TheTingler

The Tingler (1959)

In this William Castle directed gem Vincent Price stars as pathologist Dr. Warren Chapin. In addition to being a research scientist he also does the autopsies for the recently executed criminals at a nearby prison. It is there that he meets up with Ollie, who is there to witness the execution of his brother in law. Striking up a conversation the doctor drives him home and meets the man’s wife, who is a deaf mute. When she dies later on Dr. Chapin asks to examine her and discovers that she was scared to death. Not only that but he discovers a creature attached to her back, a creature that feeds on fear. The only thing that can hurt or kill the creature is by screaming, but since she couldn’t scream the Tingler (what he calls it) killed her. Eventually after several mishaps the doctor realizes that he needs to put the Tingler back in the woman’s body where it belongs. But this is complicated by the fact that Ollie had purposely scared his wife to death and is now trying to skip town.

This movie is a perfect storm of gimmicks, genuinely creepy atmosphere, great performance, and a story that is unique and interesting. There are basically two storylines in this movie. First we have Ollie killing his wife and inadvertently creating the Tingler for the doctor to study. Second there is the story about Dr. Chapin’s unhappy marriage and his wife’s need to make everyone around her miserable. The two storylines are blended perfectly into a movie that manages to always have something going on without being confusing or cluttered. Plus it is cool that the movie has a wife as the villain in one story and the victim in the other. It just works really well and is very entertaining. This solid story is only helped by the cast, which gives great performances. Vincent Price carries the movie in the role of Dr. Chapin. Price always manages to make whatever film he is in better and when he is in a good movie it becomes a classic. I especially liked the LSD trip that he takes on screen in an attempt to scare himself and feel what that level of fear must be like. A lesser actor might have just hammed it up on screen, but Price actually looks terrified and sells the scene. I also wanted to mention Philip Coolidge who is wonderful as Ollie. In spite of what the character does Coolidge manages to make him sympathetic.

No review of a William Castle directed movie would be complete without discussing the special effects and gimmicks used by the director. First I have to talk about the Tingler itself. It is a simple looking design but is very effective and scary looking. Sure sometimes you can see the wires pulling it across the set as it attempts to sneak up on someone, but that is part of the charm. The other thing that Castle used here is on it of color for emphasis to grab the audience’s attention. The only thing in the film that is in color is the blood during Ollie’s attempts to scare his wife to death. Every time I show someone this movie for the first time it gets their attention. When something still works almost 50 years later you know it is good. Throw in a cheesy mask, Vincent Price addressing the movie audience, and you have a good time.

The DVD that I watched for this review is from the William Castle Film Collection. Along with the movie is the theatrical trailer, an alternate sequence used for the drive-in shows (which as a fan of the drive-in I loved!), and a great 15 minute long documentary called Scream for you Lives: William Castle and the Tingler. I recommend all the extras, especially the documentary short. It is a very cool look at some of the history of the movie and the famous gimmick that was used to scare the movie going audience.

I’m a sucker for these old movies and doubly so for anything from either Vincent Price or William Castle. So put them together and you know I’m there. But I don’t think I’m being biased when I say that this is a fun movie that I think everyone will enjoy.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer