The Tingler

The fact that the tingler is a centipede that grows on your spine when you are scared is such a strangely cool concept. I mean, it's dumb, but the fact that Vincent Price actually captures one is awesome. When we get a look at the tingler and see that's it's no more convincing than a rubber bug toy you'd get at a dollar store (only larger), it's only slightly disappointing. In hindsight, it doesn't even bother me. Knowing the backstory of how William Castle rigged up theaters to buzz seats and encouraged the audience to scream to paralyze the tingler if they "felt" it while watching the movie...well, I don't think I need to say anything about how awesome that is. To finally see how that trick was worked into movie itself was really fun. The way that the movie opens with William Castle's explanation of how to stay safe from the tingler was neat. But I was awed, if not a little unnerved by the screaming heads racing from the black background to foreground.