I initially wanted to rate "Ghost Story" a fine 7/10, but I figured since I (voluntarily) had to endure watching such heavy rubbish earlier this week, I'd just chip in an extra point. I feel no shame about this, as the film is actually very good. At the start of the '80s, the horror landscape was changing. Films got a lot crazier, partly due to many great sfx artists rising to the scene and otherwise because of the mindset of that era (fashion, trends, etc). Often filmmakers cared less about telling a coherent story and more about making their films go over-the-top in any way they'd see fit. So in a way "Ghost Story" really feels like if it was one of the last 'classic' horror movies at the time. From the orchestrated soundtrack over the slow pace of the film, relying more on mood, tension and atmosphere to the splendid performances of our veteran foursome Fred Astaire, Melvin Douglas, John Houseman and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. The film is ingeniously structured, with various stories within the main story, nightmarish dream sequences and a great flashback story to the 1930's era. The settings provide some classic horror elements too, like the isolated snowy town, grisly frozen lakes and an old ramshackle haunted mansion. Sporadically, the film is also injected with some amusing scares provided by ghostly rotting appearances and the special visual effects by master matte artist Albert Whitlock are outstanding. Gorgeous actress Alice Krige has that icy cold mysteriousness over her that is fitting for her role. On top of that, she has more scenes with her clothes off then on. There are a couple subplots that could have been altered to make it an even better movie, but these are only minor problems. If you want a decent scary movie double bill with a classy feel to it for a dark & stormy night, I think teaming up John Irvin's "Ghost Story" (1981) with Peter Medak's "The Changeling" (1980) might work wonders.

While my summary above may sound facetious, I am not exaggerating. I don't like ghost films at all (they just don't interest me)--I simply saw it for the elderly actors making their final appearances (Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.)! And so, for me, it was worth seeing--even though it did seem odd to have these actors from Hollywood's golden age in a film so atypical of their other films.

The film is at times like two different films intertwined. For most of the film, Craig Wasson played a guy who fell hard for a pretty and VERY horny lady (Alice Krige). Wasson and the audience see A LOT of Krige and over time, it becomes clear she ain't no ordinary horny lady. She appears to be, in fact, a ghost--a ghost using him for revenge. As for the revenge, that's where these old-time actors (as well as John Houseman) come into the story. You see, she's REALLY mad at them and has lots of reason to be. But why? What have these men done and what have they been hiding all these years? As I said above, this sort of film isn't really my thing. So keep this in mind as you read. The story was pretty good but the combination of drippy and gooey stuff and a lot of nudity made me feel odd as I thought about Astaire, Douglas and Fairbanks being in the film. They must have been pretty comfortable with this--I just felt it wasn't the way I wanted to remember these guys (though fortunately, they DID keep their clothing on!). A decent film but just my cup of tea.

By the way, if Alice Krige seems oddly familiar, among her many roles was the Borg leader in "Star Trek: First Contact" as well as Harold Abrams girlfriend in "Chariots of Fire".

Four old friends from a small New England town have their own little group, the Chowder Society, where presumably clam chowder is the official drink of the gang. They also gather and spin tall tales of terror and the occult. I guess that's better than what they do around the campfire in Blazing Saddles.

But maybe it's to keep up courage because they've all got a really terrible secret they're concealing. And it starts killing them and their kids off, one by one.

Three surviving stars from the golden age of cinema, plus another who had made his career mostly in the wings off stage until recently, were cast as the aging Chowders. It was the farewell performance for Fred Astaire, the next to last for Melvyn Douglas, and they co-starred with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and John Houseman.

Though the plot for me was too hazy, I sure can't fault an opportunity to see all four of these guys together. About twenty years later, a TV film called These Old Broads did the same thing for four reigning female icons of the big screen albeit in a much lighter vein.

Of the group of them, I liked Astaire the best, he's sort of the go along addition to the group, you see that in Astaire himself and in the flashback when they're all young. Ultimately he does prove to be the smartest one of the bunch.

It's not the best material these guys have ever been associated with, but it's good to see them all together again.