Imagine if "Night of the Living Dead" was a ghost story instead of the first true zombie film, and you would get "Carnival of Souls."
Except where "Night of the Living Dead" was an exciting piece of horror with startling effects and poignant piece on racism, "Carnival of Souls" is a meandering tease of a movie that only benefits from having odd cinematography. Combine this with the pacing of a David Lynch film and you get a movie that feels like a chore to get through.
"Carnival of Souls" is an independent horror film about a teenage girl who miraculously survives a car accident, and tries to find meaning in her life after said accident. All the while, this girl feels like she is being followed by people who are not there, including a man that no one else can see. She is mysteriously drawn to an old carnival just off the Great Salt Lake, where she continually sees pale people who won't stop dancing.
Watching "Carnival of Souls" is like seeing someone go to a paint store, tries out different samples, literally watches that paint dry, and then leaves the store without buying anything. It comes and goes, but without anything significant or important being accomplished. The characters are dull and lifeless, especially the main female lead, and I routinely found myself checking the clock. Even though this movie is less than 90 minutes, it felt like it was nearly three hours.
Don't bother with "Carnival of Souls," there isn't much to see here outside of how it influences directors like David Lynch and George A. Romero.
Final Grade: D+
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