It seems that 50 years ago, four young men became involved in something gruesome. Now, it's time for them to pay, and they do, in "Ghost Story". They've gone from some handsome preppy young actors to film legends Fred Astaire, John Houseman, Melvyn Douglas and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Of the young actors, only the young man playing the young Astaire looks anything like him, and in an ironic twist, proclaims he can't dance. But Astaire has one of those faces that only ages with time, not changes. That's not the point of course, just an interesting side note.
It appears that some kind of evil spirit is haunting these four old men and their families, and it is tied into the young men's past, which we learn through a mysterious photo of them and a young women, obviously taken in the 1930's. When one of the men's sons is brutally killed in a freak accident, it's clear something evil has stepped out of the past for revenge. It's also obvious that the mysterious Alice Krige has something to do with this spirit, and the brother (Craig Wasson) of the accident victim encounters this mysterious beauty that seems to be colder than ice to him. This is where the film really falls from its potential greatness to a sexual thriller (much like DePalma's "Dressed to Kill") and looses focus for about 20 minutes or so. When the legendary leading men of Hollywood are off, the interest begins to lag, and all credibility disappears. But when the men are on, it's wonderful, and there are some definitely chilling moments.
It is towards the end when the denouncement of all that happened in the past is revealed that the film gets more and more exciting. The revelation is simply jaw dropping, filled with a plot twist so vile and unexpected that it makes up for the weak 20 minutes involving Wasson and Krige. In addition to the legendary men, Oscar Winning Patricia Neal is present in a cameo as Astaire's wife, sadly wasted. Soap and stage actress Jacqueline Brookes ("Another World", "Ryan's Hope") has a really good supporting turn as Douglas's companion. His nightmare sequence is equally as frightening as the denouncement. The horror is not grotesque, but the ghostly presence of a disintegrating face is close to the recently released Gothic horror classic "The Fog".
Like other recent horror films of the time ("The Changeling", "Burnt Offerings". "The Amytiville Horror"), "Ghost Story" involves a spooky looking house that is extremely unfriendly looking. The best performances of the men are Astaire and Douglas, whose characters are extremely well developed. The film's sympathy therefore, lies with them. This was a nice little swansong for both of them, and unlike some other veteran actors in horror films, they come out with their dignity intact.
It appears that some kind of evil spirit is haunting these four old men and their families, and it is tied into the young men's past, which we learn through a mysterious photo of them and a young women, obviously taken in the 1930's. When one of the men's sons is brutally killed in a freak accident, it's clear something evil has stepped out of the past for revenge. It's also obvious that the mysterious Alice Krige has something to do with this spirit, and the brother (Craig Wasson) of the accident victim encounters this mysterious beauty that seems to be colder than ice to him. This is where the film really falls from its potential greatness to a sexual thriller (much like DePalma's "Dressed to Kill") and looses focus for about 20 minutes or so. When the legendary leading men of Hollywood are off, the interest begins to lag, and all credibility disappears. But when the men are on, it's wonderful, and there are some definitely chilling moments.
It is towards the end when the denouncement of all that happened in the past is revealed that the film gets more and more exciting. The revelation is simply jaw dropping, filled with a plot twist so vile and unexpected that it makes up for the weak 20 minutes involving Wasson and Krige. In addition to the legendary men, Oscar Winning Patricia Neal is present in a cameo as Astaire's wife, sadly wasted. Soap and stage actress Jacqueline Brookes ("Another World", "Ryan's Hope") has a really good supporting turn as Douglas's companion. His nightmare sequence is equally as frightening as the denouncement. The horror is not grotesque, but the ghostly presence of a disintegrating face is close to the recently released Gothic horror classic "The Fog".
Like other recent horror films of the time ("The Changeling", "Burnt Offerings". "The Amytiville Horror"), "Ghost Story" involves a spooky looking house that is extremely unfriendly looking. The best performances of the men are Astaire and Douglas, whose characters are extremely well developed. The film's sympathy therefore, lies with them. This was a nice little swansong for both of them, and unlike some other veteran actors in horror films, they come out with their dignity intact.