Let's Scare Jessica to Death

Let's Scare Jessica to Death
Original theatrical poster
Directed by	John D. Hancock
Produced by	Charles B. Moss Jr. Bill Badalato
Written by	John D. Hancock Lee Kalcheim
Starring	Zohra Lampert Barton Heyman Kevin O'Connor Gretchen Corbett Alan Manson Mariclare Costello
Music by	Orville Stoeber
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	August 6, 1971
Running time	89 min.
Country	USA
Language	English

Let's Scare Jessica to Death is a 1971 low budget American horror film, directed by John D. Hancock, and starring Zohra Lampert in the title role. The film focuses on a recently institutionalized woman who has various nightmarish experiences after moving to an old farmhouse on a Connecticut island. In 2006, the Chicago Film Critics Association named Let's Scare Jessica to Death the 87th scariest film ever made.

Synopsis

In the film Jessica, (Zohra Lampert), her husband (Barton Heyman), and a friend (Kevin O'Connor) retreat to a Victorian farmhouse in an isolated part of rural Connecticut, after Jessica's release from a mental institution, following a nervous breakdown. Once there, the trio encounter an enigmatic hippie named Emily (Mariclare Costello) who is living in the house, and almost immediately, Jessica's madness resumes. Increasing evidence from Jessica's point of view implies that Emily may be a ghost and/or vampire, and that all those inhabiting the island are as well, though the viewer is never sure whether the subsequent turn of events are all in Jessica's mind, or whether something sinister is truly after her.

Production and Style

The film was shot in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. The village of Chester was used, as was the Chester–Hadlyme Ferry crossing the Connecticut River. The movie was similar in tone to Rosemary's Baby and The Haunting, in that its story is told from the vantage point of a female protagonist, whose sanity and good judgment may be in question, and its emphasis on story and atmosphere rather than excessive gore and violence. Also, like those films, the ending is intentionally vague, leaving viewers to draw their own conclusions.

Actress Mariclare Costello (who played the role of Emily) was wary about filming the scene where her character kills Jessica's pet mole, even going so far as to hide on the set to avoid filming the scene.

In the scene where Costello sings a folk song in Jessica's kitchen, the director and producers considered dubbing the actress' singing voice with that of a professional singer. However, they later decided to keep Costello's voice as it was recorded.

Making little impact during its theatrical release, the film later became a staple of late night TV, where it became a cult favorite.

Critical reception

Roger Greenspun of The New York Times stated, "Although a disappointment generally, there are several things going for it; among them, the pleasantly aggressive title, which has, as is proper, only the most casual relation to the movie."

J.C. Maçek III of WorldsGreatestCritic.com said, "While the film can be very frightening in a sublime and deeply chilling way, Jessica is much more of a drama than a shock suspense story! Rarely are there startles or deeply supernatural disturbances, but some real-world freak outs like, oh, say, a trusted friend suddenly playfully trying to drown you... and not ceasing the play when the fun stops. Typical for a horror flick? Nope! Scary in real life? Yes, yes."

Video and DVD releases

The film was released in VHS in the late 1980s. It was released on DVD in August 2006 from Paramount Pictures, its original distributor.

External links

• Let's Scare Jessica to Death at the Internet Movie Database
• Let's Scare Jessica To Death.net