GHOULIES

US, 1985, 81 minutes, Colour.
Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Michael des Barres, Jack Nance.
Directed by Luca Bercovici.

Ghoulies is a brief, oddball horror movie - a cheap derivative of ideas from Gremlins as well as from the many occult and possession films with a dash of the multiple murder horror films. It comes from the studio of Charles Band, a master of the derivative film - Crash, Swordkill, Trancers, Parasite, Metal Storm.

The film opens with the trappings of black magic and rituals - with a tall blond demonic type vanishing, conquered by good. Needless to say, decades later he is reincarnated by his son and tries to wreak havoc and domination as well as possess his son. His son Jonathan is the typical American college hero who comes into possession of a castle-like house, land all its secrets. Lisa Pelikan (Jennifer) is attractive as his girlfriend who is hypnotised by him and becomes part of the odd goings-on. There are a group of indeterminate friends - the type who populate the multiple murder, Friday-the-13th kinds of films.

More importantly John Nance (Eraserhead, Dune) is on hand as the faithful protector, Wolfgang, who ultimately confronts the diabolical Malcolm and destroys him. In the meantime, strange creatures emerge, masculine and feminine dwarfs with the names of Grizzle and Greedyguts. They are full of gremlin mischief and malevolence.

Put all this together and you have a popular 1985 concoction, done on a small budget, enjoyable in its derivative way.