Darlings, Why Wasn't Candace Hilligoss Nominated For An Academy Award For Her Performance In "Carnival Of Souls????????????"

                                                   When it first appeared, in 1962--exactly sixty years ago, darlings--this film must have crept under the radar, so that is part of the reason.  When first shown on television in the late Sixties--I saw it on New York's Channel 9 "Supernatural Theater," in 1967, at age 12, and it freaked me out so much, for years I would not look at it.  This film destroys any illusion of death being an abstraction.

                                                      David had never seen the film, when he asked me to watch it with him, the other night, and I agreed.  This film improves with each viewing; it was truly artistically ahead of its time.  And the influences--Rod Serling, "Hitchcock's "Psycho," Romero's "Night Of The Living Dead," John Carpenter, David Lynch, even the Prince-Sondheim musical, "Follies"--are almost too numerous to mention.

                                                      Now, girls, don't let this disappoint you, but I am afraid the film is about spinsterhood and death.  And that spinsterhood can lead to death.  Mary Henry (Hilligoss) aspires to be a church organist in Utah, near Salt Lake City, where the haunting Saltair Pavillion seems to await her.  Before all this, she is in a car accident, and hanging out with a rather butch crowd.  Is she a repressed lesbian?  Lipstick?  Or just repressed, in general?  My guess is the last, because, as she goes through the rest of the film, it seems Mary is on the edge, like your average spinster.  Set in the Midwest, this is kind of like "Rod Serling Meets William Inge."

                                                        Along with Hilligoss' stunning work, are fine turns by Frances Feist as the typical landlady, and Sidney Berger, then head of the Drama Department at the University Of Kansas, as Mary's neighbor, John Linden, the sleaziest of the sleaze.

                                                           But the film's best assets are its imagery and use of sound, and lack thereof.   Let me show you some photos, so you can see what I mean.

                                                                                   

 

                                                                                   

                                                                            

                                                                                  

                                                                                   

                          If only someone would rebuild the pavilion in all its glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          The world needs more haunting and beguiling architecture like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

                           And don't let spinsterhood get you down, girls!  My mother always said there is someone for everyone.  And boy was she right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!