Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971) User Reviews

"Do you like my new dress? My new old dress?"

[bensonmum2 · 7/10 · 3 September 2006]

Jessica (Zohra Lampert) is a troubled woman. Recently "cured" of a psychological disorder, she and her husband, along with a friend, move to a large house in the country. Upon arriving, they find a mysterious, but agreeable woman named Emily (Mariclare Costello) living in their house. They invite her to stay and things seem to be going smoothly. But Jessica has started having visions again. She sees people who aren't there, hears voices, and discovers dead bodies. No one else notices anything. Is Jessica going mad? Or is there something more evil going on?

For the most part, Let's Scare Jessica to Death works as a slow-moving, atmospheric horror film. If you need chainsaws rumbling, masked killers, and blood spurting, steer clear of this one. But if you're a fan of slow-burn, subtle horror, you will find a lot to enjoy. There are moments in Let's Scare Jessica to Death that go beyond creepy and enter the realm of downright scary. The film has the feel to it of something just under the surface you can't see, but scares you nonetheless. Images like Emily coming out of the water in her wedding dress are classic. And, overall the film looks great – and by great I mean suitably dark and foreboding. The acting is generally good with Costello giving a standout performance. A lot has been written about Lampert – some going so far as to call her performance "Oscar Worthy". To me, she seems to be trying a bit too hard. Yeah, we know she's a nutcase, but that doesn't excuse some of the over-the-top histrionics. Get over yourself!

Notice I wrote that Let's Scare Jessica to Death works "for the most part". I have never cared for the ending. The finale takes the film in a completely different direction from anything that comes before. For lack of a better work, it's too obvious. It's as if someone demanded something more overt in the ending. A more subtle, mysterious ending would have fit better with the atmospheric feeling that the film had been building. Instead, we're given an ending that really harms what is otherwise a classic horror film.

Creepy Psychological Thriller

[nowego · 7/10 · 3 June 2018]

If you can ignore the basic and sometimes crappy production values, you can expect a surprising good movie. This is a B movie after it shows in some of the dialogue. Don't let that distract you.

At times very slow moving and some would say quite boring to the point where a lot of people would turn it off.......DON'T. The last 30 minutes of so makes up for the whole movie and for me made it worth watching to the end.

Really good performances from Zohra Lampert and Mariclare Costello, neither of whom I had never heard of until I watched this. The rest of the actors are a bit wooden, but that could easily be blamed on the script and dialogue.

The really great thing about this movie is that the ending is completely open to interpretation. Did it all happen or was it all the imagination of a really messed up mind?

If you don't mind old movies with low production values this is one worth watching.

An easy 7/10 for me, well worth the 90 minutes.

A languid, underrated psychological horror

[Leofwine_draca · 7/10 · 19 August 2016]

This is a film that works best by at first creeping up on you and then grabbing you on the spine. Nothing is what it seems here as the central character has recently been released from a mental institute and is unsure of whether the events she believes are happening are real, or in fact a figment of her imagination. By developing a tense atmosphere and building up a lot of suspense, this film is a rarity that really does manage to provoke chills.

While watching, it's hard to ignore the '70s fashions and the whole dated, arty, hippy mentality. However, if you do manage to overcome these obstacles then you're in for a darned good film. The acting is amateurish and yet suited to the piece; who better to portray normal people than, well, people off the street? The female lead is absolutely wonderful, playing a mentally unstable woman who is the heroine of the film, and who everybody else believes is crazy in any case.

Towards the end of the film, things really begin to gel together as the chills become more focused. In one spellbinding, transfixing scene a pale figure rises out of a lake, a haunting apparition. The townsfolk are clearly involved in some huge conspiracy, leading to lots of INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS-style paranoia. A clear reminder that violence and gore are not necessary for a horror film to scare, this underrated classic is highly unsettling.

super-creepy

[billys · 13 August 2004]

I first saw this movie as a somewhat hacked up, scratchy, blotchy, variably-colored, crapophonic late movie on a then-independent station (now a FOX affiliate) when I was a teenager in the '80s, and that is still how I remember it. Even the gorgeous print available on home video doesn't dull "Jessica"'s ability to make you feel really uneasy.

