Poor acting, awful script yet I watched it to the end, so bad its good.....sort of

I'd heard of this film for years but just saw it for the first time. There's something to be said for that process; it lingers in the back of your mind as something you intend to watch "some day", and then when you finally see it, it's somehow satisfying. I'm sure there's probably an official term for this phenomenon.The acting isn't that great but it doesn't have to be; the film draws you in with its close-ups, oppressive music, simple but effective special effects, and attempt to make the main character normal when she clearly isn't. Long after you've seen the film, questions about the world it created linger, such as: was it all a dream, or was she lingering halfway between life and death, or was she just a ghost trying to live a normal life doing normal things like moving into a boarding house, finding a job, and getting hit on by a creeper? Was she just a walking corpse the whole time? This movie poses more questions than it answers, which is the hallmark of really good horror.

Put together on a shoestring budget and filmed in a short time, "Carnival of Souls" is an unusual film, envisioned by one industrial film maker who was inspired by a location he happened to see in Utah. The abandoned and creepy Saltair pavilion is the focus of this film that leads the viewer on a mysterious journey into the supernatural realm.Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) is a church organist "capable of stirring the soul", but she is remarkably unmoved by her profession. When she is the only survivor of an automobile accident, she leaves her home as if drawn westward. When she gets to Utah, she feels compelled to investigate an old carnival site. What follows is a compelling story in which Mary tries to unravel the truth about why she suffers inexplicable spells that affect her senses. She also experiences hallucinations.Filmed in black and white, "Carnival of Souls" is, foremost, a film of atmosphere. Most of the director's attention is spent on creating a chilling experience for the viewer, using empty interiors, dramatic lighting, evocative sounds and some unusual camera angles.Director and writer Herk Harvey, in his only artistic film production, fashioned a film that influenced many directors to follow, though it does not offer the glossy production values of mainstream films.

I've just finished watching 'Carnvial of Souls' for the very first time and I've already made up my mind that it's an absolute masterpiece. This movie manages to be incredibly atmospheric on a shoestring budget of just a couple thousand dollars and achieves something that most of today's movies don't even manage on a multi- million dollar budget: To completely draw the viewer in and mesmerize them.This movie proves that you don't necessarily need tons of practical and special effects, big action sequences or an overly complex plot to make a good movie, but merely a group of dedicated people with a vision and the expertise to realize it. Herk Harvey, John Clifford, Candace Hilligoss and their colleagues probably didn't realize what exactly they were creating at the time, but they all had lots of talent and expertise as is evident in the final movie. It's a piece of art.The cinematography and direction of 'Carnival of Souls' are phenomenal, Gene Moore's organ score is haunting, and the acting is surprisingly captivating, especially Candace Hilligoss in the lead role. Her facial expressions in the scene where she's playing the organ as if possessed are chilling. The grand finale at Saltair is something that is burnt into my mind now. Such beautiful and haunting images. A brilliant movie!