The Thing That Couldn't Die

In this 1958 horror film, Jessica Burns (Carolyn Kearney), a young woman with alleged 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. Inside, she finds the intact head of Gideon Drew (Robin Hughes), a man executed for sorcery 400 years earlier. The head awakens and telepathically controls various ranch guests, including Linda (Andra Martin) and eventually Jessica, before being defeated by Gordon Hawthorne (William Reynolds), who uses a fleur-de-lis amulet to protect himself and ultimately destroys the head by tossing it into a coffin.