Ghost Town

I don't have a lot to say about this movie other than it was a damn fine little horror film. I found it to be in the style of The Evil Dead series. The main character of Langly goes from being a seeming 3rd rate heavy metal addicted stumpwater deputy into being a hero fighting evil. The difference here is that rather than an old spooky woods or a medieval keep, the he is tossed into a western ghost town. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates a little camp and a lot of fun tossed together with their living dead.

Perhaps "Ghost Town" isn't one of the best horror movies of the 80's, but at least you'll have to admit the concept is refreshing, courageous, original and semi-successful. This one of the very few horror/western hybrids ever made and particularly the accomplished atmosphere is praiseworthy. "Ghost Town" maintains an unsettling and ominous ambiance throughout, and I have to confess that was certainly the last thing I expected to find in a Charles Band production. The basic plot and conceptual ideas (thought up by David Schmoeller of "Tourist Trap" and "Puppet Master") are reasonably ingenious as well, but the script is sadly very incoherent and occasionally even forgets to make the slightest bit of sense. "Ghost Town" opens with the mysterious disappearance of a young woman who literally gets sucked into a time-tornado after being deviated from the main roads and chased by an invisible horseman. The young and straight-shooting deputy Langley follows her trail and ends up in a forsaken and seemingly cursed ghost town in another era. The town's dominated by an immortal and sadistic outlaw named Devlin, and he also kidnapped the young woman (for reasons still unknown to me) and keeps the cursed villagers under a siege of terror. "Ghost Town" often feels incomplete, as if several extended parts of the screenplay were left out. Many things remain unexplained, but you strongly feel that - somewhere in the original script - there must have been perfectly reasonable answers to all questions; only the ended up on the cutting floor instead of in the film. There's the aforementioned WHY regarding the kidnapping of the girl, but also the background of Devlin's character remains too vague. Still, if you manage to overlook the few shortcomings in the script, you'll reckon that "Ghost Town" is actually scarier than most contemporary horror movies, and this even without the use of gory make-up effects or many gruesome killings. This movie has other trumps for generating suspense, like the sublime choice of locations, uncanny music and creepy characterizations. Devlin is a fascinating villain and Jimmie Skaggs did a tremendous job playing him. He looks menacing, talks nasty and just loves raising hell wherever he goes. I really enjoyed those copious times where he stood in the saloon or out in the streets, spotted the deputy and shouted out "Lawman!!" Other supportive characters are pretty cool & creepy too, like The Dealer and the blacksmith. The end sequences are a bit weaker again, but by then "Ghost Town" will already have made a lasting impression on you … and it's most likely going to be a positive one.

Deputy Langley (Franc Luz) picks up the trail of Kate (Catherine Hickland), a runaway bride. Soon, he finds out that she has been abducted by otherworldly forces. He ends up in strange territory, in a century old town that has been cursed for a long, long time. Langley, a fairly unflappable man who adjusts rather well to bizarre circumstances, realizes that he will have to be the one who frees this town of its curse. To do this, he will avenge the long ago sheriff, Harper (Blake Conway), by taking on psychotic, undead outlaw Devlin (Jimmie F. Skaggs) and his minions.

"Ghost Town" bucks the odds to rank as above average for Empire Films product. While some movies from this company are really no more than goofy fun, this one can be taken quite seriously. It benefits a lot from a script (by Duke Sandefur, based on a story by original director David Schmoeller) that is actually not overly predictable from scene to scene. The scenario may test the patience of some, with extended footage devoted to Langley stumbling through his surroundings and taking his bearings, but those who stick it out are rewarded with the perennially strange atmosphere of "Ghost Town". The visual effects are actually nicely done, with a juicy amount of gore as well and some effective makeup on Devlin. The extremely prolific Mac Ahlberg was the cinematographer, and Harvey Cohen composed the eerie score.

Luz is a personable lead, and he's well supported by lovely ladies Hickland, Penelope Windust as barmaid Grace, and Laura Schaefer as the young Etta, as well as an enigmatic Bruce Glover as the "dealer", Zitto Kazann as the blacksmith, and Michael Alldredge as Sheriff Bubba. The standout performance is by Skaggs, who appears to be having a good time as the creepy nemesis.

If you're a fan of '80s genre movies, this is a modestly enjoyable sleeper worthy of discovery.

Seven out of 10.

"Ghost Town" follows Langley, a policeman who arrives in a remote ghost town in search of a missing woman (Catherine Hickland). The town seems to still have some residents lurking about, however—ones from its nineteenth-century past.

This offbeat horror-Western pastiche seems to have flown under the radar of genre fans for nearly three decades now, having been relegated to home video in the late eighties after an extremely small theatrical run. While it's not a masterpiece, "Ghost Town" is a weirdly charming and memorable collision of supernatural horror with the gritty Western; the result is an almost otherworldly atmosphere that is as dreamlike as it is dreary.

Written by David Schmoeller ("Tourist Trap"), the film plays on the Western angle considerably, and the tension between the two genres is a source of both humor and horror. The film is visually striking and atmospheric, drenched in dust and boasting some eerie Western set pieces and a dreary, ominous desert backdrop. The film is surprisingly gore-free for the most part, though it does supply some creative special effects with the gang of outlaws. Pacing-wise, the film does lull in spots, but for the most part keeps its wheels turning. Franc Luz and Catherine Hickland turn in memorable performances, as does Jimmie Skaggs as the zombified antagonist.

Overall, "Ghost Town" is a marginally impressive late-eighties effort that stands out for its unique blend of genres. Its off-kilter atmosphere is a major strength, but there are some memorable scenes throughout, as well as playful and sinister performances from the cast. Definitely not a genre masterwork, but when taken in the context of its peers, it's one of the more unique late-eighties horror films. 7/10.

GHOST TOWN is a Charles Band production, but don't let that turn you away. It's not as cheapo-looking as some of his others. It reminded me a bit of ARMY OF DARKNESS, in that a modern day man is suddenly thrust back in time to a world he's unfamiliar with, and must protect the citizens of that time against evil. It's about a small town sheriff (Franc Luz) who tracks a missing girl (Catherine Hickland) to an old western town out in the desert. The town is haunted by the ghosts of both the townspeople and the villainous gunslinger and his men who used to terrorize them back in the Old West. The only way out is for the sheriff to find a way to kill the gunslinger, freeing the townspeoples' ghosts from his control and allowing the town "to die." The film blends elements of the horror and western genre nicely (scares on moment, high noon shootouts the next), and the sets are approriately spooky. There's also very little gore (one man gets impaled), all the deaths are nearly bloodless, and there's even hardly any swearing. The make-up for the villain isn't anything incredible, but is effective, and, surprisingly for a low-budget late-80s movie, the acting is pretty good. Luz is an appealing hero. My only complaint is that, after the film wraps up, the very end is a too short and leaves you wondering if the final scene was originally longer and was cut down considerably. I would have also liked to known why Devlin (the bad guy) kidnapped the girl in the first place, though it's sort of hinted that she resembles the saloon singer he was in love with back in the 1800s. But those are just minor complaints. If you haven't seen this film, I suggest giving it a look if you can find it. It doesn't appear to be available on-line anyway, so I'm afraid it's only available as a rental, if the video stores even carry it. It's not the greatest horror film ever made (though I don't know if I'd really call it that, but that's the section you'll find it in), but it makes for good entertainment on a rainy night. Check it out. You may be surprised at how enjoyable it is.