The Thing That Couldn't Die
| The Thing that Couldn't Die | |
|---|---|
 Original film poster |
|
| Directed by | Will Cowan |
| Produced by | Will Cowan |
| Written by | David Duncan |
| Starring | William Reynolds Andra Martin Jeffrey Stone Carolyn Kearney Peggy Converse Robin Hughes James K Anderson Charles Horvath |
| Cinematography | Russell Metty |
| Editing by | Edward Curtiss |
| Distributed by | Universal Studios |
| Release date(s) | 1958 |
| Running time | 69 min. |
The Thing that Couldn't Die is a 1958 American black and white horror film from an original screenplay by David Duncan for Universal-International Pictures, produced and directed by Will Cowan.
[edit] Plot
A young woman named Jessica Burns (Carolyn Kearney), who claims to have psychic powers, lives on a remote ranch with her Aunt Flavia (Peggy Converse). She discovers an ancient box while water-witching and her Aunt takes it back to their house. Her boyfriend, Gordon (William Reynolds), goes for an archaeologist (who later goes on to have sexual relations with Aunt Flavia), arguing the box should be kept intact for appraisal and opening by an expert. However, the Aunt's greedy ranch foreman, anticipating treasure, secretly convinces the slow-witted handyman to break it open. Instead, the box contains the intact head of Gideon Drew (Robin Hughes), a man executed for sorcery 400 years earlier. The head awakens and telepathically takes over the mentally vulnerable handyman.
After murdering the foreman, the head has the handyman conceal it while arranging to have a coffin retrieved containing Gideon's body. Once his head and body are joined, Gideon will be fully able to exercise his powers over all comers. The young woman is aware of the evil and is protected from the head's influence by an ancient cross she wears around her neck. But when her boyfriend removes it, convincing her that she is only a victim of superstition and magical thinking, the head takes control of her mind, leaving the handyman to die in a hail of police bullets. The young woman joins head to body and Gideon arises from his coffin but the boyfriend, aware of the error of his ways, takes the monster off guard with the cross. This forces Gideon back into the coffin and, when they drop the cross in with his body, they watch the total disintegration of his mortal remains.
[edit] Trivia
The film was mocked in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
[edit] External links
- The Thing that Couldn't Die at the Internet Movie Database
- MST3K Episode Guide: The Thing that Couldn't Die
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