IMDb > Ghost Story (1981)
Ghost Story
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Ghost Story (1981) More at IMDbPro »

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Ghost Story (1981) -- Four successful elderly gentlemen, members of the Chowder Society, share a gruesome, 50-year old secret. When one of Edward Wanderley's twin sons dies in a bizarre accident, the group begins to see a pattern of frightening events developing.

Overview

User Rating:
5.8/10   2,529 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Down 37% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

John Irvin

Writers:

Lawrence D. Cohen (writer)
Peter Straub (novel)

Contact:

View company contact information for Ghost Story on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

18 December 1981 (USA) more

Genre:

Drama | Horror more

Tagline:

The time has come to tell the tale.

Plot:

Four successful elderly gentlemen, members of the Chowder Society, share a gruesome, 50-year old secret... more | full synopsis

Awards:

1 nomination more

NewsDesk:
(8 articles)

2009 Reaper Awards Winners!
 (From MovieWeb. 14 October 2009, 12:25 PM, PDT)

Ultimate Ghost Story
 (From Atomic Popcorn. 8 October 2009, 8:14 AM, PDT)

User Comments:

A fun, spooky tale that showcases some classic film stars more (94 total)


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Fred Astaire ... Ricky Hawthorne

Melvyn Douglas ... Dr. John Jaffrey

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. ... Edward Charles Wanderley
John Houseman ... Sears James
Craig Wasson ... Don Wanderley / David Wanderley
Patricia Neal ... Stella Hawthorne
Alice Krige ... Eva Galli / Alma Mobley
Jacqueline Brookes ... Milly
Miguel Fernandes ... Gregory Bate
Lance Holcomb ... Fenny Bate
Mark Chamberlin ... Young Jaffrey
Tim Choate ... Young Hawthorne
Kurt Johnson ... Young Wanderley
Ken Olin ... Young James
Brad Sullivan ... Sheriff Hardesty
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Albany, New York, USA more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

The last feature film for veteran actors Melvyn Douglas, Fred Astaire, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.. more

Goofs:

Continuity: Just before Fenny moves toward Ricky in Eva's old house, Fenny's strap is down. In the next shot, it is up. more

Quotes:

Gregory Bate: Imagine her waiting for you all these years. Imagine her sleeping under ice and snow... waiting. more

Movie Connections:

Referenced in What Lies Beneath (2000) more

Soundtrack:

Sweetheart of Sigma Chi more


FAQ

How is Alma able to pass for human if she's a ghost?
Why does the ghost wait fifty years to return for revenge?
Why does the ghost want revenge on Wanderley's sons, as well?
more
22 out of 24 people found the following comment useful.
A fun, spooky tale that showcases some classic film stars, 22 September 2003
6/10
Author: FilmOtaku (ssampon@hotmail.com) from Milwaukee, WI

I watched this film with a friend who described it as `one of the scariest movies he had ever seen.' I will agree with this assessment because the thrills are not cheap ones – they are genuine scares. Ghost Story stars Fred Astaire, John Houseman, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Melvyn Douglas as members of the `Chowder Society' a group that gathers around the fireplace to drink brandy and tell ghost stories. The problem lies in the fact that they also share a long-kept secret that is now coming back to haunt them.

While it was novel to see these great actors in action, particularly in a genre where they are not normally known, this film is great because it does not rely on gore or special effects to scare the pants off the viewer. The horrors come from lower scale thrill, like a spooky house, an eerie soundtrack and quick flashes of horrific images that are sudden and impactful enough to make your heart leap into your throat.

This is a small, fun movie that isn't without its faults; (you can see the `secret' coming from a mile away) but the buildup to the unveiling of this secret is pure fun.

--Shelly

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (94 total)

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