Ghost Story (1981)

[Monroville]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

If you have the old Cinefantastique article on the movie, they have stills from the multiple endings they shot but didn't use...one was a reshoot, and they didn't end up using any of that...

Do you remember the Cinefantastique magazine number? I'd like to see if I can look it up on ebay or amazon.

[Dickieduvet]

Originally Posted by Monroville

Do you remember the Cinefantastique magazine number? I'd like to see if I can look it up on ebay or amazon.

Was it this one?

Vol 12 no 1

[Losey]

Couldn't resist (obviously…) and ordered it. Will report.

[DMRI2006]

Originally Posted by Dickieduvet

Was it this one?

Vol 12 no 1

Indeed, this is the one you want --



http://www.amazon.com/Cinefantastiqu.../dp/B001CEKOKY

It's a really excellent, detailed look at the production -- well worth the money (That Amazon link has copies for $4 plus shipping). CFQ ran a similarly outstanding article on SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES just a short time later, diving into what went wrong there also.

Funny story -- when I was in college, in the early days of the "online explosion" (about 1996 or so), I wrote to Peter Straub, who wrote the book. I asked him if there was any footage that could be restored to the film. He said he didn't know, but told me, when he went to the premiere and the movie was over, he walked out and saw Craig Wasson (who plays multiple roles in the movie). I guess the two of them just exchanged puzzled glances and Straub said "what the hell happened?" Whatever they were expecting to see wasn't there.

[Monroville]

Maybe GHOST STORY could have been a better movie, but as it is it is still a pretty damn fine story. The character motivations are pretty clear, the acting is good as well as the pacing (maybe it can be a bit slow, but it is a ghost story) and the FX. I never really understood the problem people had with it.

Still wish Dick Smith's original faceless ghost was in the movie though...






I think the only problem I have with the movie is the extremely terrible blue screen "death" of Craig Wasson in the beginning. They could have easily just had him scream and do a 1st person POV as the camera fell through the skylight.

Here is a really interesting article on GHOST STORY you guys might like:

http://www.kennetti.fi/ghoststory.html

[DMRI2006]

Maybe GHOST STORY could have been a better movie, but as it is it is still a pretty damn fine story. The character motivations are pretty clear, the acting is good as well as the pacing (maybe it can be a bit slow, but it is a ghost story) and the FX. I never really understood the problem people had with it.

I definitely don't have a problem with it -- I think it's beautifully shot and scored, and well acted. I just, personally, can't separate it from the book, which is just a classic horror novel and deserved something more than the movie that ended up on-screen. I think that's why so many were disappointed with it, it's a real simplification of the book.

Great site, btw, you linked to. It really shows, IMO, Irvin wasn't the right guy to bring the book to the screen and a lot of his decision making probably hurt the final product. Some truly great moments DO remain though, that pop up throughout.

It's just too bad Shout couldn't do a Special Edition and find all the unused footage. I mean, CAT PEOPLE got that treatment, and GHOST STORY is a much better movie than that IMO!

[Dickieduvet]

Finally got my shipping notice for this, anyone managed to take a peek at it yet?

Really looking forward to seeing this again, it's been a while. I've got the original UK quad poster for this, needs a frame.

[saltysam]

mine not arrived yet,unusual,german amazon is usually very quick.

[Losey]

Originally Posted by Dickieduvet

Finally got my shipping notice for this, anyone managed to take a peek at it yet?

Really looking forward to seeing this again, it's been a while. I've got the original UK quad poster for this, needs a frame.

Mine is still being «prepared for shipping». I have the old Cinefantastique issue; love it. Also have the original french poster of the movie (Le Fantome de Milburn), which I adore. I wouldn't mind have it framed as well.
Anyway: can't wait to see what kind of «full HD» we're talking about, here.

[Monroville]

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

Great site, btw, you linked to. It really shows, IMO, Irvin wasn't the right guy to bring the book to the screen and a lot of his decision making probably hurt the final product. Some truly great moments DO remain though, that pop up throughout.

I don't agree.. maybe he was wishy-washy in "overshooting" the movie, but after reading the synopsis for the book I am very happy he decided to tone it down and make it an actual ghost story. Still, I would love to see the edited footage, be it the "number 2 1/2" attacking the doctor or the original ending with the other character being buried alive.

Originally Posted by DMRI2006

It's just too bad Shout couldn't do a Special Edition and find all the unused footage. I mean, CAT PEOPLE got that treatment, and GHOST STORY is a much better movie than that IMO!

You never know... give them, Kino or some other group time. Hell, who would have ever thought something like THE NINTH CONFIGURATION or GONE WITH THE POPE would be out on blu-ray?

Still, I placed an order for the german blu too, so let's hope it is at least a HDTV rip or something as opposed to a dvd upscale.

[DMRI2006]

I don't agree.. maybe he was wishy-washy in "overshooting" the movie, but after reading the synopsis for the book I am very happy he decided to tone it down and make it an actual ghost story.

I'm glad he didn't use the "shock" endings they tried (and why they'd even bother with Fenny Bate in the first place is perplexing given he has so little screen time that the character is basically useless in the film altogether). But the book is very clearly a "ghost story" -- actually a whole handful of them. The movie focuses on the very basic aspects of the main narrative line, but misses not only its scariest parts, but also its most emotional elements. It's like they got the outline right, but missed the larger point. Not to mention the depth of characterization is almost totally absent in the film. The book's ending is also more cinematic and satisfying -- why they didn't both with it is something I've also never understood.

The website you linked to, while very interesting, is also very opinionated. His analysis of the novel is pretty nutty (that it was "all in someone's head" is actually the first and only place I've seen someone claim that) and I don't think many would agree with his reading of it.

Don't get me wrong -- I always liked the movie (and still do) but after reading the book it's amazing to see how much they simplified, missed or just screwed up. They could make a really, truly outstanding horror film based on that book. It's still one of the most enthralling things I've ever read, and if you like the movie at all, you owe it to yourself to check it out. It's really worth it.

Still, I placed an order for the german blu too, so let's hope it is at least a HDTV rip or something as opposed to a dvd upscale.

The good thing about the Paragon discs is they're not DVD upscales. They are legit HD masters, but they vary. Some are Blu-Ray quality so to speak, others look like Netflix HD streaming masters or HDTV level rips with obvious DNR applied. I'm sure it'll be better than DVD...but I'm keeping my expectations in check.

Hopefully it will be one of the better ones (like NIGHTHAWKS), but either way, at least it's cheap. Germany is turning out more catalog content than we're getting in the US and the Amazon.de shipping is so inexpensive it's easy to take a chance on these and not end up being royally burned even if they suck.