- The Thing That Couldn't Die
Infobox_Film
name = The Thing that Couldn't Die
caption = Original film poster
writer = David Duncan
starring = William Reynolds
Andra Martin
Jeffrey Stone
Carolyn Kearney
Peggy Converse
Robin Hughes
James Anderson
Charles Horvath
director = Will Cowan
producer = Will Cowan
makeup =Bud Westmore
cinematography = Russell Metty
editing = Edward Curtiss
distributor =Universal Studios
released =1958
runtime = 69 min.
imdb_id = 0052289"The Thing that Couldn't Die" is a 1958 American
black and white horrorfilm from an original screenplay byDavid Duncan forUniversal-International Pictures , produced and directed byWill Cowan .Plot
A young woman with psychic powers, who lives on her disbelieving Aunt's remote dude ranch, discovers an ancient box while water-witching. While her boyfriend goes for an archaeologist, arguing the box should be kept intact for appraisal and opening by an expert, the Aunt's greedy ranch foreman convinces the slow-witted handyman to break it open it secretly, anticipating treasure. Instead, the box contains the intact head of a man executed for sorcery 400 years earlier - which comes awake and telepathically takes over the mentally vulnerable handyman. After murdering the foreman, the head has the handyman conceal it while arranging to have a coffin retrieved containing the sorcerer's body. Once joined, the sorcerer will be fully able to exercise his powers over all comers. The young woman is aware of the evil and is protected from the head's influence by an ancient cross she wears around her neck. But when her boyfriend removes it to try and convince her that she is only a victim of superstition and magical thinking, the head takes control of her mind and leaves the handyman to die in a hail of police bullets while being arrested for his foreman's murder. The young woman joins head to body and the sorcerer arises from his coffin but the boyfriend, aware of the error of his ways, takes the monster off guard with the cross, forces him back in the coffin and, by dropping the cross in with the body, brings about a total disintegration of the sorcerer's mortal remains.
Trivia
The film was mocked in an episode of "
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ".External links
*
* [http://www.mst3kinfo.com/aceg/8/805/ep805.html MST3K Episode Guide: The Thing that Couldn't Die]
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