: The film’s striking black-and-white cinematography and use of shadow evoke a "dream blown up into a nightmare". The sequences at the abandoned Saltair pavilion are particularly unforgettable, forever ingrained in the viewer's memory.
: Gene Moore’s haunting organ music acts as a character itself, alternating between angelic and demonic to create a perpetual nightmarish feel. Carnival of Souls
: The ghoulish stranger (played by director Herk Harvey) provides genuine chills through simple makeup and mime-like movements rather than elaborate special effects. A Legacy of Influence Carnival of Souls