Horror Movie Reviews
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Title: Ghost Story (2004) |
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Review of Ghost Story
- Upon its release in 1981, John Irvin's version of Peter Straub's bestselling horror novel was deemed one of the worst adaptations that the genre had ever produced. Now it's available on DVD, and for the first time in widescreen presentation, and not much has changed. It's still a nearly unwatchable dud. Fred Astaire, John Houseman, Melvyn Douglas, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. play old friends, members of the self-created Chowder Society, who get together and tell ghost tales. The scariest story of all, however, is the one they never speak to each other. Fifty years ago, the four men accidentally killed a young woman, and now she's back (with much less meat on her bones) and seeking vengeance. Sound chilling? Well, in Straub's hands it was, and the novel remains the author's finest achievement. Irvin, however, distills Staub's rich characterizations, gradual tension, and creepy atmosphere, and replaces them with aging golden oldies (only Houseman appears to be having any fun) hamming it up and hokey special-effect shots of a rotting corpse. The film moves about as quickly as its ancient cast could during a relay race. The whole thing has arthritis. --Dave McCoy
Amazon.com
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Comments for Ghost Story
- Posted on 2008-06-05
Not as scary as the book
I read the book years ago and found it so scary that I would often have to put it down and take a break or hold off on a chapter if late at night. It scared me so much that I was jumping at slight noises and got shivers up my spine. The book was one of the best I've ever read. (I was heavily into King, Straub, Koontz, and Crichton at the time and thoroughly enjoyed spooky books. I still do.) Then I saw Ghost Story movie that I'd so looked forward to. The movie was enjoyable and occasionally intense but it lacked that total spooky character that I'd enjoyed so much while reading the book. I was disappointed. However, had I seen the movie alone or prior to reading the book, I'm sure I would have appreciated it much more than I did. My boyfriend couldn't understand my disappointment, since the movie scared him.
Score: 3
- Posted on 2008-04-08
"I will show you places you've never been and I will watch the life run out of you!"
For a movie made in 1981, this one still packs a whollop! For anyone not familiar with this little gem, this one is not for the faint of heart. In this day of SAW and HOSTEL, this movie still has the ability to scare the crap out of you! It isn't overly bloody or violent, but what it lacks in substance, it more than makes up
for it with it's suspenseful crawl through the ghostly heart of a woman's revenge. Based on the novel of the same name, four old men (Melvyn Douglas, John Houseman, Fred Astaire,and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in their last starring roles) spend their evenings in a New England town swapping ghost stories. Soon they start dropping like flies, starting with one of the Mayor's (Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) twin sons, played to the hilt by Craig Wasson in a dual role (beware...there is frontal nudity and it is shockingly displayed). Not long after the mayor falls to his death and soon, the doctor (Melvyn Douglas)is visited by a strange woman in black and dies of a heart attack. The remaining members of the group are beside themselves and Craig Wasson soon reveals his connection to a strange young woman with whom he had a torrid and short lived affair. Alice Krige is just lovely here and at her horrifying best as the object of Craig Wasson's desire and his ill-fated brother's as well. Not long after his twin brother's shocking death, he tells his father's friends what he knows about "Alma" who is later revealed as Eva, the woman whom the old men fancied years before. Eva's sad story is told in flashbacks and what eventually happened to her is one of the most horrifying and heartbreaking aspects of the movie. It doesn't take long for the surviving members (Fred Astaire and John Houseman) to make the connection and figure out they're all in danger. But ghosts have a way of exacting revenge, especially a woman scorned so it doesn't take a genius to figure out what's happening. I have to say this is one of the more enjoyable and certainly one of the best horror movies from the 80s. It's certainly worth a look on a dark and stormy night. But I do take issue with the excessive nudity. It isn't necessary in a movie like this. Alice Krige for all her talent must have felt it was essential for her career to bare her breasts. If that's true, then that's a sad commentary on the world today. Craig Wasson certainly isn't ashamed of his body given the amount of flesh he exposed in this film and in several others. Again, not necessary. There is a sex scene that is quite shocking for all its violence and once you understand Eva's history, I guess it was her way of exacting her revenge. Still it is shocking and even disturbing. It will keep you up nights to be sure. A must for any horror fan.
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-03-26
horror drama
this was a gift to my sister who had been searching for it. she loved it.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-02-27
Go Ask Alice...
I read Straub's book AFTER seeing the movie, and I think that's why I enjoyed the film version so much. Had I done the reverse, I would have had the novel in mind all along. GHOST STORY is one of my favorite 80s movies, and a decent enough spooker. I love the Chowder Society, played by Fred Astaire (Ricky), John Houseman (Sears), Melvin Douglas (John) , and Douglas Fairbanks, jr (Edward). Patricia Neal also has a small role as Ricky's wife. Seeing them once again reminded me of how hollywood has (to its shame) nearly shut older actors out of the industry. Of course, the dark core of the story is embodied by Alma (Alice Krige) who is guilt / vengeance / nightmare incarnate. She is back to show the Chowder Society that not all things can be buried and forgotten. Ms. Krige is perfectly cast. I don't know what it is about her, but she has some cold quality that gives me the willies! This in spite of her beauty (even naked!). I kept waiting for her to strike someone dead. She is the reason that I can watch GS repeatedly, especially around halloween (the most wonderful time of the year), when the chill in the air hints at the frozen depths of her eyes...
Score: 4 - Posted on 2008-02-01
Better than most ghost story films
The film is a nice horror movie. There are some moments that will startle you and maybe send shivers down your spine. The movie is not full of blood and gore like most modern "horror" films. There's alot of female and a bit of male nudity and some sex scenes. There isn't much violence, though there is some. There isn't much foul language either.
I'd love to give this film a full 5 stars but I just can't. It's not the dated special effects. The effects are actually fine and are not cheesy.
It's not the acting. Quality actors and actresses all around.
It's the plot or rather some aspects of the plot. Spoilers follow:
The premise of a woman getting her revenge after being murdered 50 years earlier is great. The idea that she materializes into human form, gets a job, eats, drinks and makes love....eh, I found that a bit unbelievable. A ghost working as a secretary at a college...I don't know, seems to me that if she wanted her revenge, she could have done it in a more blatant way. But hey, I'm not a ghost, what do I know?
Another part of the plot which wasn't fully explained was the assistance that the ghost got from those two boys. Okay, they escaped from an insane aslyum and lived in the old house. So why were they helping her? The older of the two kind of explained why towards the end but it didn't make all that much sense. Furthermore, the ghost was doing just fine without them, so why enlist their aid?
Aside from those plot points, the film is entertaining. It's not one you'll watch over and over but it's nice to pull off the shelf every so often if you want an original horror film that doesn't have to rely on special effects and blood/gore.
Score: 4