Make no mistake, horror fans brought up on Freddy and Jason are going to think this is supremely lame. There are no wisecracking psychos, unless you count Mariclare Costello's mildly swaggery hippie-vampire Emily, and there is very little in the way of gore, no nudity to speak of, hardly any profanity, and no ass-kicking. It's SLOW. So what gives?

I'll tell you what gives. This movie is SCARY. Not gross, but scary. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but there is a thread that runs under everything that put you slightly off balance and makes you feel icky inside, something that makes even broad daylight seem deathly black and menacing. Credit Bob Baldwin with some nicely atmospheric photography. I'll say this much: a lot of it is in the sound. From the constant wind to the creaks in the farmhouse, from the plaintive minor-key acoustic guitar plucking to the WONDERFUL, unsettling electronic noises by synthesizer pioneer Walter Sear-one of my absolute favorite aspects of this movie-what you hear is almost as important as what you see (or don't see, in this case). The rough edges caused by a miniscule budget make for plenty of continuity errors for the movie buffs to catch, but also somehow make it all seem that much more real.

You keep waiting to be impressed with the slick Tom Savini or Rob Bottin special effects and there are none, you could be watching a documentary road-movie-gone-amuck the way "Jessica" is shot.

And what about Jessica herself? As played by Zohra Lampert, who I believe was primarily known as a comedic actress and did Broadway a lot, she is the portrait of a pointedly average lady who is coming apart at the seams after a breakdown and can't seem to escape from whatever it is that drove her off the cliff. Lampert projects frailty, indecision, optimism and despair, and above all paranoid terror, but managing to keep herself from falling into cliché hysterics and making her character absolutely believable, even if her inner-voice monologues sound pretty hokey. Someone else mentioned that her performance was Oscar material...well, if they had a separate Oscar for B-movies she'd have won hands-down for 1971.

Surrounding Lampert are a bunch of equally talented character actors you've seen many other places, not given as much to do. Barton Heyman (the doctor in The Exorcist) comes across well as the somewhat asshole husband who's had it up to here; Kevin O'Connor appropriately spacey as a laid-back quasi-hippie friend of the family, Alan Manson aggressively square as the local antique dealer, and Gretchen Corbett (yup, from "The Rockford Files") ethereal but pitiable as a mysterious mute girl wandering through the countryside like a warning ghost. Most interesting is Jessica's friend/nemesis, red-haired hippie chick Emily. She's charismatic, hip, funny, far-out, and very pretty...except that she's maybe a shade too pale of skin...and she scares the bejesus out of poor Jess. And those awful things she does, well, does she really? Mariclare Costello plays Emily perfectly; I really wish she had done more major movie work as she is a very appealing actress, although I understand she was a regular on "The Waltons."

The problem with all these characters is that, compared to Jessica, they seem artificial. In particular, they are all almost, but not quite, sorta-hippies--they're too old, and they seem to square for the hip dialogue. Either miscasting, or bad writing. The clumsy insertion of every horror cliché in the book (seance...check; empty rocking chair rocking...check; jump out of the silent shadows...check) doesn't help, nor does some pretty hokey dialogue. It's too bad, because there's a lot of good, cerebral stuff in here, subtext, but it seems like a sloppy first draft script rather than a polished, tight, finished one. Given more work, the script could have been A-list.

Finally, credit must be given to director John Hancock for pulling these uneven ingredients together and making a masterful job of it. The guy hasn't made many films ("Prancer" is probably his best-known), but he certainly is a talented fellow and he pulled off a major hat trick with this bleak little chiller.

One more thing, people: lay off the '70s accoutrements. Yes, you can make fun of Heyman's sideburns and O'Connor's greasy mop-I'd join you-but does it really make a difference?

