campy, creepy, classic
Review: wow....this one has it all. just when you want to laugh at the acting, the atmosphere makes your skin crawl. a little slow at times, but a movie you'll not soon forget. not everyone will "get it," but if you're a fan of the cult classic horror movie, you'll definitely enjoy this!

Rating:
Summary: The most frightening film ever made
Review: This easily surpasses the amateurishly made "Blair Witch Project". This even surpasses "Night of the Living Dead", "Hush.Hush... Sweet Charlotte" or the original "The Haunting". Without gore or Special Effects and shot on a budget of about $ 30'000: If you want a movie that shocks the hell out of you, THIS is it.