Ghost Story

Rating:
Summary: Novel: Excellent, Film: Not!
Review: First, let me say that Straub's novel is one of the finest ghost stories ever written. It's terrifying, too, as good ghost stories should be. Hence, I had high expectations of this film. The fact is the film is dreadful! It's almost nothing like the novel, and the only reason I give it two stars is due to some atmosphere. The cinematography looks good. That's about it. Spend your money, sure, but spend it on the novel and you'll spend many dark evenings in your reading chamber casting furtive glances at those darkened corners.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT LITTLE CHILLER!
Review: People have been dumping on this movie ever since its first release. I think these folks are comparing the film to the book of the same name and not judging the movie on it's own merits. We had the same problem with "The Shining." Well, I haven't read the book and I've always thought that this was a neat little chiller from the first time I saw it on tape years ago. The DVD, in widescreen, looks even better. It moves along quite briskly and the cast do a good job. The plot? Five old men get together from time to time and tell ghost stories....but don't mention that many years ago, when they were young men, they accidentally killed a beautiful woman friend after a drinking binge. Now the girl has come back to get them one by one. I love it! Not big on special fx but what there is is adequate...and the atmosphere is great! So if you like Kubrick's "The Shining", I think you'll like this creepy little gem from Universal Studios.

Rating:
Summary: Very atmospheric.
Review: This is an old favorite of mine. It's not the scariest of its kind, but it does have some nice spooky atmosphere and eerie moments. -It was also made at a time when film-makers cared more about these things, it seems. This movie is a million times more scary than, say, "Scream" with its awful "shock-a-minute" approach. "Ghost Story"'s tension builds up all the way through it, to a memorable climax. -The sight (and sound) of Alice Krige's "bride of death" walking down the corridor, is truly haunting. -If you don't appreciate something like this in a Horror film, you're pretty lost and probably not a day over 25!. The brilliant Craig Wasson stars as the unlucky man who falls in love with a ghost. I highly recommend this old-style genre movie.

Rating:
Summary: SENIOR SCARES
Review: When I first saw GHOST STORY on its initial release, I found it to be an entertaining, if not faithful, adaptation of Peter Straub's frightening novel. Now, some 20 years later, I found the movie less entertaining. The main problem I think is the enigmatic nature of the ghost, Eva Galli or Alma Mosely. Was she evil or supernatural prior to her death? And why doesn't she kill Donald as she did his brother? Was she really alive when she went down in the car? And what in the world do the Bates have to do with anything? And the classic "I am You" line is powerless without an explanation.
John Irvin's direction is also lackluster and sober. Of all the classic actors involved, none of them showed the power they have possessed in other roles. Although a talented actor, Craig Wasson was woefully miscast. Only Alice Krige as the ghostly Alma and Jacqueline Brookes as Astaire's wife bring any luster or poignancy to the film.
It's not a bad film by any means, and it does have some frightening moments with a wonderful score by Phillipe Sarde. I wish someone would remake it, however, and bring out more of the wonderful scariness of the novel.

Rating:
Summary: one incredible woman
Review: While I thought Ghost Story was a very good movie, I must say that the performance by young South African beauty Alice Krige was absolutely incredible. This is one of the best performances I have ever seen from any actress. Krige plays the duel roles of Eva Galli and Alma Mobley in the film who are actually the same person. She does an outstanding job of portraying a character who will stop at nothing,including using sex as a weapon,to gain her revenge. I feel it is a shame that Krige has not gotten more recognition for her work in this film. Also I feel that she is one of the most beautiful,most sexiest women I have ever seen. Every male character,at one point in the film, falls in love with her. Given her incredible beauty I sure none of the male actors had pretend at all. In closing,this is an outstanding tale of revenge,sex,and seduction,but the main reason it is a must see is because of one incredible woman,Alice Krige.

a

s g