Low-keyed thriller...not the cheap screamer as advertised

[moonspinner55 · 7/10 · 1 October 2006]

Zohra Lampert stars as an emotionally fragile young woman, just released from an institution after a six-month stay, who relocates from New York City to an old manor in Connecticut with her husband and a family friend; soon, a series of odd occurrences and visions cause her to start questioning her sanity. "Jessica", co-written and directed by the talented John Hancock (who appeared to be a name to watch), is strange and murky but eminently memorable. The film's title is catchy and sensational but almost arbitrary in this low-keyed context: the chills come at us in dreamy waves and in whispers. Lampert, probably best remembered for her supporting bit in "Splendor In The Grass" as Warren Beatty's wife, gives a marvelous, sympathetic performance as Jessica; she works from next to nothing, really, but manages to connect with the audience almost immediately. This eerie ghost story/vampire movie is too disconnected from reality (and from the horror genre in general) to make big headway with slasher fans. It feels half-formed, with scenes underlined by Jessica's slightly-paranoid thoughts in voiceover. Most critics in 1971 dismissed the film as minor, but it isn't mediocre. Lampert alone makes it worth-seeing, and the quiet, circular ending has a way of settling itself into one's bones. *** from ****

Zohra's charm dominates

[oowawa · 6/10 · 25 October 2005]

There are a few movies that are so thoroughly dominated by the beauty and charm of the leading actress that other elements, such as plot, become secondary and are easily overlooked. It seems to me that "Let's Scare Jessica to Death," starring enchanting Zohra Lampert, belongs to this select group. Do you remember the final scene of "Splendor in the Grass," when Natalie Wood finds Warren Beatty living at home with his commonplace everyday wife? As it turns out, for me at least, the easy smile with which ordinary housewife Zohra Lampert greets Natalie Wood is the most unforgettable moment of that movie. And, strangely enough, I did not know that I never forgot that smile until I saw it again repeatedly in "Jessica." Zohra turns in a terrific performance as Jessica, and it is unfortunate that she did not make more movies.

And now, the following may contain "spoilers." Unfortunately, the plot of this movie seems to be confused. I think the title is misleading. "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" implies that there is a conspiracy between at least 2 people who have an interest in killing Jessica. As the plot unfolds, you suspect that Jessica's husband and Emily are trying to get rid of the wife so they can be together. But there are so many other elements, such as an undeveloped vampire motif, and the thought that Jessica is really mad and is imagining all this. At the end, nothing is clearly resolved.

However, one thing is clear. The end of the movie connects with the beginning. The movie starts out on a very serene note, with Jessica floating on a placid lake and musing on the past. At the end, she pushes out into the lake and is surrounded by zombie-vampire like townsfolk on the shore. Then she kills her husband, who surfaces from the lake, and all the zombie-vampire townsfolk walk off. Then serenity returns. I infer by this that Jessica needed to free herself from her husband to return to serenity. Confused? You bet.

The one thing that is not confused is Zohra Lampert's enchanting performance.

Let's Scare Jessica to Death

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 20 September 2006]

Recently released from a mental institution, Jessica(stunning performance from Zohra Lampert who shows the fragile slippery slope her character's mental state is operating on)is taken by her troubled and tired husband Duncan(Barton Heyman, who shows the weary state his wife's condition has caused him..we see that he is constantly frustrated or frightened when Jessica might shows signs of seeing people that aren't there or experiencing things that would point out her insanity again)and pal Woody(Kevin O'Conner)to live in a farm house near an apple orchard. Duncan was once on the Philharmonic and Woody decided to join them for the time being. Once they arrive to the house, however, there's an uninvited guest..the mysterious red-head Emily(Mariclare Costello, quite seductive and creepy)who just might be a vampire. All the locals in town act real strangely and wear bandages on their necks..this might explain the vampire theory. There's a wise tale speaking about an Abigail Bishop(in the family portrait, Abigail looks exactly like Emily)who drowned in the lake, near their farmhouse, before she could ever wear her wedding dress and marry. Swimming in the cove near their house, Jessica sees something or someone white under the water beckoning her to come while moving toward her. Telling Duncan, his reaction of horror(here she goes again seeing things)is one Jessica will have to deal with as Emily whispers to her which forms a mental anguish that remains tormenting her throughout. When awful occurrences continue to happen to Jessica(she discovers the body of an antique owner who moved from New York like they did bloodied in the cove thanks to a mute girl which isn't there when Jessica returns with Duncan;Jessica's pet mole was stabbed), her marriage to Duncan becomes strained and he is seduced by Emily. Jessica's life becomes a nightmare as everyone around her seem ghoulish with a strange gash down their face or neck. Emily, in my favorite sequence, rises from the cove in pursuit of Jessica after almost biting her.

