Main Cast: Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Houseman, Craig Wasson
Release Year: 1981
Country: US
Run Time: 110 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
This 1981 John Irvin picture constitutes an adaptation of Peter Straub's colossal, bestselling novel. The central plot -- shared by both book and film -- revolves around the four elderly members of the Chowder Society (Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Houseman), who gather in each other's drawing rooms each winter to sip cognac and spin elaborate ghost stories. The four men also share a dark secret far more unsettling than fiction -- a secret which has literally come back to haunt them, as well as their own adult offspring. Each man is visited by a hideous specter bearing the likeness of a young woman (Alice Krige) they accidentally killed 50 years ago when spurning her mischievous sexual advances. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
Review
Arriving at the end of arguably the most fertile decade of horror filmmaking, John Irvin's Ghost Story (1981) proves that even the lesser-known genre entries could be quite chilling. In fact, elements that might have detracted from this film's scare factor -- a score that's too bombastic, and a starring role for the 82-year-old Fred Astaire -- do nothing of the sort. Irvin's smart, tension-sustaining visual setups and James Alexander's haunting sound design, each prepare the viewer, but not completely, for the surprisingly sophisticated gore effects from makeup artist Dick Smith. Even if it weren't for all this, the presence of the singular Alice Krige would be unsettling enough. Playing the beautiful specter, Krige makes marvelous use of that lifeless stare, wicked half smile, and disembodied voice -- characteristics that later made her the ideal choice to play the Borg Queen in Star Trek: First Contact. Even though convincing enough special effects did not yet exist, Krige leaves a viewer feeling that her face might split open into ghoulish horror at any moment. The film's effectiveness is especially surprising given that it contains two lengthy flashbacks -- which fly in the face of the genre's usual need for immediacy -- and features a cast of primarily senior citizens (John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. accompany Astaire). The dedication of these professionals makes Ghost Story more than just a good ghost story, but something classy and memorable as well. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
Alice Krige - Alma/Eva; Jacqueline Brookes - Milly; Miguel Fernandes - Gregory Bate; Mark Chamberlin - Young Jaffrey; Tim Choate - Young Hawthorne; Kurt Johnson - Young Wanderley; Ken Olin - Young James; Brad Sullivan - Sheriff; Guy Boyd; Robert Burr; Helena Carroll; Robin Curtis; Breon Gorman; Lance Helcomb - Fenny Bate; Patricia Neal - Stella Hawthorne; Michael O'Neill; Deborah Offner; Russell Bletzer; James Greene
Credit
Norman Newberry - Art Director, Douglas Green - Co-producer, May Routh - Costume Designer, Dan Kolsrud - First Assistant Director, Phil Bowles - First Assistant Director, John Irvin - Director, Tom Rolf - Editor, Philippe Sarde - Composer (Music Score), Dick Smith - Makeup Special Effects, Jack Cardiff - Cinematographer, Burt Weissbourd - Producer, Albert J. Whitlock - Special Effects, James R. Alexander - Sound/Sound Designer, Larry Cohen - Screenwriter, Lawrence D. Cohen - Screenwriter, Peter Straub - Book Author
The plot is taken from the novel of the same name by Straub.
A group of elderly gentlemen in their New England hometown have formed a group called "The Chowder Society". Together, they spend their evenings telling ghost stories to one another. However, they begin to experience an actual ghost who wants revenge. The members of the group start dying in mysterious ways, as does the son of one member, who falls to his death after seeing his new bride's face as she really is. His brother attempts to prevent any more deaths. As the story progresses, the audience learns more about the mysterious woman and her relationship with The Chowder Society members.
In 1982, the film was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Horror Film.
Reception
The film earned a respectable $23,371,905 at the US box office. It was the third highest grossing horror film of 1981 and the 34th highest grosser of the year.[1]
Critical reception was mixed upon release. Roger Ebert gave it a positive review, praising the performances and considering it an improvement on Straub's novel.[2] In The New York Times, Vincent Canby had the opposite view, also praising the performances but feeling that the movie oversimplified Straub's story and themes.[3]
