Le fantôme de Milburn

I initially wanted to rate "Ghost Story" a fine 7/10, but I figured since I (voluntarily) had to endure watching such heavy rubbish earlier this week, I'd just chip in an extra point. I feel no shame about this, as the film is actually very good. At the start of the '80s, the horror landscape was changing. Films got a lot crazier, partly due to many great sfx artists rising to the scene and otherwise because of the mindset of that era (fashion, trends, etc). Often filmmakers cared less about telling a coherent story and more about making their films go over-the-top in any way they'd see fit. So in a way "Ghost Story" really feels like if it was one of the last 'classic' horror movies at the time. From the orchestrated soundtrack over the slow pace of the film, relying more on mood, tension and atmosphere to the splendid performances of our veteran foursome Fred Astaire, Melvin Douglas, John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The film is ingeniously structured, with various stories within the main story, nightmarish dream sequences and a great flashback story to the 1930's era. The settings provide some classic horror elements too, like the isolated snowy town, grisly frozen lakes and an old ramshackle haunted mansion. Sporadically, the film is also injected with some amusing scares provided by ghostly rotting appearances and the special visual effects by master matte artist Albert Whitlock are outstanding. Gorgeous actress Alice Krige has that icy cold mysteriousness over her that is fitting for her role. On top of that, she has more scenes with her clothes off then on. There are a couple subplots that could have been altered to make it an even better movie, but these are only minor problems. If you want a decent scary movie double bill with a classy feel to it for a dark & stormy night, I think teaming up John Irvin's "Ghost Story" (1981) with Peter Medak's "The Changeling" (1980) might work wonders.

"Ghost Story" charts two generations of men who find themselves being stalked by the vengeful spirit of a woman, hellbent on revenge against four elderly New England plutocrats who share a fifty year-old secret. When one of the men's sons returns to town after his brother's mysterious death, they are forced to unravel the story behind her.

Based on Peter Straub's wildly successful novel, "Ghost Story" came about during the peak of the slasher film and is one of the few remembered supernatural horror films of the eighties. Straub's source novel is probably one of the greatest American ghost novels ever written, and some people have found the adaptation unforgivable, as it does excise a great deal from the book; I personally am able to get past this.

What "Ghost Story" really is is a dark drama with a splash of horror, and this also has been a point of contention for genre fans. The film moves at a leisurely pace, and the scares are few and far between, but what director John Irvin does supply the audience is a profound atmosphere and general sense of weirdness that is unforgettable. The wintry Vermont landscape, the stuffy drawing rooms of the old men, and the abandoned mansion on the hill all provide a somber and pastoral backdrop that lend to the film's icy old-fashioned feel, and comparisons to "The Woman in Black" are well-earned.

The cast is one of the major selling points here: Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, John Houseman, and Patricia Neal round out a roster of classic Hollywood stars in their old age (for many, this was their last film). Craig Wasson plays two roles of the second generation, with Alice Krige as the haunting woman that runs between them. The acting is solid overall, though some of the older cast feel a bit underused; I think that may have to do with some wonky editing in the film, which is one of its few downfalls. It also feels dated at times, though not to its detriment.

Overall, "Ghost Story" is no less a well-made film with a classic, ghastly edge to it. It is a slow film in many ways, but the subtlety employed here combined with the bleak and picturesque New England winterland really made this an enjoyable experience. There are some phenomenal Gothic images throughout, and the story itself has a certain timelessness to it in spite of the film's more dated qualities. Memorable and atmospheric for a variety of reasons. 8/10.

I will take you places you've never been. I will show you things that you have never seen and I will see the life run out of you. ~ Eva, in the film Ghost Story

The movie centers on a group of elderly men who have formed an exclusive story-telling group called The Chowder Society. The men meet regularly, sit around a fire in a dark room and share their best ghost stories. Under the surface, however, lies a ghastly secret they all share - a real life, true ghost story of their own that they dare not speak of.