I love this film because it's unsettling almost from the very beginning, with eerie music accompanying an uncanny creepiness in how the film is photographed(I use the term hypnotic, which is what it felt like to me)..but, I felt the film's greatest success is asking the question..is what Jessica seeing real or merely a delusion of a damaged mind unable to grasp reality? Or, are there vampires at this little town led by Emily, who once drowned but has returned to collect victims who dare enter in? The answer is up to you. This is one of those unsung gems from the early 70's that deserves attention. It's a testament to this particular decade that I can find gold nuggets I've never heard of such as this film when I watched it back early last year for the first time. The DVD boom sure has given rise to cult films that remain with you after the credits roll.

Her voices didn't leave her alone for long.

[mark.waltz · 5/10 · 21 October 2020]

The performance of Zohra Lampert in this cult horror movie is what makes this movie stand out as something unique. Having a bit of a masculine Sigourney Weaver quality about her, she's a troubled woman just released from a mental institution and going to live in the country where sounds from the lake and surrounding area seems to be calling to her. Is it her imagination, or is someone from the small ensemble plotting to drive her batty once again? There's a lot of whispering going on, often a phrase starting in whisper as another phrase is already being heard. That gives this a very creepy feel to it, and often, it's difficult to tell what is real and what is coming from her troubled mind.

Some of the actions seemed like supernatural horrors that no one could make up while others are obviously human initiated. This film keeps you guessing from beginning to end. Lambert really seems horrified by everything going on as if she didn't even really need to act. While the low budget is obvious, it really works here to create an interesting mood, and the remoteness of the setting and limited number of characters makes the seclusion all the more impactful.

A forgotten gem

[cleoew · 9/10 · 20 January 2007]

This is one of those rare gems that never got the accolades from the mass public other horror films (Halloween, Friday the 13th, etc) garnered. I saw this as a kid and it scared the bejesus out of me. Some 30 years later, I still love this film. Dated, yes, but it possesses a strange creepiness that you almost can't put your finger on. Its premise is of a man and wife starting life anew in a small town. The wife Jessica, played wonderfully by Zohra Lampert, has recently recovered from a nervous breakdown. They decide to move out of the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small apple farm and bring their friend with them. From the onset, Jessica clearly struggles with her past demons and tries to convince herself that her mental breakdown was in the past. She starts to question everything she sees as to whether it's real or not. They get to their new home, only to find a strange girl occupying their property. The girl, Emily, played by Mariclare Costello, is truly frightening and plays the role of this mysterious girl to perfection. To anyone under the age of, perhaps 35, this movie will most likely do nothing for you. It is from the 70s and IT SHOWS, it contains no CGI, no bloody slasher gore, no "strap them down in a chair and torture them" scenes, and no famous big name people. It is a quiet, intense ride where you have to actually FEEL the emotions that grip Jessica. I've read comments here where others think it's lame, or complain about Lampert's clothes. How clothes can affect someone's view of this movie floors me, but whatever. This movie isn't lame. It's a classic gem of a thriller in a sea of garbage that's churned out by Hollywood these days. I think I'm going to go watch it now!

Won't scare you to death, but this creepy cult gem provides a nice horror experience

[The_Void · 7/10 · 25 April 2006]

Let's Scare Jessica to Death is one of the forerunners of the 'films that need a decent release' crowd. The film is notoriously difficult to track down and just about every cult horror fan in existence that hasn't seen it wants to. I'm pleased to say that I finally got myself a copy...but unfortunately, it seems I'd set my expectations too high and Let's Scare Jessica to Death has turned out to be a little disappointing for me. But that's not to say I disliked it! The atmosphere in this film is superb, and massively helps the story along with it's themes of insanity in a sinister rural setting. The film follows a woman named Jessica who has recently been released from a mental hospital. Along with her husband and a friend of theirs, they move into a rickety old farmhouse, and meet a hippie chick squatter who has taken it upon herself to stay in the formally abandoned farmhouse. However, all is not well for Jessica as she's hearing voices again, and as if this isn't bad enough on it's own - there may be more to the young girl that the trio have decided to let stay with them.

