The Ghosts of Edendale (2003)

User Rating:

4.1/10   

Director:

Stefan Avalos

Writer:

Stefan Avalos (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Western | Thriller

Tagline:

Some people are dying to make it in the movies.

Plot:

A young couple moves into a neighborhood obsessed with the frightening silent movie history that took place 80 years before...

Plot Keywords:

Haunted | Ghost | Mental Illness | Ghost Boy | Dream Sequence

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Paula Ficara	...	Rachel
Stephen Wastell	...	Kevin
Keith Fulton	...	Julian
Louis Pepe	...	Alex
Patrick Hasson	...	Fred
Nathan Lum	...	Ghost Boy
Ethan Grant	...	Andrew
Jay Brown	...	Homeless Man
Robert Lane	...	Edward Habert
Maureen Davis	...	Rose
Cynthia King	...	Beautiful Blonde
Arthur Guzman	...	Cowboy Ghost
Conor McCarthy	...	Ghost Photographer
Terry A. O'Connell	...	Ghost Making Fire
Christine Charters	...	Ghost with Jewelry Box

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Mixville 02

Quotes:

Kevin: Don't take sides. I guess you're just gonna have to look at me as the bad guy.

Movie Connections:

References The Shining (1980)

Doesn't stand a ghost of a chance

As much as I would love to give the cast and crew credit for this independent effort, I can't recommend it. In fact, in many ways this is the epitome of what's wrong with most indie films: bad acting, clumsy direction, poorly developed characters and a threadbare script.

"The Ghosts of Edendale" has an interesting premise. A couple, hoping to strike it big in the entertainment industry, moves into a neighborhood where Hollywood history was made during the silent era. They encounter quirky neighbors who seem to know a bit too much about them. The man becomes increasingly strange as his obsession with his script grows, while the woman becomes increasingly alienated by his coldness, frustrated by her modeling career, and spooked by the visions she sees in the house.

Unfortunately, the execution leaves a lot to be desired. "The Ghosts of Edendale" fails to build any suspense, the actors lack passion for their roles, and the script is burdened with clichés about Hollywood being a "tough town." When the filmmakers run out of ideas about where the story should lead, they pile on embarrassingly bad digital effects in a failed attempt at dramatic tension.

I will continue to support independent efforts — especially in the frequently disappointing horror genre — but films like this really try my patience. John Cassavetes made remarkable indie films 30 years ago, but it seems today anyone with a camcorder, a handful of friends and a free weekend is becoming a filmmaker.

To the independent visionaries with ideas, I say: More power to you. To the cast and crew of "The Ghosts of Edendale," I say: Better luck next time.