The Tingler (1959)
- Directed by
- William Castle
- Genre
- horror film, science fiction film, mystery film, monster film, thriller film, science fiction horror film
- Country
- United States
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Rated
- NR
- Rating
- 6.4 of 10 from 197 voters
- Elsewhere
- IMDb
The catalogue in 3D
The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.
How it feels
A scientist discovers a creature that lives inside people and grows when they are scared. It makes their spine tingle before it kills them. The film was shown with vibrating seats in theaters to scare the audience.
campyplayfulsuspensefulgimmickydatedcreepytheatricallight-hearted
What happens
The Tingler is a 1959 American horror film produced and directed by William Castle. It is the third of five collaborations between Castle and writer Robb White, and starring Vincent Price. The film tells the story of a scientist who discovers a parasite in human beings, called a "tingler", which feeds on fear. The creature earned its name by making the spine of its host "tingle" when the host is frightened. In line with other Castle horror films, including Macabre (1958) and House on Haunted Hill (1959), Castle used gimmicks to sell the film. The Tingler remains most well known for a gimmick called "Percepto!", a vibrating device, in some of the theater chairs, which the onscreen action activated. Released in the United States on July 19, 1959, The Tingler received mixed reviews, but has since gone through some critical reevaluation and is now considered a camp cult film. A sequel novel, The Tingler Unleashed (ISBN 979-8988682349), written by Gary J. Rose, was published in August 2023 as "a contemporary reimagining that pays homage to the 1959 cinematic masterpiece by William Castle", taking place and continuing the events of the original film fifty years later; an unabridged audiobook recording of the novel was released on October 16, 2023. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)
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The Hideous Sun Demon (1959)
Tarantula (1955)
The Arrival (1991)
The Killer Shrews (1959)
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
X (1963)
Frankenstein Reborn (2005)- More like this film, on a shelf you can walk up to.It's the lit case on the top shelf.