The film appears to have been marketed more towards the 'zombie fan' end of the horror market judging by the front cover, but actually Let's Scare Jessica to Death is a psychological horror film. The way that Jessica hears voices in her head helps to create tension, and this in turn is helped by Zohra Lampert in the title role. Her acting isn't brilliant, but she has an aura of naivety about her, which helps when it comes to the vulnerable, insane side of her character. The plot is always slow moving and relaxed, and this allows the film to aptly put across the plight of the main character. There isn't much gore in the film at all, which is likely to disappoint fans of the more visceral side of horror. It's clear that Let's Scare Jessica to Death is somewhat overly ambitious with its plotting, as I often got the idea that the film is trying to be more intelligent that the screenplay allows. But even so, Let's Scare Jessica to Death is a creepy gem and one that will certainly appeal to fans of the less gore focused horror movies.

SAVE YOUR MONEY

[cocochanel-06283 · 1/10 · 11 June 2019]

This is by far the worst non scary movie I have ever watched. Very slow movie , ending doesn't explain or mean anything. Wasn't scary at all !!!!! SAVE UR MONEY YALL ILL RATHER WATCH GRASS GROW 🤧🌱

Scared me 30 years ago and scares me now. Very effective.

[gwsteph · 10/10 · 14 December 2004]

The scariest movie you will never see on TV. This movie should have been a hit. Since it wasn't, it should have 'cult' status. Why it doesn't, I don't know. Genre - horror. Sub-genre haunted house, return from the dead, psychopath, strange little town. Filmed on location in CT with that great "B" movie feel. The lack of special effects and gore make it all the more effective. Simple but amazingly good soundtrack. I saw this movie 30 years ago and it really haunted me. I found an import on DVD for which the quality is quite good. Many viewers see the movie as an enigma or riddle. Having seen it several times now I think the title says it all. Pay close attention to who either gets or almost gets killed. Why is the little town populated only by men? The actress playing Emily needs no makeup to look like just what she is playing in the movie. A few things about the movie don't hang together and the continuity might suffer a little. But have no doubt, it is one very scary and effective film.

Creepy and ambiguous.

[TOMASBBloodhound · 7/10 · 26 April 2007]

This is a difficult film to describe in print, but its certainly worth taking a look at. Let's Scare Jessica to Death is quite an attention-grabbing title. Although the film is hardly one of the scariest films ever made, it certainly qualifies as "creepy". The story has a young woman, her husband, and a male friend moving into an old farmhouse in Connecticuit. The three of them also find kind of a "new age" young woman already living there when they arrive, and they decide to let her stay. Jessica, the lead female, has just been released from a mental hospital. We are not told much in particular about why she was there, but it's obvious from very early on that one of two things is happening. Either Jessica is truly deranged, or virtually the entire cast is out to make her think she is. The film plays out slowly with several eerie moments. Jessica sinks further and further into paranoia as the story unfolds. What exactly are we witnessing? Hard to really say. The film's conclusion is ambiguous and completely open to speculation.

There are quite a few moments that are designed to either make you jump, or make you think you're about to jump. The film contains little in the way of blood and gore, hence the PG-13 rating that was tagged on when this was released on DVD. The acting is a bit wooden, but the female characters seem to do the best in that department. The cinematography looks good, and the rustic setting adds to the feeling of isolationism. The film relies on some dated sound effects during its most spooky moments, but they actually worked pretty well in terms of accenting the mood.

There are so many things left unanswered. Perhaps too many to really elevate this film into the upper echelon of horror films. Was it all a hoax, or was Jessica really imagining it? If it were an elaborate hoax, then obviously the entire town would have had to be in on it. And also, there is the question of why anyone would go to all that trouble to make Jessica think she's crazy. Obviously there is a good bit of sexual tension between the four main characters, but would that be any reason for Jessica's husband to torment her that way? Most likely the strange events of the film are due to her imagination.

