I wasn't sure how I wanted to review this, because it's one of those movies where the less you know about it, the better.
At less than an hour-and-a-half runtime, _Carnival of Souls_ does't waste any time getting to the point, while at the same time, being very slow the first time you watch it. Fact is, nothing much happens in the movie. It's just a girl - Mary Henry - going about her business, to the extent that the first viewing may have you scratching your head wondering "what the hell am I watching?"
While the story here is very thin, that's not what makes the film worthy of many viewings: it's the swirling organ music, the creepy imagery, and the beautiful Candace Hilligoss.
Made in America during the 1960s, this feels like a German expressionism movie, e.g., _The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari_.
Atmospheric, ahead of its time, and undoubtedly influential.
For fans of classic, black-and-white horror, this is absolutely a must watch.