Let's Scare Jessica to Death
Encyclopedia
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.
), 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.
. 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.
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."
, its original distributor.
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
low budget American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
, directed by John D. Hancock
John D. Hancock
John D. Hancock is an American stage and film director, producer and writer. He is the son of Ralph and Ella Mae Rosenthal Hancock. His father was a musician with the NBC Symphony Orchestra in Chicago, Illinois and his mother a school teacher. Hancock spent his youth between their home in...
, and starring Zohra Lampert
Zohra Lampert
Zohra Lampert is an American actress, who has had roles on film, television and stage. She may be best remembered for her role as the title character in the 1971 cult horror film Let's Scare Jessica to Death, as well as starring alongside Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty in the 1961 romance film...
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
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
. In 2006, the Chicago Film Critics Association
Chicago Film Critics Association
The Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong...
named Let's Scare Jessica to Death the 87th scariest film ever made.
Synopsis
In the film Jessica, (Zohra LampertZohra Lampert
Zohra Lampert is an American actress, who has had roles on film, television and stage. She may be best remembered for her role as the title character in the 1971 cult horror film Let's Scare Jessica to Death, as well as starring alongside Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty in the 1961 romance film...
), her husband (Barton Heyman), and a friend (Kevin O'Connor) retreat to a Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
farmhouse in an isolated part of rural Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, after Jessica's release from a mental institution, following a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
. Once there, the trio encounter an enigmatic hippie
Hippie
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
named Emily (Mariclare Costello
Mariclare Costello
Mariclare Costello is a television, stage, and movie actress. Her most notable role was Rosemary Hunter Fordwick on the television series The Waltons from 1972 to 1977. In 1977, after her role on the Waltons, she played matriarch Maggie Fitzpatrick on the short lived drama show, The Fitzpatricks...
) 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
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
and/or vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
, 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, ConnecticutOld Saybrook, Connecticut
Old Saybrook is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,367 at the 2000 census. It contains the incorporated borough of Fenwick, as well as the census-designated places of Old Saybrook Center and Saybrook Manor.-History:...
. The village of Chester was used, as was the Chester–Hadlyme Ferry crossing the Connecticut River
Connecticut River
The Connecticut River is the largest and longest river in New England, and also an American Heritage River. It flows roughly south, starting from the Fourth Connecticut Lake in New Hampshire. After flowing through the remaining Connecticut Lakes and Lake Francis, it defines the border between the...
. The movie was similar in tone to Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary's Baby (film)
Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 American horror film written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel Rosemary's Baby by Ira Levin...
and The Haunting
The Haunting (1963 film)
The Haunting is a 1963 British psychological horror film by American director Robert Wise and adapted by Nelson Gidding from the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson. It stars Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn. The film centers around the conflict between...
, 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
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
favorite.
Critical reception
Roger GreenspunRoger Greenspun
Roger Greenspun was an American journalist and noted film critic. He is best known for his work with The New York Times in which he reviewed near 400 films, particularly in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and for Penthouse in which he was a columnist throughout much of the late 1970s and 1980s...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
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 PicturesParamount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, its original distributor.