Watch and decide for yourself. 7 of 10 stars.

The Hound.

Let's Bore the Viewer to Tears!

[alanmora · 1/10 · 19 December 2006]

I have read many good reviews on this film and I have heard many good things about it from those who have seen it. Recently, I was able to attend a special screening of it and as an added bonus the director, John Hancock (what an original screen name that is!)was there. This was my first time viewing the film and I had even purchased a copy of the DVD in the lobby beforehand expecting to enjoy it as everyone else seems to have but I have to say that I was sorely disappointed. I just didn't get it at all! This movie is AWFUL! It's not frightening (unless you are frightened by bad acting and a storyline that goes nowhere). I can see where some might be scared by the implied horrors of the film but the fact that you're never truly fully aware of whether or not Jessica is truly experiencing all of this or if she's just plain crazy tends to drive the viewer crazy. The worst part was that after listening to the director attempt to explain the film during the Q&A session afterwords I am even more confused then ever! I don't need subtlety or implied horror in my movies...the point of watching a horror movie, to me, is to not just watch it but to experience the film and I just wasn't able to do that with this one...maybe I'm missing something but I would not want to sit through it again to find out, I'd sooner watch paint dry instead! The scariest thing about this movie to me is the fact that someone is actually planning to remake it! I can think of many other horror flicks that are much more deserving of the re-make treatment than this thing...but then again, everyone has their own tastes.

Spellbinding, despite the Title

[dougdoepke · 19 May 2012]

No need to repeat the plot. Despite a catch-penny title and a no-name origin, this is a spellbinding horror film. It's also a work of considerable subtlety that doesn't tip its hand in obvious ways. I can see why many dislike the results—the title promises one thing, whereas the results amount to something else. Then too, it's slowly paced, depending more on mood and morbid interest than the more familiar mayhem and gore. Nonetheless, the overall effect tends to be cumulative, such that once you're drawn in, you can't let go. And judging from the number of comments on the Message Board, it's a seductive film, indeed.

Making the main character (Lampert) a recovering mental patient places an overriding ambiguity at the story's center—how many of her creepy experiences are real and how many are imagined. My take is that most are real, whereas the whispers are imagined. But no interpretation, I believe, can be conclusive, which is how it should be for a film like this.

To me psychological horror is much more effective than the palpable kind, since imagination is scarier than obvious blood and gore. The reviewer who likens mood and predicament here to Bergman's highbrow Hour of the Wolf (1968) makes an apt comparison despite the difference in pedigree. There's also a lot of 1940's horror-meister Val Lewton here, as well.

It's hard to say enough about Lampert's beguiling performance. It's also one reason the film's so seductive. I'm just sorry she didn't have more of the headline career her talent deserves. Anyway, the movie came as a happy surprise. Because I was fooled by the exploitative title, I did have to watch it a second time in order to try to put the various threads together. Despite the budgetary lapses, the movie can hold its own with such atmospheric classics as The Other (1972) and Don't Look Now (1973). So don't miss it, unless you want things spelled out in tidy fashion.

good creepy early 70's flick

[PaulyC · 7/10 · 12 September 2008]

Stephen King is a big fan of this film so how bad could it be? Jessica, her husband and good friend move from New York City to a nice quiet house in Connecticut to start over. Jessica was just released from a mental institution and this new environment should be perfect for her. Well, needless to say, it's far from perfect. All the townspeople are very strange and all have strange scars on their bodies. A seemingly friendly stranger named Emily befriends the group and soon she is living with them as she has nowhere to go. Jessica goes back to hearing voices and seeing things like she did in the hospital. What's real and what's not? Are these delusions? The movie centers around these questions and has a nice creepy pace. The heavy synth soundtrack works well and is not overdone like in some other horror films similar to this. The acting, especially by Zohra Lampert as Jessica and Mariclare Costello as Emily is very credible. Definitely worth a look for fans of creepy movies.

