IMDb > The Frighteners (1996)
The Frighteners
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The Frighteners (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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The Frighteners (1996) -- After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see...
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The Frighteners (1996) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   26,375 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 4% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Fran Walsh (written by) &
Peter Jackson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Frighteners on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 July 1996 (USA) more
Tagline:
No Rest for the Wicked. more
Plot:
After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see... more | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(30 articles)
User Comments:
Comic book chills...good for Halloween viewing... more (198 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michael J. Fox ... Frank Bannister
Trini Alvarado ... Dr. Lucy Lynskey

Peter Dobson ... Ray Lynskey

John Astin ... The Judge
Jeffrey Combs ... Milton Dammers

Dee Wallace ... Patricia Ann Bradley (as Dee Wallace-Stone)

Jake Busey ... Johnny Charles Bartlett

Chi McBride ... Cyrus
Jim Fyfe ... Stuart, Bannister's Ghostly Assistant
Troy Evans ... Sheriff Walt Perry
Julianna McCarthy ... Old Lady Bradley

R. Lee Ermey ... Sgt. Hiles
Elizabeth Hawthorne ... Magda Rees-Jones
Angela Bloomfield ... Debra Bannister
Desmond Kelly ... Harry Sinclair
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners (USA) (complete title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for terror/violence.
Runtime:
110 min | USA:122 min (director's cut)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Finland:K-16 (1997) (video) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (2000) (DVD) (cut) | Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 (director's cut) | Germany:18 (nf) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 (2005) (uncut) (DVD) (director's cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) (uncut) | UK:15 (uncut director's edition) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:R (certificate #34656) | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Was originally planned as a "Tales from the Crypt" (1989) feature, but producer Robert Zemeckis liked the script so much, he decided it should stand on its own and not be part of a series. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Milton Dammers screams, "I'm wearing a lead breastplate!" and rips open his shirt, his tie is hanging nearly straight down. When we cut back to him, his tie is tossed over his shoulder, while both of his hands are still holding his shirt open. more
Quotes:
Dammers: My body is a roadmap of pain. more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Superstar more

FAQ

Why was this film rated R in the USA?
How many different versions do exist of this movie?
more
16 out of 19 people found the following comment useful.
Comic book chills...good for Halloween viewing..., 20 October 2002
Author: Neil Doyle from U.S.A.

THE FRIGHTENERS is about as far out as any comic horror flick can be, making great use of special effects to get its ectoplasm creatures going through some scary capers. Michael J. Fox stars as a man who can communicate with and see dead spirits but the plot is strictly made of comic book horror fantasy. Everything moves so swiftly you have no chance to think about the complete lack of logic.

Dee Wallace is frightening as a demented woman hell bent on revenge. Trini Alvarado is a good foil for Fox's romantic interest and Jeffrey Combs makes the most of his role as Special Agent Dammers.

A good mixture of horror, fantasy and humor that is overwhelming in its use of CFX effects. Creepy settings are a plus and give the whole film a Halloween feeling--just don't expect the flashbacks to make any sense of the proceedings. Some of the scenes are too intense for younger viewers.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (198 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Frighteners (1996)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Compared to DEAD ALIVE Ash_of_S-Mart
Camera Man? puppydog605
Peter Jackson's real-life ghost story sean500-1
Cyrus, Stuart or The Judge SleepKills
I think Jeffrey Combs is a great actor BUT sevenhillz
What a crappy film... The_Nephilim
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