Carnival of Souls (1998)

User Rating:

3.3/10   

Directors:

Adam Grossman
Ian Kessner

Writers (WGA):

John Clifford (story)
Adam Grossman (screenplay)

Release Date:

21 August 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

Tagline:

Enter... if you dare.

Plot:

A young girl witnesses the brutal rape and murder of her mother by a circus clown and begins to have nightmares when the carnival comes back to town when she is an adult.

Plot Keywords:

Sex | Remake Of Cult Film | Evil Circus | Disturbed Childhood | Horror Movie Remake

Cast

Bobbie Phillips	...	Alex Grant
Shawnee Smith	...	Sandra Grant
Larry Miller	...	Louis Seagram
Paul Johansson	...	Michael
Cleavant Derricks	...	Sid
Henry G. Sanders	...	Officer Soby
Brendan Dillon	...	Henry
Anna K. McKown	...	Elaine Grant (as Anna Kristen McKown)
Raquel Beaudene	...	Young Alex Grant
Tiffanie Ann Taylor	...	Young Sandra Grant
Joseph S. Griffo	...	Photographer
Robert LaSardo	...	Candyman (as Robert A. LaSardo)
Mark Paskell	...	Clown
Ellen Albertini Dow	...	Mrs. Meltzer
Andrew Craig	...	Worker

Also Known As:

Wes Craven Presents 'Carnival of Souls'

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/terror, a strong sex scene and language.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | UK:18 | USA:R | Spain:18

Company:

Trimark Pictures

Quotes:

Henry: By the way where's your partner?

Movie Connections:

Remake of Carnival of Souls (1962)

Excellent, Innovative Remake Of A Horror Classic

After reading the other comments about Carnival of Souls 1998, I now understand why I didn't hear more about the making or release of this film. Carnival of Souls 1998 apparently wasn't well received or liked, and I really can't understand why. The only reason I can determine for this is that Wes Craven's name is attached to this film. Usually this great director's name would be a positive force for a film. In this case, however, it may have been misleading. Others probably rented Carnival of Souls expecting unrelenting fear. However, this film is not in that category. Carnival Of Souls 1998 is much more than that. It's an absorbing, well-timed, thought provoking story about a troubled woman's fear of death, and her resulting fear of life. Haunted throughout her life by witnessing her mother's murder, she's likewise haunted by the possible release of her mother's murderer. She fears that he return for revenge, and she fears for herself and even more for her younger sister. Bobbie Phillips plays Alex, the troubled woman. She's brilliant, and conveys her fear with such eloquence you feel her fear and confusion as if it were something concrete. Shawnee Smith plays Sandra, her younger sister. So wonderful every week on the TV situation comedy Becker, she shows us that she has many more dimensions to her acting ability. Watch this film with an open mind. Forget about Wes Craven's name on the box and credits. You may be in for a pleasant surprise.