A really scary event

[malx-2 · 7/10 · 12 May 2006]

This was a genuine scary movie. The movie keeps you interested and when you least expect it.. POW! your jumping out of your chair, or getting closer to the person your watching with. There are no gimmicks just a plot that gives you a feeling something is going to happen and then your surprised, not because something happened, just that it happened when you weren't expecting it. Even the sound effects were very realistic. Watching this in a old house that creaks a lot added to the creepy feeling your going to have watching this. After this movie my friend and I looked around the room we were in, to be sure it was safe to leave. I've seen this twice and even the second time a few of the "scary" parts still made me jump.

Supernatural thriller

[judge9090 · 7/10 · 24 February 2002]

In 'Let's Scare Jessica to Death' (1971) a recently released mental patient gets the full fright treatment after she moves from New York to run down Connecticut farmhouse with her husband and friend for peace and quiet. Off beat actress Zohra Lampert is perfect as Jessica and the supporting cast of New York stage actors all do a fine job in this creepy little film with quite a few genuine scares. Directed by John Hancock.

Let's Send The Viewer to Sleep.

[BA_Harrison · 2/10 · 15 December 2013]

I'm very wary when a film is frequently described as either 'atmospheric', 'haunting', hypnotic', 'poetic', 'eerie' or 'dreamlike': nine times out of ten, 'dull', 'dreary', 'uneventful' and 'boring' seem to be more apt adjectives as far as I'm concerned. Let's Scare Jessica To Death is a prime example.

The film stars Zohra Lampert as Jessica, a recently discharged psychiatric patient who is still struggling with her sanity (her troubled thoughts made audible for the viewer to analyse). Together with her husband and a hippie friend, Jessica travels to a remote island, where she hopes to start a new life. These idyllic plans soon go awry, the prejudiced townsfolk treating the newcomers with disdain and their new home occupied by squatter Emily; worse still, Jessica starts to see visions of a girl who might be a vampiric ghost. Then again, Jessica might simply be off her rocker.

Is there really something supernatural afoot or is Jessica lapsing into insanity once again? I cannot say with any certainty because I frequently found myself lapsing into sleep, such is the soporific effect of the ambiguous but ultimately very tedious storytelling. Moving at a snail's pace, Let's Scare Jessica To Death didn't so much 'scare me to death' as 'bore me stiff'.

Demand a DVD Release

[CandyStalker · 8/10 · 8 January 2005]

One of the best, CREEPIEST movies, back when they still made creepy movies WITHOUT such modern "horror movie" distractions as over-scoring, music-video editing and the casting of rappers instead of actors. A buried treasure. Worthy of a double-bill with any classic of the time: The Exorcist, Night of The Living Dead, Carrie, etc. If there is a better "ghost story" on film then perhaps I have not yet seen it.

I recall this movie appearing on Stephen King's top-ten scariest films list in his book Danse Macabre. Isn't that enough of an endorsement to warrant a DVD release already? (Or is that not a selling point anymore?)

A Different Kind Of Spine Tingler

[ferbs54 · 7/10 · 24 October 2007]

Poor Jessica! Talk about needing something like the proverbial hole in the head! Fresh from a six-month stay in a NY mental hospital, she is taken by her husband to their new home in the beautiful, autumnal Connecticut countryside. Too bad that the town is full of strange, bandaged old men, legends of ghosts and vampires, and an unusual woman named Emily who moves into their house and starts to put the moves on Jess' husband. Before long, Jessica is straddling that thin line between sanity and...the other side, and, to the film's great credit, the viewer is left uncertain whether poor Jess is indeed "losing it" or not. But this viewer, for one, never doubted Jessica's true mental state for one minute. Anyway, "Let's Scare Jessica To Death" (1971) is a real sleeper of a horror film, and not the slasher movie or cheap-scare schlock you might be expecting. Through the use of eerie music, subliminal voices and strange sound FX, the picture truly does create a suspenseful and menacing aura. Two scenes in particular--that beckoning girl on the hillside, and Emily walking out of the lake--will certainly send shivers coursing down most viewers' backs. Zohra Lampert, a very attractive although not exactly beautiful actress, with a wonderfully naturalistic acting style, totally convinces as Jessica, a sweet young woman whose already shaky grip on reality is here given several huge shoves that would send the most balanced of us over the edge. She is terrific in the lead; what a pity that she didn't appear in more starring roles! This film, nicely presented on this crisp-looking DVD, may just suit the bill for those looking for a different kind of spine tingler. I highly recommend it.

