The Spirit Photographer (11 Oct. 1987)

A man invents a camera which can make ghosts disappear and use it in a room haunted by a violent spirit.

Director:

Bill Travis

Writers:

Mark Patrick Carducci, Brian Thomas Jones

Stars:

Frank Hamilton, Richard Clarke, Terres Unsoeld

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Frank Hamilton	...	Algernon Colesbury
Richard Clarke	...	Harry Bainbridge
Terres Unsoeld	...	Lenore
Paul Sparer	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

A man invents a camera which can make ghosts disappear and use it in a room haunted by a violent spirit.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 1987 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Didn't do much for me at all.

Tales from the Darkside: The Spirit Photographer is set in New Haven where famed spirit photographer Algernon Colesbury has brought the infamous Jackson townhouse, the most haunted property in New Haven. Having spent twenty years trying to get irrefutable proof on film that ghosts, spirits & apparitions exist Algernon has invented a device called a 'spirit attractor' which gives life to ghosts as it were. Algernon intends to use the spirit attractor in the haunted house to attract the ghosts therein & photograph them giving himself & the rest of the world proof that ghosts & spirits are real...

Episode 3 from season 4 this Tales from the Darkside story originally aired in the US during October 1987, directed by Bill Travis one has to say that The Spirit Photographer is one of those quaint little stories that pass the time but don't really stay in the memory that long. The script by Mark Patrick Carducci & Brian Thomas Jones is alright, it's not particularly horror orientated but it does have supernatural elements like Ouija boards & is about ghosts so it does fit into the series quite well. The twist at the end is pretty easy to see coming to be honest & the ending is also a little sombre & sad especially if you have grown to like the character's. At only twenty minutes in length at least it's short, it passes the time & while the story isn't amazing or that memorable it's worth a watch if you like these supernatural themed anthology show's although the actual horror content is zero.

There's a few basic transparent ghost effects in The Spirit Photographer but not much else, it's not scary, it doesn't really have any suspense or tension either. It's just a quaint little tale that will probably please those who like their horror & supernatural themed viewing very light. This one has a huge cast of three although they all do alright.

The Spirit Photographer is a passable Tales from the Darkside episode that some will probably enjoy while other's won't. I certainly didn't think it was anything amazing & I personally like my horror with bite & an edge to it unlike The Spirit Photographer which has neither.