Skip to main content

Son of Ghostman (2013)

Sometimes, a movie comes along at just the right time, that not only entertains you, but reminds you WHY you do what you do.  For me, that movie was "Son of Ghostman"

Denny is unemployed, just got dumped, and is in danger of losing his house.  A chance drunken videotape, sends him on the road to a new life.  Unfortunately, he has to deal with an old rival, and the fact that he needs to keep his quest secret from the woman he's attracted to...

There have been times over the past few years, where I've wondered why I continue reviewing horror movies.  I have wondered if anyone would actually miss this blog... to the point where I've contemplated closing things down, and being... "normal".

Then I was approached by @SonOfGhostman on Twitter to view and review their movie.  I liked the trailer they sent first.  It intrigued me since it wasn't so much a horror film, as much as it dealt with some of the unsung icons of the industry- Horror Movie Show Hosts.

"Son of Ghostman" isn't a fancy film- but it is a smart one.  The story is on a more personal level- it's an ordinary person stepping into an extraordinary life... quite by accident.  I felt a real connection to the plot as a reviewer who WANTS to produce their own podcast and web series one day.  The humour is gentle, and natural, coming from the characters themselves, and the slightly silly situation they find themselves in.  The story doesn't slap you upside the head with it's message- though there is a scene just before the end where the moral is stated.  Up to the end, it seeps into you slowly.  I found myself smiling, laughing, and losing tract of the time as I watched it.

The characters are unique, interesting, engaging, likable, and relatable- even though the events taking around them would seem quite absurd to "normal" people.  I couldn't help but enjoy Denny's growth as a person over the course of the movie.  His relationships with his friend Carlo, brother, rival Rick, his ex, Claire and her nephew have echos that I think most people could feel in their own relationships.  Him, and all of the other characters are believable and bring a lot of charm and wit to the movie.

I'm going to have to say that the acting was pretty good in a subtly goofy way at times.  There is a nice balance of straight, and silly.  The actors worked off each other wonderfully- both visually, and character-wise.  You could really feel the chemistry between them- especially between Devin Ordoyne as Denny, and Angela Gulner as Claire.  The scene where they dance together was a wonderful example of this chemistry.  Marlon Correva as Carlo was charming, witty, and made you believe that Carlo and Denny had been close friends for years.  Zack- Claire's nephew, was played perfectly by Matthew Boehm.  He brought intellegence, and a nice sarcastic touch to the character.  I also want to give props to Kurt Edward Larson in the role of Rick, the rival.  I quite enjoyed his over the top acting in the "Count Dracool" persona, and the more snarky performance as Rick.

There are some wonderful pieces of camera work in this film, which highlights the potential that first time director Larson displays.  There are a nice variety of angles, movements, and lighting.  My personal favorite for use of lighting was the above mentioned scene where Denny and Claire dance.  I'm eager to see what else he does in the future, and interested to see his growth as a film maker.

Earlier, I mentioned that this film came at a time when I was wondering why I do this blog- and why I continue.  watching "Son of Ghostman" helped to solidify in my mind- and my heart why.  I do it because I love horror movies, and I want to share that passion with those around me.  I write about older horror movies especially because I want to keep their spirit behind them alive- and possibly get people to fall in love with them as well.  I do this because I wan to entertain people... and maybe even inspire them to do the same thing.

That just added a level of enjoyment to the movie on a very personal level for me.  But even without that aspect of things, I would still enjoy "Son of Ghostman," and recommend it to others.  If I owned it (which I hope to soon, actually), I would have absolutely no problem popping open a bag of cheesy poofs, curling up under my warm blankets, and watching it again.  I'm placing it solidly into The Good.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Grave Questions: Jessica Cameron

February is " Women in Horror Month "- a month in which to celebrate the impact that women have had on the genre and the industry- from writing, to acting, to directing and producing. Jessica Cameron has experienced the industry in all those capacity- making her a perfect choice for me to ask some " Grave Questions " of in order to raise awareness of the great women in Horror. Please not that this article SHOULD'VE been posted in February, but due to technical difficulties, we're putting it up now.  Thank you. TCoT :   Which female horror stars helped to inspire you to not only enjoy the genre- but to get involved in bringing scary movies to the world? Jessica :  I literally said to my " Truth or Dare " producer, "If the Soska sisters can make " Dead Hooker in a Trunk " with nothing, then I can make " Truth or Dare ".  So needless to say that those girls have been a huge inspiration in everything I do behind the

Meridian: Kiss of the Beast (1990)

Sometimes, a director/producer will surprise you- such was the case during " Terrorpolooza 2012 " when I watched Charles Band's " Meridian: Kiss of the Beast " Catherine Bomarzini has come home after her father's death.  Needing company, she asks Gina to stay with her.  Soon, the two meet a wondering troupe of performers that Catherine invites to dinner at her castle. Catherine find herself pulled into a love triangle and an ancient curse that only she can break. After watching movies like " Evil Bong ", and " Demonic Toys ", I really wasn't expecting too much from this Charles Band movie- but I was pleasantly surprised by it. The story is actually quite interesting with lots of potential for eerie scenes, and character development.  It's a nice twist on the classic " Beauty and the Beast " story.  It's a bit slower than most of Band's other works, but moves smoothly and draws you with it. I have to ad

The Phantom of the Opera

  Not too long ago, I reviewed the silent horror classic, "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror", and wound up being in the mood to view a few other of the silent horror films in my collection.  The next one I watched was "The Phantom of the Opera", starring Lon Chaney, Sr, and released in 1925.   A mysterious stranger has been threatening the star singer of the Paris Opera House- someone who has signs his letters simply as, "The Phantom".  This stranger wants to clear the way so his protege, Christine Daae can ascend to stardom herself.  Soon, her love for the Comte de Chagny collides with The Phantom's desire for Christine forcing both to take drastic actions in order to be with the one they love. " The Phantom of the Opera " actually underwent three periods of re-shoots and editing, due to poor reception and test viewings.  In 1930, a sound version was created- often assumed to be what is called "The Eastman House Print".  It is