Mindnumbingly Awful

[shaynes3 · 1/10 · 4 October 2010]

Calling it "Let's Bore Jessica to Death" might have inhibited ticket sales, but would have been much more accurate in terms of describing the viewing experience.

I should state to start with that this disaster is not the fault of the actors, who do what they can with the muddled material they were handed. The big culprits are the script, directorial handling and musical scoring, which are all bottom of the barrel, without having much in the way of Ed Wood style "so bad it's good" moments.

Saw this last night with a group a film buffs and the assessment was unanimous - do yourself a favor: trim your nails, walk the dog, or organize a closet instead of spending no quality time with Jessica!

"Dreams or nightmares, madness or sanity..." it's amazing

[Vince-5 · 10/10 · 16 June 2001]

Unjustly neglected, Let's Scare Jessica to Death ranks with The Haunting (1963) as a classic of understated horror. Everything about it is brilliantly eerie--from the tombstone etchings to the hostile townsfolk to the whispering voices in Jessica's head. From beginning to end, there is a distinct impression that beneath this picturesque rural setting something is very wrong...and this sense builds slowly and lyrically, leading up to a breathtaking shock-twist climax. And still, as in The Haunting, we're left with the question, "Was it real?"

Benefiting from a well-utilized low budget and beautiful color photography, this is one of the most subtly scary motion pictures you'll ever find. The characters are well-rounded and brought to life by a team of talented character actors. Zohra Lampert positively glows as the sweet, delicate Jessica; she is superbly expressive and keeps you firmly at her side all the way. Her performance should be studied as a casebook example of how to play a fragile, sympathetic character. And this rich, highly imaginative Gothic chiller is essential viewing for fans of intelligent terror.

Haunting mystery/horror on coastal Connecticut

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 27 May 2016]

Released in 1971, "Let's Scare Jessica to Death" chronicles events after the title character (Zohra Lampert) gets out of a mental institution and moves into an old house on coastal Connecticut with her husband (Barton Heyman) and a friend (Kevin O'Connor). There they discover a hippie-like squatter named Emily (Mariclare Costello) whom they eventually invite to stay because they all get along. Jessica starts to hear voices as they catch wind of rumors of a drowning victim from 90 years earlier who's now a ghost or maybe even a vampire. Are the increasingly crazy happenings real or all in Jessica's mind?

This is a realistic mystery/horror movie in the mold of 1967's "The Shuttered Room" and 1962's "Carnival of Souls." I mean 'realistic' in the sense that the tone is believable. It's a low-key, haunting slow-burner, so if you want over-the-top, cartoony horror, look elsewhere.

Zohra Lampert is effective as the mentally unstable protagonist. The way the movie constantly looks into her thought-life and the uncertainties thereof is reminiscent of 1968's "Rachel, Rachel." The theme is the hypnotic power of a woman, in this case a potentially evil woman. Reflect on Jessica's situation at the end. If she dares to speak out, who would believe her story?

The drowning victim from the 19th century was named Abigail. I bet this was where KD got the name for his notable 1987 horror-metal concept album.

The movie runs 98 minutes and was shot in Connecticut, USA (Essex, Chester, East Haddam & Old Saybrook).

GRADE: B

Lets bore the audience to death...

[JasparLamarCrabb · 2/10 · 3 February 2013]

Creepy perhaps but no real scares are to be had in director John D. Hancock's film. Neurotic Zohra Lampert is released from a mental hospital and takes up residence in an old manor house (where, of course, some untoward shenanigans took place). She starts hearing voices, seeing ghosts and a rather insistent dead woman in a lake. Lampert is fine and Mariclare Costello is terrific as Emily, who's not really as nice as she seems. Hancock's direction is OK, but he doesn't seem to realize that he's making a horror movie; the film is so inert it's boring. There are odd touches here and there (Lampert's mode of transportation is a hearse) and some fine production values, but they're all for naught. Without scares, it's hard to recommend a supposed horror film.