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CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1962) Starring Candace Hilligoss, Frances Feist, Sidney Berger, Art Ellison,

Stan Levitt Directed by Herk Harvey

If you're one of the many (too many) who haven't seen this little gem,

let me just tell you: This is the best film you've never seen.

Made in 1962 by Herk Harvey, an industrial film maker in Lawrence,

Kansas for a ridiculously tiny budget, CARNIVAL OF SOULS is a cult

masterpiece. Harvey shot most of the film locally (a few scenes were

shot near Salt Lake City), and used local talent. In fact, some of the

cast were also members of the crew.

The story opens with young Mary Henry and her girlfriends drag racing

against some boys. When the cars reach an old bridge, the girls's car

plunges over the side and into the river. While police and onlookers

search the river for signs of the car, Mary emerges from the water.

She's wet, muddy and in shock. She decides to put her past behind her

and takes a job in Utah, playing the organ at a church. On her way to

Utah, she passed an old deserted carnival on Salt Lake. It's a spooky

image and intrigues Mary for reasons she cannot fathom. She also sees

the image of a ghostly face outside her car window. This creepy man

continues to plague her, showing up numerous times after she arrives at

her new home. She doesn't know what the man wants with her, nor can

she explain her own increasingly odd behavior.

CARNIVAL OF SOULS has very little in the way of special effects, but it

doesn't need them. Harvey and crew create such a nightmarish

atmosphere and such compelling visuals that this film will keep you

thinking long after the final credits have rolled. Viewers who have

seen Roger Corman's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968) will definitely

notice the influence that CARNIVAL OF SOULS had on that film.

I have always loved this film, but lamented the limited sources from

which to obtain it. For years it was available only in a

bargain-basement VHS edition. A few years ago I was fortunate enough

to see CARNIVAL OF SOULS on the big screen in Kansas City. Many of the

cast and crew were present to discuss the film and answer questions.

While nothing can compare to that, the average viewer is much more

fortunate today because CARNIVAL OF SOULS is available on DVD. I

recommend The Criterion Collection's 2-disc set.

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935) Starring Boris Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, Elsa Lanchester, Coli Clive, Valerie Hobson, Dwight Frye Directed by James Whale

It's rare that a sequel, especially a horror sequel, surpasses the original. And when the original is the 1931 classic FRANKENSTEIN, it's an even greater accomplishment, but that's exactly what director James Whale did. He created a film that is not only considered one of the best horror films of all time, but also one of the best pictures, of any genre, in Hollywood's history.

After a brief prologue, THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN begins right where its predecessor left off. The Monster (Karloff) has survived the burning windmill and is once again in search of acceptance. He eventually meets up with the wonderfully evil Dr. Pretorius (Thesiger) who decides to make a female monster, a mate for Dr. Frankenstein's creation. Of course Frankenstein (Clive) refuses to be involved but is then forced to assist Pretorius when the villain has the Monster kidnap his wife (Hobson).

THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a joy to watch. Whale obviously relished the freedom he was given after his successes with FRANKENSTEIN and THE INVISIBLE MAN, and the cast seems to be enjoying themselves, as well. Whale did not, however, have a blank check. This is evidenced by the large amount of cuts the censors required him to make, mostly for being too blatantly, (homo)sexually symbolic. Despite this, the film retains a great deal of symbolism that makes for a more interesting viewing experience than one gets from the average horror film.

Boris Karloff argued against the Monster gaining the power of speech in this film. Many have said in retrospect that he was wrong. I disagree...partially. Karloff is right in that this would have been disastrous in the hands of any other actor. Karloff's gift for generating sympathy with the audience enabled him to pull it off flawlessly.

Ernest Thesiger is a delight as the evil (and slightly prissy) Dr. Pretorius. Again, this role could easily have been an overacted nightmare, but in Thesiger's care the character shines with tasteful camp rather than flamboyant buffoonery. Colin Clive returns as Dr. Frankenstein and the very beautiful Valerie Hobson replaces Mae Clark in the role of Elizabeth Frankenstein. Elsa Lanchester has a dual part, appearing first as Mary Shelley in the prologue, and later as the Bride. She does a great job as the female monster, bringing the mute character to surprising life, given the short amount of screen time she had. Many viewers will remember that Dwight Frye, the all too underrated character actor, played Frankenstein's assistant Fritz in the original film. He is back in a similar role here, this time called Karl (Fritz was killed in the original).

Once again, the makeup is amazing. Jack Pierce refined the Monster's features a bit and created another truly wonderful makeup for the Bride. She is both grotesque and oddly attractive...another of the dualistic symbols which permeate this landmark film.

THE INVISIBLE RAY (1936) Starring Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Frances Drake, Frank Lawton, Walter Kingsford Directed by Lambert Hillyer

Universal's third pairing of Lugosi and Karloff strays in to the realm of science fiction while retaining many of the elements of horror for which the studio was famous.

Janos Rukh (Karloff) is a brilliant, workaholic scientist who lives with his beautiful wife (Drake) and mother in a sprawling gothic castle/laboratory/observatory in the storm-swept Carpathian Mountains (where else?).

Sir Francis Stevens (Kingsford) and wife, accompanied by the skeptical Dr. Felix Benet (Lugosi), arrive to see Rukh's latest discovery. By following a ray of light that left the Andromeda galaxy millions of years ago back to its source, he can see back in time. What he is able to show them is a giant meteor striking the surface of the Earth, on the African continent "thousands of millions" of years ago. With this proof that such a catastrophe occurred, he is able to embark on an expedition to Africa. The meteor is found and Rukh is able to harness a strange power that emanates from it...Radium X. Unfortunately, this mysterious element also causes Rukh to glow in the dark. And, as if that weren't bad enough, everyone who touches him dies. Dr. Benet comes up with a counteractive which will not cure Rukh, but will at least make him tolerable to have around. As with all such things, there is a price...Benet cannot promise what effects the counteractive will have on Rukh's mind.

For a film released in 1936, THE INVISIBLE RAY has some pretty good special effects. The image of the meteor sailing toward the Earth is impressive, though the actual impact is less than spectacular. The scene where Rukh launches his invisible ray at a rock formation and reduces it to nothing is also good, even by today's standards. The scenes at Rukh's home are what give THE INVISIBLE RAY its creepy atmosphere. As in other Universal horror productions, the set is made of almost exclusively vertical elements, casting long shadows. The doorways are so tall the tops of them disappear somewhere beyond the top of the screen. A middle segment that takes place in Africa is less eerie, but it does provide a nice setting for us to first see Rukh's glowing face and hands.

THE INVISIBLE RAY is a fun movie to watch despite (or because of?) a few flaws, like the fact that all of the Paris newspapers seem to be printed in English. Not as fun is the film's racist depiction of the African porters. Even allowing for the attitude of the time in which the film was made, these scenes will still make most modern viewers cringe.