The Thing That Couldn't Die
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''The Thing that Couldn't Die'' is a 1958 American
horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit physical or psychological fear in its viewers. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with Transgressive art, transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements of the genre include Mo ...
about a man executed for sorcery 400 years in the past whose detached head hypnotizes people in order to have them reunite his head with his body so he could live and feast on the blood of people. It was produced and directed by
Will Cowan ''For other people with similar names see William Cowan'' Will Cowan (1912 – January 4, 1994) was a director and producer of films. He was born in Scotland. Filmography *''Pony Post'' (1940), producer *'' Boss of Bullion City'' (1940), produc ...
and starred William Reynolds,
Andra Martin Andra Martin (born Sandra Rehn, July 15, 1935 – May 3, 2022) was an American actress who appeared in many television series and a few movies as a contract player for Warner Bros. in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Early years Martin was bo ...
, Jeffrey Stone, and Carolyn Kearney. Based on an original screenplay by David Duncan for
Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...
, it was released in the United States on a double bill in May 1958McGee, Mark Thomas; Robertson, R.J. (2013). ''You Won't Believe Your Eyes''. Bear Manor Media. . p. 342 with the British Hammer Films classic '' Horror of Dracula''.


Plot

Jessica Burns (Carolyn Kearney), a young woman who claims to have psychic powers, lives on a California dude ranch with her Aunt Flavia (Peggy Converse). When Jessica is called upon to dowse in search of a groundwater spring, she instead discovers a buried box dating from the 16th century. Against Jessica's warnings, Flavia takes the box back to her house. Flavia, consumed with thoughts of buried treasure, wants to open the box immediately. But Gordon Hawthorne ( William Reynolds), a guest at the ranch who has shown interest in Jessica, argues the box should be kept intact for appraisal. That night, he leaves the ranch to bring an
archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
friend to inspect the box. However, Flavia’s greedy ranch foreman, Boyd, also anticipating treasure, secretly convinces slow-witted handyman Mike to break the cask open. Instead of gold or gemstones, the box contains the intact head of Gideon Drew ( Robin Hughes), a man executed for sorcery 400 years earlier. The head awakens and telepathically controls Mike. Drew’s head commands Mike to murder Boyd, then has the handyman conceal it while arranging to have a coffin retrieved containing Drew’s body. The head takes control of Linda (
Andra Martin Andra Martin (born Sandra Rehn, July 15, 1935 – May 3, 2022) was an American actress who appeared in many television series and a few movies as a contract player for Warner Bros. in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Early years Martin was bo ...
), another ranch guest. She places the head in a hat box inside a guest room closet. Flavia and Jessica discover Boyd’s body and call the police. Gordon and his archaeologist acquaintance, Julian Ash, arrive back at the ranch. Mike, still apparently under Drew’s control, approaches the police officers in a threatening manner holding the knife that killed Boyd. The officers shoot him dead. Once his head and body are joined, Drew will be fully able to exercise his powers, though his plan isn’t entirely clear. Jessica senses the evil and is protected from the head's influence by a fleur-de-lis amulet she wears around her neck. But when Gordon removes the amulet so its historical value could be appraised, Drew’s head assumes control of her mind. Reading text engraved on the box’s corroded metal surface, Julian and Gordon discover the existence of a coffin also buried on the property that contains Drew’s body. Under Drew’s control, Jessica and Linda retrieve the head, while Gordon, Julian, and ranch guest Hank dig up the casket. The coffin is opened inside the house, and Jessica reunites the head to its body. Drew arises from his coffin and threatens to feast on the blood of the ranch’s modern residents. Gordon, somehow aware of the amulet’s power, catches the monster off guard and thrusts the necklace toward Drew. This forces Drew back into the coffin and, when the fleur-de-lis is tossed in with his body, the group watches the total disintegration of his mortal remains.


Cast


Legacy

''The Thing That Couldn't Die'' was on ''
Mystery Science Theater 3000 ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' (abbreviated as ''MST3K'') is an American science fiction comedy television series created by Joel Hodgson. The show premiered on WUCW, KTMA-TV (now WUCW) in Saint Paul, Minnesota, on November 24, 1988. It then ...
'' in episode 805. It is on the
Shout! Factory Shout! Factory, LLC, doing business as Shout! Studios (formerly doing business as Shout! Factory, its current legal name), is an American home video and music distributor founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases, issued i ...
Blu-ray release ''Universal Horror Collection: Volume 6''. It was on
Svengoolie ''Svengoolie'' is an American hosted horror movie television program. The show features horror and science fiction films and is hosted by the character Svengoolie, who was originally played by Jerry G. Bishop from 1970 to 1973, before Rich Koz ...
. It first aired on March 6, 2021, and again on March 8, 2025.


References


External links

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MST3K Episode Guide: The Thing that Couldn't Die
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thing that Couldn't Die, The 1958 horror films 1958 films Universal Pictures films Films scored by Henry Mancini Films with screenplays by David Duncan (writer) 1950s English-language films English-language horror films