Ghost Town

I don't have a lot to say about this movie other than it was a damn fine little horror film. I found it to be in the style of The Evil Dead series. The main character of Langly goes from being a seeming 3rd rate heavy metal addicted stumpwater deputy into being a hero fighting evil. The difference here is that rather than an old spooky woods or a medieval keep, the he is tossed into a western ghost town. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who appreciates a little camp and a lot of fun tossed together with their living dead.

From what I've gathered, it's a miracle "Ghost Town" wasn't cancelled during production. The fact that the film was exhibited in only eight theatres, tells me a lot. So low is the budget, the whole thing feels like an extended episode of the classic "Tales from the Crypt" show. The story is wafer-thin and the running time is about 10 minutes too long. It's nothing original: a modern day deputy sheriff is searching for a missing woman who's a prisoner of the spirits of the local ghost town. He soon finds himself up against a deadly kind of adversary and has limited resources at his disposal. The script can hardly be described as subtle. The main ghostly villain has the surname Devlin, I ask you! Still, at least it's a name suited to the character. There is one scene combining sex with violence - in typical poor taste I might add. I simply don't care for that kind of content. The cast is a bunch of nobodies, except for an actor called Bruce Glover. He's been in such films like "Chinatown," "Diamonds Are Forever," "The Streetfighter" etc. Usually a bad guy, Bruce Glover plays a more benevolent character this time. For all of the film's weaknesses, there is something undeniably atmospheric. The scenes of the mist and the wind howling through the deserted town is the best example. The action set-pieces aren't bad, being quite capably staged. I remember over 20 years ago, an old acquaintance sold me "Ghost Town" on VHS video (it was that long ago). Then I got the DVD a few years ago and the film was just as I remember.

"Ghost Town" follows Langley, a policeman who arrives in a remote ghost town in search of a missing woman (Catherine Hickland). The town seems to still have some residents lurking about, however—ones from its nineteenth-century past.

This offbeat horror-Western pastiche seems to have flown under the radar of genre fans for nearly three decades now, having been relegated to home video in the late eighties after an extremely small theatrical run. While it's not a masterpiece, "Ghost Town" is a weirdly charming and memorable collision of supernatural horror with the gritty Western; the result is an almost otherworldly atmosphere that is as dreamlike as it is dreary.

Written by David Schmoeller ("Tourist Trap"), the film plays on the Western angle considerably, and the tension between the two genres is a source of both humor and horror. The film is visually striking and atmospheric, drenched in dust and boasting some eerie Western set pieces and a dreary, ominous desert backdrop. The film is surprisingly gore-free for the most part, though it does supply some creative special effects with the gang of outlaws. Pacing-wise, the film does lull in spots, but for the most part keeps its wheels turning. Franc Luz and Catherine Hickland turn in memorable performances, as does Jimmie Skaggs as the zombified antagonist.

Overall, "Ghost Town" is a marginally impressive late-eighties effort that stands out for its unique blend of genres. Its off-kilter atmosphere is a major strength, but there are some memorable scenes throughout, as well as playful and sinister performances from the cast. Definitely not a genre masterwork, but when taken in the context of its peers, it's one of the more unique late-eighties horror films. 7/10.

Possibly the most overlooked and under-rated horror movie of all time. An original idea, well put together, should deserve more respect than the 'getting dusty on a video store shelf' this film received. Good movie. 8/10.

i saw this movie when i was a kid, and it is way cool. it kinda reminds me of movies made in that time like the gate, and the pit. cool late 80s movies ruled. this movie had some cool special effects for the time too. it seems like now, its just forgotten. i wonder if anyone else has seen it who remembers it for being cool. i think it would totally rule to get this out on DVD. it wasn't until recently that garbage pail kids came out officially. we need the monster squad too. does anyone else have any ideas for cool movies that are similar that need to come out on DVD? all of those movies rule. it brings me back to a time when movies were good, these days movies just seem to suck.