Rating: Summary: Scary Psychological Thriller Review: I read alot of horrible reviews before catching this movie. I watched anyway. To my surprise,I really enjoyed it. I think the problem people had was that it was marketed under horror. These days horror has to make you jump out of your seat every 5 seconds to be successful. I truly enjoyed the psychological aspects to this movie. I completely understood and felt the sadness,confusion,and finally acceptance Alex Grant(Bobbie Phillips)went through. People just don't have patience anymore to allow time for a story to unfold. I think this is a terrific throwback to the understated films of the past.
Rating: Summary: Scary Psychological Thriller Review: I read alot of horrible reviews before catching this movie. I watched anyway. To my surprise,I really enjoyed it. I think the problem people had was that it was marketed under horror. These days horror has to make you jump out of your seat every 5 seconds to be successful. I truly enjoyed the psychological aspects to this movie. I completely understood and felt the sadness,confusion,and finally acceptance Alex Grant(Bobbie Phillips)went through. People just don't have patience anymore to allow time for a story to unfold. I think this is a terrific throwback to the understated films of the past.
Rating: Summary: A good movie, for horror fans! I liked it! Review: If you want ILM special effects, famous actors and to eat popcorn while watching - forget this movie. But if you like movies where the director left something to think for the audience and if you prefer psychologic horror and atmosphere - you will definately like this horror-puzzle movie!
Rating: Summary: Where's Candace! Review: Sorry folks, but this remake of a horror classic is an absolute joke! Nothing in this bubblegum flick could remotely compare to the original (or the beautiful Candace Hilligoss!)
Rating: Summary: Where's Candace! Review: This film is a remake of the 1962 horror classic of the same name. The 1962 original was atmospheric, darkly poetic, haunting; its story a subtle balance between two alternate interpretations.This is none of those. This remake is a clunky mess, arbitrarily meandering through pointless scenes and aimless "monsters" lifted from JACOB'S LADDER. Aside from the monsters, a line, too, is lifted from JACOB'S LADDER. The one about demons and angels. This makes *some* sense, as both the original CARNIVAL OF SOULS and JACOB'S LADDER are inspired by Bierce's "Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge." The 1962 film had a beginning, a middle, and a twist ending. This 1998 remake has numerous beginnings, middles, and ends. Scenes switch back and forth as the lead character keeps "waking up" to indicate that all that went on before was a dream. If not for the rough road map provided by the original film, we'd have an even murkier idea of what's going on. Basically, a woman drives into the river, and at times seems to have escaped, at times is just now escaping, at times appears never to have driven into the river at all... Not clever, just confused and confusing. The original film's cool lead actress portrayed a young woman afraid of life, who "hadn't really lived." It was subtle, yet the point was made. In this new version, the character helpfully tells the audience that she "hasn't lived," in case we don't "get it." The pedophilia "update" to the original film's storyline doesn't add anything. This 1998 film's lead actress, Bobbie Phillips, guest-starred as the "bug woman" in THE X-FILES.
Rating: Summary: An insult to its source material Review: This film is a remake of the 1962 horror classic of the same name. The 1962 original was atmospheric, darkly poetic, haunting; its story a subtle balance between two alternate interpretations. This is none of those. This remake is a clunky mess, arbitrarily meandering through pointless scenes and aimless "monsters" lifted from JACOB'S LADDER. Aside from the monsters, a line, too, is lifted from JACOB'S LADDER. The one about demons and angels. This makes *some* sense, as both the original CARNIVAL OF SOULS and JACOB'S LADDER are inspired by Bierce's "Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge." The 1962 film had a beginning, a middle, and a twist ending. This 1998 remake has numerous beginnings, middles, and ends. Scenes switch back and forth as the lead character keeps "waking up" to indicate that all that went on before was a dream. If not for the rough road map provided by the original film, we'd have an even murkier idea of what's going on. Basically, a woman drives into the river, and at times seems to have escaped, at times is just now escaping, at times appears never to have driven into the river at all... Not clever, just confused and confusing. The original film's cool lead actress portrayed a young woman afraid of life, who "hadn't really lived." It was subtle, yet the point was made. In this new version, the character helpfully tells the audience that she "hasn't lived," in case we don't "get it." The pedophilia "update" to the original film's storyline doesn't add anything. This 1998 film's lead actress, Bobbie Phillips, guest-starred as the "bug woman" in THE X-FILES.
Rating: Summary: Disappointed Review: This film should have been marketed as a drama. It sure wasn'thorror. I think the monsters were in the wrong movie: they keptshowing up, but no one gave them anything to do.
Rating: Summary: I'd rather go to the dentist than watch this film. Review: This is one of the most boring and poorly executed horror films (if you could call this a horror film), I've seen in my whole entire life. Where are the horror scenes? The story goes nowhere. I could not care less for any of the characters. I did not understand the apparent symbolism this movie tries to carry across neither did I care whether I understood it or not. Definitely stay away from this film.
Rating: Summary: Zero stars Review: This movie belongs on the Lifetime:Television for Women network. A touching movie about child molestation and the lasting effect is has on a woman. The scariest thing about this movie was Wes Craven's name on the DVD cover. He should be a little more selective on where his name goes. I was never a big fan of the original movie, but at least it had an odd spookiness to it. The only thing remotely spooky about this movie was that Jacobs Ladder spinning head creature, although by the 90th time you see it, it's kind of lost it's touch.Oh yeah, DVD picture looks fine, yadda yadda yadda, but it doesn't matter cause this movies not worth it. If you haven't seen the 1960's original, check it out. Or just watch Showgirls, this way you'll at least get to see Bobbie Phillips naked, instead of just teasing us in her underwear. One more thing. Using clowns and carnivals as a scource of terror is way cliched, and had it's heyday with Poltergeist and The Funhouse. Larry Miller should stick with stand-up.
Rating: Summary: LAME and this was meant to be a horror? Review: This was absolutely pathetic for a Wes Craven movie. Why bother buying this when you can get the same entertainment value from watching the television turned off! Not worth buying
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