That was an excellent one.

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

"Ghost Story" charts two generations of men who find themselves being stalked by a mysterious woman with sinister intentions, her presence originating between four elderly New England plutocrats who share a fifty year-old secret. When one of the men's sons returns to town after his brother's mysterious death together, they unravel the story behind her.Based on Peter Straub's wildly successful novel, "Ghost Story" came about during the peak of the slasher film and is one of the few remembered supernatural horror films of the eighties. Straub's source novel is probably one of the greatest American ghost novels ever written, and some people have found the adaptation unforgivable, as it does excise a great deal from the book; I personally am able to get past this.What "Ghost Story" really is is a dark drama with a splash of horror, and this also has been a point of contention for genre fans. The film moves at a leisurely pace, and the scares are few and far between, but what director John Irvin does supply the audience is a profound atmosphere and general weirdness that is unforgettable. The wintry upstate New York landscape, the stuffy drawing rooms of the old men, and the abandoned mansion on the hill all provide a somber and pastoral backdrop that lend to the film's classic feel, and comparisons to "The Woman in Black" are well-earned.The cast is one of the major selling points here; Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks, John Houseman, and Patricia Neal round out a roster of classic Hollywood stars in their old age (for many, this was their last film). Craig Wasson plays two roles of the second generation, with Alice Krige as the haunting woman that runs between them. The acting is good overall, though some of the older cast feel a bit underused; I think that may have to do with some wonky editing in the film, which is one of its few downfalls. It also feels dated at times, though not to its detriment.Overall, "Ghost Story" is a well-made film with a classic, ghastly edge to it. It is a slow film in many ways, but the subtlety employed here combined with the bleak and picturesque New England winterland really made this an enjoyable experience. There are some phenomenal Gothic images throughout, and the story itself has a certain timelessness to it in spite of the film's more dated qualities. Memorable and atmospheric for a variety of reasons. 8/10.

We're so used to seeing horror movies feature empty-headed teenagers getting butchered that it's a very fine change to see one that features a group of old-time stars. Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas (who died a few months before the movie's release), Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and John Houseman - could there be a more unlikely cast for a horror flick? - play a group of old friends hiding a deadly secret that returns to haunt them. "Ghost Story" avoids mass quantities of gore in exchange for other shocks. It's not a particularly scary movie, but still a fun one. And seriously, are you going to deny that Alice Krige is a real hottie? So, watch it. You'll be able to say that you saw the only horror flick starring Mr. Song and Dance, the man who made Garbo laugh*, the son of a 1920s icon, and Orson Welles's former colleague**, along with Patricia Neal. Good times. I now want to read Peter Straub's book.I read that director John Irvin's next movie will focus on Nelson Mandela's days as a guerrilla fighter. How many directors can claim to have cast Fred Astaire but also made a movie focusing on the man who led South Africa out of institutionalized racism? *Also, Melvyn Douglas's wife Helen Gahagan ran for senate against Richard Nixon and was the first to call the latter Tricky Dick.**John Houseman and Orson Welles collaborated on Broadway in the 1930s. One of their productions was the politically charged musical "The Cradle Will Rock". This production was one of the plots in Tim Robbins's 1999 movie "Cradle Will Rock", in which Houseman is played by Cary Elwes (Westley in "The Princess Bride").

Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Doulas Fairbanks Jr., and John Houseman play four elderly and long-time friends of "The Chowder Society" which loves to tell people scary ghost stories. A "real life" ghost story comes back to haunt the four men when the son(played by Craig Wasson) of Fairbanks' character comes to visit after the strange death of his twin brother(also Wasson), who was with a mysterious woman when he plunged out the window! That woman turns out to be linked to the friends' past, where they were guilty of an unpunished crime, but now it seems that long-delayed punishment is at hand...Based on Peter Straub's novel, film tries to emulate old school ghost stories with modern "R" rated touches with dreadful results. Sleazy, thoroughly unappealing and overlong film wastes its good cast and period atmosphere in predictable and heavy-handed fashion. Pretty Bad.

A classic haunted house film that is a creepy story you would talk about at a campfire. Smart, scary, thrilling, and masterful ghost tale. The terror begins as a group of 4 older men all having horrible nightmares related to their pasts become targeted by a vengeful spirit. It all began when they were teens and all 4 men fell for the same beautiful girl and after a tragic accident... they slowly move on with their lives. That is until as old men they beginning to get killed off and there's no escaping this evil as it gets stronger and stronger. Eerie, chilling, and pure horror movie fun! A real trip from the 80's that you really enjoy.