Carnival of Souls, the bastard stepchild to Night of the Living Dead, is often left in the shadows and forgotten about. A true horror classic that has been subjected to horrid transfers due to its public domain status. Criterion has prepared a 2 disc set, fully restored for our consumption.

By todays standards, your typical audience reaction to Carnival of Souls could be; been there, done that. What people may fail to realize is that this film was one of the first to "do it". Filmed on an extremely modest budget, Carnival of Souls tells the story of Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss) who is thrust into a nightmarish world after a horrible car accident. Reality seems to bend right before Mary's eyes, and she can't seem to separate her nightmares from reality. The question arises, have the two worlds blended together? Mary manages a job as a church organist, however, she is being followed and tormented by a dark and disturbing nightmarish figure. Mary's normal existance, becomes a fight for her sanity. It gets harder each day for Mary to cope and deal as she starts to go over the edge.

Both Carnival of Souls and Night of The Living Dead have similar backgrounds. Made on modest budgets by modest production companies, mainly specializing in commercials, ads and short films. For some reason, Carnival of Souls has slipped through the cracks of the mainstream. It seems as if Night of the Living Dead, (made almost 6 years after Carnival) has stolen most of its thunder. Carnival of Souls still holds on and is just as effective today as it was almost 40 years ago.

Long suffering from rotten EP tape transfers, Criterion has given us a real godsend here. The film is presented in two versions. The original theatrical cut, and an extended version (by 5 minutes). The transfer is out of this world, with nary a scratch or speckle to be found. The mono sound is incredibly sharp, and dialogue is crystal clear. The B&W image is near reference quality with deep blacks and shadows.

As with Elite's restoration of Night of the Living Dead, Criterion has presented Carnival to us as if it were a brand new movie. It's almost like watching a completely different film. Throw away those old EP pre records, and see this film the way it was intended to be seen.

As if all of this weren't enough, this 2 disc set is packed with extras. 2 complete versions of the film, and selected audio commentary. A fascinating 1989 reunion documentary with the cast and crew which is truly spectacular. 45 minutes of rare outtakes/additional footage set to great organ music from the film, and about an hour of short films/spots from Centron Films, and more!

Usually, I feel Criterion films are overpriced, and lacking in the extras dept. This is one case where you can get the most bang for your buck. Every fan of horror should have this film in their collection. There is no better way to see this film, than this remastered deluxe special edition.