| The Tingler | |
|---|---|
 Pressbook ad for The Tingler | |
| Directed by | William Castle |
| Written by | Robb White |
| Produced by | William Castle |
| Starring | Vincent Price |
| Cinematography | Wilfred M. Cline |
| Edited by | Chester W. Schaeffer |
| Music by | Von Dexter |
| Color process | Black and white |
Production company | William Castle Productions |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 82 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $400,000[1] |
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.[2][3][4]
A sequel novel, The Tingler Unleashed (ISBN 979-8988682349),[5] 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.[6]
- ^ "Goosepimple Saga With Seats to Suit". Variety. July 29, 1959. p. 19. Retrieved January 14, 2021 – via Archive.org.
- ^ "Movie Spotlight: The Tingler". IndyWeek.com. Archived from the original on September 20, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
- ^ "William Castle Profile". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on February 14, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
- ^ "Scare-masters; horror times 2". Los Angeles Times. November 7, 2007. Archived from the original on November 6, 2012. Retrieved May 6, 2011.
- ^ "The Tingler Unleashed by Gary J. Rose". Amazon.com.
- ^ "The Tingler Unleashed by Gary J. Rose". Audible.com.