Ghoulies/Ghoulies II (1985/1988)Reviewed for TheBluFile.com by Dustin Putman
Ghoulies (1985)
Ghoulies II (1988)
(Release Date: April 21, 2015) – A goopy dose of '80s nostalgia has arrived on Blu-ray in the form of a features-packed "Ghoulies"/"Ghoulies II" double feature, courtesy of Scream Factory.
In the immediate years following the success of Joe Dante's darkly comic 1984 big-budget creature feature "Gremlins," a round of copycats popped up, some better than others. There was 1986's "Critters," 1987's "Munchies," and beating them all to the punch was a low-budget, Charles Band-produced curiosity called "Ghoulies." This one, directed by Luca Bercovici and in production prior to the release of "Gremlins," didn't start life as a knockoff, but Band saw it as a way to capitalize while the iron was hot. The promotional image of a little green monster popping out of a toilet (which was then shoehorned into the film during a hasty post-production reshoot) will be iconic for anyone who regularly rented movies during the VHS era. Alas, this cover art—and the appearance of one Mariska Hargitay, in her film debut—are the most notable thing about "Ghoulies," a largely forgettable B-movie that doesn't know if it wants to be funny or scary or both, and ends up being none of the above. The story revolves around the conjuring of demons at a mansion party, a possession subplot involving thirty-something college kid Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis), and the attempted resurrection of his deceased Satan-worshiping warlock father Malcolm (Michael Des Barres)—an overstuffed hodgepodge that makes its overwhelming dullness all the more baffling.
Albert Band (Charles' filmmaker father) took over the directorial reins from Bercovici with "Ghoulies II," a far superior sequel made with more focus and, judging by what's on the screen, an increased budget. Understanding that the title baddies are what audiences care about, the Bands have done away with the resurrection storyline and redirected their attention to the escaped creatures wreaking havoc in a walk-through carnival attraction called Satan's Den. "Ghoulies II" has its own respective identity crisis, wanting to emulate the formula of a slasher film while retaining a PG-13 rating. Because of this, the picture often feels as if it is holding back from fully delivering what is expected from a horror movie of this ilk. With that said, there is a plucky charm to "Ghoulies II." Its midway setting is fun, the practical effects work is outdated but certainly preferable to weak CGI, and Damon Martin and Kerry Remsen are appealing as a young couple who set out to stop the ghoulies' deadly streak of terror.
Ghoulies: B/C+
Ghoulies II: A-/B+
It is with great confidence that it be said "Ghoulies" and "Ghoulies II" look better than ever with Scream Factory's 1080p video presentations. Both have their fair share of age-related nicks and scratches, and there is one particularly unsightly shot in "Ghoulies II" as one of the creatures rises out of a pool, but when all is said and done viewers should be very pleased with how these low-budget '80s horror titles look. Both transfers are filmlike and appear to have come from solid masters. The original "Ghoulies" has a homegrown appearance that occasionally compromises the image's level of detail, but a soft shot here and there is to be expected. Meanwhile, "Ghoulies II" boasts a beautifully modulated and healthy color scheme with terrific clarity. Both films arrive with 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio showcases. They are very front-heavy, with only minor sound effects and pieces of the score wandering into the back speakers. "Ghoulies II" sounds fuller and more evenly mixed, and dialogue is well modulated. The original "Ghoulies," however, is a bit rough around the edges. The audio is thin and the dialogue tinny. This is likely a problem inherent to the source material, but it warrants mentioning. In addition, 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks are offered on both pictures.
Ghoulies
- Audio Commentary with director Luca Bercovici
- "From Toilets to Terror: The Making of Ghoulies" Retrospective (29:49, HD) - Featuring interviews with executive producer Charles Band, composer Richard Band, actor Michael Des Barres and special effects makeup artist John Vulich
- Theatrical Trailer (1:55, HD)
- Still Gallery (3:32, HD)
Ghoulies II
- "More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies II" Retrospective (16:50, HD) - Featuring interviews with executive producer Charles Band, actors Kerry Remsen and Donnie Jeffcoat, and special effects artist Gino Crognale
- Alternate Scenes (2:43, HD)
- Theatrical Trailer (1:23, HD)
- Still Gallery (2:12, HD)
A pair of schlocky home-video favorites from VHS's heyday, "Ghoulies" and "Ghoulies II" make their long-anticipated high-def premieres courtesy of Scream Factory's double-feature release. I wish I could claim the original "Ghoulies" is an undiscovered gem, but it really isn't very good and comes off as exactly what it is: a cheesy, flavorless genre offering shamelessly looking to ride the coattails of "Gremlins." The carnival-set "Ghoulies II" is a bit more charming and competent; it feels bigger and better in every way and takes useful advantage of its location (that, shockingly, is revealed in the special features to have been built entirely on a soundstage in Rome). Picture and audio are not without flaws, but both films look better than what most will be expecting. New retrospective docs add to the value. The first two "Ghoulies" movies are an acquired taste, but this is a great set all the same. The "Ghoulies"/"Ghoulies II" double-feature Blu-ray is recommended for fans.
