Let's Scare Jessica to Death is a 1971 American independent Psychological Horror film directed by John D. Hancock (Bang the Drum Slowly) and starring Zohra Lampert, Barton Heyman, Kevin O'Connor, Gretchen Corbett, Alan Manson, and Mariclare Costello. Heavily inspired by such works as The Turn of the Screw and The Haunting of Hill House, the film depicts the nightmarish experiences of Jessica (Lampert), a psychologically unstable woman who comes to believe that a mysterious drifter named Emily (Costello) whom she has let into her home may actually be a vampire.
Provides examples of the following tropes:
- Freaky Electronic Music: One of the first horror films to utilize this trope. Bursts of tape hiss and wibbly Moog melodies are frequently employed to convey Jessica's slowly disintegrating mental state.
- Haunted Heroine: Jessica has just returned from a stint in a mental institution and lives in constant fear of relapsing. Her ordeal with Emily is what finally sends her over the edge.
- Hearing Voices: Once Emily moves in, Jessica begins hearing sinister voices in her head accompanied by visions of a mysterious blonde woman.
- Stringy-Haired Ghost Girl: A pale young woman with long hair in a gauzy white dress frequently appears to Jessica, apparently as a warning of impending danger.
