A simple, low-budget ghost story made without stars or elaborate special effects, Carnival of Souls opened in 1962 to a generally dismissive public -- but with the passing years, Herk Harvey's hypnotic little chiller has acquired a cult following and been acknowledged as a minor masterpiece of fantastic cinema. It begins with the apparent drowning of Mary Henry (Candace Hilligoss), who subsequently drives to Utah to take a job as a church organist in a small town. She suffers hallucinations of a cadaverous-looking man (played by Harvey) and, feeling alone and alienated, wanders into a shabby amusement park where she encounters the tormentor she thinks she's only imagined. Harvey doesn't attempt to cram his story with action and incident; instead he creates an eerie, dream-like atmosphere and lets the narrative unfold at a tempered pace. As is the case with the best horror films, Carnival of Souls has become a monument in its own right, spawning many imitators and a remake in 1998. Four decades after its release, this stark movie is as horrifying as ever.