"Ghoulies" focuses on young couple Jonathan and Rebecca (Peter Lapis and Lisa Pelikan) who inherit a sprawling but dilapidating Mission Revival-style mansion in the Hollywood hills from Jonathan's deceased father, a warlock who intended to sacrifice his own son. Soon after, Jonathan himself begins dabbling in the dark arts, unleashing a whole host of demons on the property.
This film has always held a special place for me, as I saw it at an impressionable age and was frightened by the supernatural elements and black magic (less so the rubbery creatures that abound). Revisiting it years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find that "Ghoulies" holds up much better than I might have expected. Is it silly? Yes. Dated? You bet. But this slick production gets a lot more right than it does wrong. The cinematography is top-notch, the locations are atmospheric, and the pacing moves rapidly (the film is only around 80 minutes long). It also features a solid cast, with a number of genre regulars appearing (Jack Nance and Ralph Seymour, among others).
Above all, though, what is easy to appreciate about "Ghoulies" is that it is simply quirky. While it has dark elements at play, it is a playful and often funny horror movie, which can be easily discerned from its poster artwork, featuring a green fanged creature emerging from a toilet. While not a genre masterpiece, "Ghoulies" stands no less as a breakneck '80s supernatural horror comedy--the perfect viewing for a Halloween party. 7/10.
This film has always held a special place for me, as I saw it at an impressionable age and was frightened by the supernatural elements and black magic (less so the rubbery creatures that abound). Revisiting it years later, I was pleasantly surprised to find that "Ghoulies" holds up much better than I might have expected. Is it silly? Yes. Dated? You bet. But this slick production gets a lot more right than it does wrong. The cinematography is top-notch, the locations are atmospheric, and the pacing moves rapidly (the film is only around 80 minutes long). It also features a solid cast, with a number of genre regulars appearing (Jack Nance and Ralph Seymour, among others).
Above all, though, what is easy to appreciate about "Ghoulies" is that it is simply quirky. While it has dark elements at play, it is a playful and often funny horror movie, which can be easily discerned from its poster artwork, featuring a green fanged creature emerging from a toilet. While not a genre masterpiece, "Ghoulies" stands no less as a breakneck '80s supernatural horror comedy--the perfect viewing for a Halloween party. 7/10.