By Geno McGahee
The 1970s was such a good time for horror movies. Most of the films that really sit with you and rattle you have come from this time. The TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT, and I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE came from this time and so did the 1971 strange horror gem: LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH.
Jessica (Zohra Lampert) just got out of an institution and there are still some questions about her sanity. She is very socially awkward. When her and a group of friends head to a house near a lake, the news comes out that a woman named “Abigail” had drowned in the lake and the body was never found. That’s when Jessica starts seeing things. While on the lake, she sees the body of the girl floating and when she goes to town the townies all appear strange. They all look at her in a strange way and all have some mark on their necks. She is convinced that Abigail is haunting the area and is now a vampire.
The more that Jessica tries to prove that what she is seeing is real, the more that she seems to get crazier. She discovers a dead body and when she drags her husband over to see it, it’s gone. She also becomes very paranoid when a young woman, Emily (Mariclare Costello), stays at the house. She now becomes convinced that there is something going on between her husband and Emily, but there is also the voice in her mind that is insisting it’s just part of her insanity.
Dead bodies start piling up and the people of the town begin to surround the lake in a very menacing way. Jessica gets into a boat and floats to the middle of the lake, looking at all of the creepy townies. It’s a very creepy visual. She then reflects on the situation and her mindset. Is she crazy? Is the lake really haunted?
LET’S SCARE JESSICA TO DEATH is a great film that allows the viewer to draw their own conclusions. Lampert is incredibly likable in this. She’s a goofball and is socially awkward. She plays the role so well. You can really see that Jessica is trying to get acceptance and overly happy when she thinks that she gets it. The atmosphere of this film was great from jump and little things meant a lot. The fact that they drove to the house in a hearse immediately set the tone for the film. It’s just an uneasy feeling from jump.
I highly recommend this film. It’s just a great 1970’s creepy horror film. It reminded very much of WARLOCK MOON. I’m still trying to figure out what the hell was going on with Jessica.
Rating: 8/10
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