When one of The Chowder Society member's twin sons dies in a very strange and inexplicable accident, the other twin returns home to mourn with his father. That is when a series of horrifying events begin to unfold, forcing the men of the Chowder Society to come to terms with the shocking and dreadful event that has haunted them for the past 50 years.

I personally love these types of stories. They do not feature masked- maniacs hunting down unsuspecting teenagers and hacking them to death. (Although there are a few good ones in that category!) What this story does provide is a genuine chill-running-down-your-spine sensation that brings you to a terrifying place without ever forcing you to close your eyes.

A star-studded cast includes Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Houseman and Patricia Neal, Jacqueline Brookes, Craig Wasson and Alice Krige. Having a cast with such experienced and talented actors creates a believable and authentic film making it a worthwhile, scary little gem of a movie.

If you like genuine ghost stories, watch this movie. Based on the novel by the gifted Peter Straub and skillfully directed by John Irvin, this film is a top pick for me.

A condensing of Peter Straubs' more complex, more intriguing novel, the film adaptation is no great shakes but it's certainly not bad at all either. It does have the appeal of a spooky yarn one might spin by a fireplace in the dead of winter. The simplified story deals with four elderly New England gentlemen who get together and tell horror stories, but who in fact share a tragedy from their long-ago past. Now a revenge-minded spirit is out to make their lives miserable - and strike out at the two sons of one of them, to boot. The film does speak of quality - Jack Cardiff did the cinematography, Albert Whitlock and his team supply some beautiful matte shots, Philippe Sarde composed the stirring music score, and Dick Smith creates the plentiful hideous apparition effects - but the powerful main attraction is the assemblage of talent in the four main roles - Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and John Houseman - who are a delight, although Fairbanks exits the story much too soon. Craig Wasson plays the twin sons, and is likable as usual and manages to hold his own opposite his legendary co-stars. Patricia Neal is utterly wasted as Astaires' wife, but making up for that is the showcase given to the beautiful South African actress Alice Krige, who's extremely alluring and enigmatic as the mystery woman to whom both sons become attracted. There's a real sexual charge in her scenes with Wasson. This is one element that may concern some viewers, when they think about Astaire, Douglas, Fairbanks, and Houseman acting in a film that has violence and nudity (male as well as female), but for other horror fans a sufficient amount of atmosphere is built up and there are definitely some memorable scenes. Things are sometimes told in a flashback style, as first Wasson tells of his association with the not-so-subtly creepy Krige, or Astaire and Houseman finally break down and tell Wasson their whole sordid story. Overall, it's just compelling enough to work, and it does have some mighty fine moments, especially an iconic one involving a lake and a sinking car. It manages to be pretty eerie on a fairly consistent basis if never very scary. It marked the final feature film appearance for Astaire, Fairbanks, and Douglas. Seven out of 10.

When this film was first released, it was greeted with a sense of disappointment. Many felt it did not do Peter Straub's source novel justice.

I thought this was an unfair judgement at the time, and watching the film again today confirms this belief. "Ghost Story" does not attempt to emulate the complexity of Straub's epic tale : that would have been impossible. But it does distil the essence of that story - four ageing men haunted by a terrible tragedy from their youth - and puts it on screen with chilly precision.

With some masterly photography and a recurring motif of running water (most dramatically in the truly scary bathtub scene), Irvin imbues the film with a real chill of the grave feel. The ending, as Alma descends the staircase of her decaying house in her wedding dress, isn't a gorefest : there are no elaborate effects or dramatic battles between good and evil. But it is subtly terrifying nonetheless.

Just about all the IMdB reviews, good or bad, have praised Alice Krige's performance. For such a young actress, she's simply stunning. It's a brave, brilliant portrayal. A feminist reading of the film could argue that the real horror lies in the inability of men (and especially the callow youngsters featured in the 20s flashback) to cope with a powerful, sexually-assertive woman.

This is a clever, stylish film which lends itself to differing interpretations. It creates more elegant frissons of fear than almost any other 80s horror film.