I know, I know – this one was directed by a man too. I’m the worst. But I still think Let’s Scare Jessica to Death belongs in a celebration of Women in Horror.
Something is after Jessica. Something very cold, very wet… and very dead…
Synopsis:
Released from an institution after suffering a nervous breakdown, Jessica (Zohra Lampert, The Exorcist III) seeks the tranquility of a secluded home in Connecticut to help make her recovery complete. But instead of a restful recuperation with her husband and close friend in the New England countryside, Jessica soon finds herself falling into a swirling vortex of madness and the supernatural! And an even more unsettling discovery is that the entire region seems to be under the influence of a mysterious woman who has been living in the supposedly empty house. Jessica’s fear and dread only intensify when she discovers that the “undead” girl, Emily, tragically drowned long ago, on her wedding day. Is she back to take vengeance?
Directed by: John Hancock
Written by: John Hancock and Lee Kalcheim
Starring: Zohra Lampert, Mariclare Costello, Barton Heyman, Kevin O’Connor
My Edition:
My Thoughts:
Zohra Lampert gives one of the absolute best performances I’ve seen from anyone in ANY horror film in Let’s Scare Jessica to Death. She’s incredible. She’s inspired. Her performance is on par with Isabelle Adjani in Possession (although obviously this movie doesn’t have the same soul-crushing emotional resonance of that one). But she’s that good. Her performance is so raw and emotional that you’ll feel like you’re with her every step of the way.
The story is interesting because it’s got so many seemingly disparate elements to it that actually fit together seamlessly – there’s Jessica’s tenuous mental state, there’s gaslighting, there’s a monster, there’s relationship troubles. Poor Jessica is a big ol’ ball of trauma who is never quite sure if the Bad Things are real, or if it’s all in her head. We’re treated to bits of her internal dialogue throughout, which really helps to put the viewer into the story with her.
It’s also interesting to consider that technically, Jessica could have been making up the whole scenario with Emily. It could all be in her head like the men seem to think. Because here’s the thing – Jessica’s fragile mental state has left her completely dependent on the two men in her life – her husband and his friend. When Emily shows up, does Jessica simply want to villainize her in order to reclaim the mens’ attention for herself? Because they’re both clearly taken with Emily.
“You don’t believe me. You don’t think there’s anything strange going on.”
And what is the deal with Emily anyway? Even if her…proclivities…are all in Jessica’s head – what is she? Is she a ghost? A vampire? A vampire-ghost? She seems to me to have a lot of shades of Carmilla going on. Not because there’s any hint of attraction between Emily and Jessica, but because Emily kind of embodies that same empowerment that Carmilla had. And I think Jessica really wants that. I’m not saying that Emily being a murderous monster of some type is in Jessica’s head. For the record, I don’t believe that – I choose to believe that she was really what Jessica saw her to be. I’m just saying that I can’t help but think about what everybody’s real motivations were in this story.
If you’re looking for a seemingly straightforward movie about a woman and a monster that actually leaves you with a whole hell of a lot to think about, I’d give Let’s Scare Jessica to Death a shot.
Rating:
This movie has everything you could possibly want from an early 70s horror movie. And seriously, Zohra Lampert is so unbelievably good.
Let's Scare Jessica to Death Directed by: John Hancock Release Date: August 27, 1971 The Jessica Company PG-13 (although at the time, this didn't exist) 89 Minutes
