Carnival of Souls

Carnival of Souls is a 1962 American independent horror film starring Candace Hilligoss. Produced and directed by Herk Harvey for an estimated $33,000, the film did not gain widespread attention when originally released, as a double feature with The Devil's Messenger; today, however, it is a cult classic. Its plot follows a young woman whose life is disturbed after a car accident, finding herself drawn to the pavilion of an abandoned carnival.

Set to an organ score by Gene Moore, Carnival of Souls relies more on atmosphere than on special effects to create a mood of unease and foreboding. The film has a large cult following and is occasionally screened at film and Halloween festivals. It has been cited as an important influence on the films of both David Lynch and George A. Romero.

Plot

Mary Henry (Hilligoss) is riding in a car with two other young women when some men challenge them to a drag race. As they speed across a bridge, the women's car plunges over the side into the river. The police spend three hours dragging the murky, fast-running water without success. Mary miraculously surfaces, but she cannot remember how she survived.

Carnival of Souls (1998 film)

Carnival of Souls (also billed as Wes Craven Presents 'Carnival of Souls') is a 1998 horror film, a remake of Herk Harvey's 1962 horror film of the same name, although it has very little in common with the story of the original. It stars Bobbie Phillips and comedian Larry Miller, and was directed by Adam Grossman and Ian Kessner. It was executive produced by Wes Craven. The tagline for the film was: "Enter at your own risk! Enter if you dare."

Plot

Although this film is a remake of 1962's Carnival of Souls, it bears little resemblance to the original aside from the ending. This film centers on Alex Grant (Bobbie Phillips) who witnesses a carnival clown named Louis Seagram (Larry Miller) raping and murdering her mother on January 24, 1977. Twenty years later, Seagram returns after being released from prison and attacks Alex in her car. She drives the car into the river, and as she struggles back to shore she has hallucinations of Seagram and the same carnival where she met him. Alex is then drawn into a ghoulish game of cat and mouse with Seagram at the carnival.

Untamed City (Marr novel)

Untamed City: Carnival of Secrets, formerly published as Carnival of Souls is a young adult fantasy novel by author Melissa Marr. It was published by HarperTeen, a division of HarperCollins, in September 2012. Marr has stated that there will be at least one sequel to the book.

Plot

Untamed City: Carnival of Secrets is set in two worlds: our own, and the city of daimons, ruled by a rigid class structure. In the human world, 17-year-old Mallory only knows about the City from her father, who told her the story of how he and every other witch fled from for their lives from the daimons. Meanwhile, Aya and Kaleb are fighting for their lives in the heart of the City at the Carnival, and Mallory has no idea that forces are leading her there as well.

Reception

Reviews for the book were mixed. Booklist favorably compared the "feisty female warriors" and themes of social justice to The Hunger Games. Publishers Weekly praised the "blend of dark romance, fantasy, and action," but criticized the abrupt ending. Kirkus called the setting a "complicated, shallowly rendered world" and criticized the book for graphic violence. The book received a 2012 Voice of Youth Advocates starred review.

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions

Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions is the 17th studio album from American rock band Kiss. Originally slated for a 1996 release, it was ultimately not released until 1997. It was the band's final album with lead guitarist Bruce Kulick. The album is a departure from the band's classic hard rock style, in favor of a grunge-oriented sound.

Overview

Recorded in late 1995/early 1996, Kiss cancelled the album's original release as they instead committed to a reunion tour with the band's original lineup. Bootleg copies were circulated by fans, prompting the band to officially release the material in 1997. Because of this, none of the songs on Carnival of Souls were ever performed live.

Two former members of the band Black 'N Blue co-wrote songs on Carnival of Souls; vocalist Jaime St. James co-wrote "In My Head", and guitarist Tommy Thayer collaborated on "Childhood's End". Perhaps coincidentally, Thayer would join Kiss as the band's permanent lead guitarist in 2002. The album's closing track, "I Walk Alone", features lead vocals from the band's then-lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, his only lead vocal performance with the band.