Our final entry for 1981 Week was a bit of an unknown to me. I first came across Ghost Story when I was looking through a book on Hollywood special effects, and a couple of the photographs showed makeup effects from this film. I hadn't heard about it before then, and I rarely heard about it since, outside of a random TV Guide listing. But, thanks to the magic of Netflix, I was able to rent this somewhat forgotten gem and bring you my opinion on it. Needless to say, I had no idea what to expect!
The film is about four men in their 80s, lifelong friends, who get together and tell each other scary stories. This group, who call themselves the Chowder Society, have a collective secret, one they've never talked about but haunts their dreams. But, when the son of one of the group dies, the Society's members, with the help of the remaining son, must come to grips with their past or face the vengeful wraith their actions produced fifty years before.
What a way to close off 1981 Week! There's something to be said about going into a title 'blind', so to speak. When all you really have to go on is a small descriptive sentence to waht the film's about, and a couple of production stills etched in your memory, sometimes you just have to take a chance, and I'm glad I did here. In addition to the make-up effects, we get some great acting from the Chowder Society (all known celebrities), an intriguing story, a well-done fall effect (no Pumaman-esque diagonal or sideways dropping here!), all really well-done.
Besides being based on a book by Peter Straub, the cast is probably one of the biggest selling points of the film. (Due to such a wide variety of films, I'll only touch on certain genre examples for each one.) We have Fred Astaire, the great dancer, playing Ricky. He was also in The Towering Inferno, as well as in a number of films that showcased his dancing skills and acting ability. Melvyn Douglas played Dr. John Jaffrey. He also played in the original 1932 The Old Dark House (with Boris Karloff, Charles Laughton and Gloria Stuart), The Vampire Bat, and 1971's Death Takes a Holiday. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. played Edward Charles Wanderley. John Houseman played Sears James. He was also in the original Rollerball, The Fog, Scrooged, and his last film was the original Naked Gun. Alice Krige played the role of Eva in this film. She went on to play the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact (a role she reprised for the Voyager series), Sleepwalkers, Reign of Fire, and Silent Hill.
An altogether great viewing experience for me. I had fun with this one and am suprised it isn't more well-known. I hope to remedy that here. I give it a 5 out of 5.
Thanks for reading my 1981 articles. It truly was a great year for horror, one I may revisit another time. For now, we have our last "lost" article tomorrow, and then the final countdown to the Big Three horror franchises. Until then, take care of yourselves, and this is Red Hawk signing out!
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