Ghoulies is not the Gremlins rip-off its reputation suggests. The two films were in production at the same time, but budgetary issues delayed the release of Ghoulies. Although it likely benefited from Gremlins‘ success, the similarities begin and end with diminutive monsters. Ghoulies II actually shares more in common with Gremlins, as the first Ghoulies leans more — arguably too much — into the fantasy realm.
From producer Charles Band’s (Puppet Master, Subspecies) Empire Pictures, the 1985 horror-comedy is directed by Luca Bercovici (Rockula) from a script he co-wrote with producer Jefery Levy. At just over 80 minutes, the film doesn’t waste time trying to make sense of its messy plot.
When Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis) inherits an old manor from the father he never knew, he does what any 20-something with newfound freedom would do: throw a party. Something wills Jonathan to perform a ritual from an old book he finds among his father’s occult paraphernalia, conjuring Ghoulies to serve him as their master. He later resurrects his father, Malcolm (Michael Des Barres, MacGyver), who commands the creatures to kill Jonathan’s friends. A battle between good and evil ensues.
The Ghoulies themselves may not be particularly dynamic, but special effects artist John Carl Buechler (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers) imbued them with ample personality. Richard Band (Re-Animator, Puppet Master), who shares composing credit with Shirley Walker (Final Destination, Escape from L.A.), channels Danny Elfman in the playfully bombastic main title theme.
Casting director Johanna Ray (Twin Peaks, Kill Bill) helped to assemble an collection of offbeat characters that includes Jack Nance (Eraserhead), a young Mariska Hargitay (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Lisa Pelikan (Lionheart), Scott Thomson (Police Academy), Ralph Seymour (Killer Party), Victoria Catlin (Twin Peaks), and Tamara De Treaux (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial).
As much as black magic, possession, glowing green eyes, little people, and wizardry add to the tapestry of Ghoulies, they also distract from the titular attraction. Ghoulies became a video store staple in no small part due to its irresistible artwork featuring a Ghoulie popping out of a toilet accompanied by the clever tagline “They’ll get you in the end.”
Director Albert Band (I Bury the Living) and writer Dennis Paoli (Re-Animator, From Beyond) course-corrected with Ghoulies II in 1987, joining the pantheon of sequels that are superior to the original by delivering on exactly what viewers wanted from Ghoulies. Streamlining the original concept, the black magic element is retained but there’s no direct reference to the events of the first film.
The Ghoulies make their first appearance a mere five minutes in, as they hitch a ride on a truck carrying a traveling carnival’s haunted attraction, Satan’s Den. The surreptitious arrival of the Ghoulies helps turn the foundering business around, much to the delight of its operators — drunk magician Uncle Ned (Royal Dano, Killer Klowns from Outer Space), his nephew Larry (Damon Martin, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure), and Shakespearean little person Sir Nigel Penneyweight (Phil Fondacaro, Land of the Dead).
Ghoulies II is a significant improvement over the first film in nearly every regard. No stranger to stretching a dollar, the elder Band makes the contained location feel bigger in scope, and carnival B-roll goes a long way to aid the production value in spite of shooting on an impressively disguised sound stage. He’s also capable of pulling off more elaborate set pieces, aided by camerawork from cinematographer Sergio Salvati (Zombie, The Beyond).
Paoli smartly embraces the inherent camp this time around, and his script is better paced even though the sequel runs 10 minutes longer. Reminiscent of the bar scene in Gremlins, the sequence in which the Ghoulies wreak havoc on the carnival is a top-tier creature feature delight. Buechler returns with Ghoulies that appear to be more versatile despite many of them being refurbished puppets from the first film.
The creatures’ horror-heavy castmates include Kerry Remsen (Pumpkinhead), Sasha Jenson (Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers), William Butler (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood), Donnie Jeffcoat (Night of the Demons), and Anthony Dawson (Dial M for Murder). While Fuzzbee Morse’s (Dolls) score may not outdo the original, the addition of ’80s shock-rockers W.A.S.P. to the soundtrack is a worthy tradeoff.
Ghoulies is now available on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray as the second release in MVD’s 4K LaserVision Collection (following Swamp Thing). The intention was to give Ghoulies II the same treatment, but the 4K UHD restoration had to be postponed indefinitely due to a lack of materials. Alas, both titles are available on Blu-ray as part of the MVD Rewind Collection.
Ghoulies has been newly restored in 4K from a 16-bit scan of the original camera negative with Dolby Vision/HDR and 2.0 Mono DTS-HD Audio. The movie has never been an especially impressive visual feast, but the new presentation appears true-to-life. The Ghoulies puppets look even more artificial in 4K — with no disrespect to Buechler, who pulled off a lot of miracles on miniscule budgets — yet their practical nature still yields more charisma than a CGI creation.
Two archival commentaries with Bercovici are ported over. The first, from Scream Factory’s Blu-ray in 2015, is plenty interesting when he speaks, but he also leaves a few gaps of silence. He emphasizes how the film was originally intended to be dark and scary but decided to lean into the comedy upon seeing the goofy creatures, much to Buechler’s chagrin. The second track, from 2016, pairs Bercovici with Terror Transmission’s Jason Andereasson as moderator. A lot of the same information is repeated, but the conversational tone gives it a better flow. They also clarify several inaccuracies that Charles Band has told about the production.
Bercovici tells several of the same stories yet again in an on-camera interview, but it also has new insight, detailing his transition from actor to director and delving more into his lawsuit against Band. In another candid interview, editor Ted Nicolau notes how Ghoulies altered Band’s trajectory by using little creatures for merchandising potential. Thomson pokes fun at his time playing a breakdancing stoner.
Other special features include: From Toilets to Terror: The Making of Ghoulies, an entertaining retrospective (even with its tall tales) from 2015 featuring Charles Band, Richard Band, Des Barres, and special effects artist John Vulich; a brief introduction by Bercovici; theatrical trailers for Ghoulies and Ghoulies II, four TV spots, and a photo gallery.
Ghoulies II is presented in high definition from a 2K scan from the interpositive, overseen by MGM — which seems to be the same source as Scream Factory’s previous Blu-ray. This edition, however, carries LPCM 2.0 Stereo Audio. The presentation is adequate, although one can’t help but hold out hope that the planned 4K UHD edition comes to fruition.
The sequel’s special features include: More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies 2, another fun 2015 featurette with Charles Band, Remsen, Jeffcoat, and special effects artist Gino Crognale; a half-hour interview with Paoli, who traces his origins with frequent collaborator Stuart Gordon before diving into Ghoulies II, which he admits to writing in two weeks; an introduction by Paoli; deleted scenes, including a few bits of gore that were trimmed to secure a PG-13 rating; a photo gallery; and trailers for Ghoulies, Ghoulies II, and other MVD titles.
Ghoulies may have been an unlikely candidate for 4K, but it offers enough improvement to warrant an upgrade for fans of ’80s cheese. Ghoulies II, despite being the superior movie, is harder to justify if you already have the previous Blu-ray. Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College (perhaps my favorite of the bunch) and Ghoulies IV are in even more dire need for restoration, as they’ve yet to make it to Blu-ray in the US. With any luck, we’ll get them in the end.
Ghoulies is available now on 4K UHD and Blu-ray. Ghoulies 2 is available now on Blu-ray.
