GHOST STORY

Canada, 1981, 105 minutes, Colour.
Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, John Houseman, Craig Wasson, Patricia Neal, Alice Krige.
Directed by John Irvin.

Ghost Story has a great deal going for it but it does not achieve as much as expected. Direction is by John Irvin, who had great success with television's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and the film version of Frederick Forsythe's The Dogs of War. The film is based on a novel by Peter Straub. There is an excellent cast, especially the coup of having the four veteran stars. There are good supporting roles for Patricia Neal and Alice Krige (from Chariots of Fire).

Photography is by veteran photographer and director Jack Cardiff. However, the film is lengthy, talkative and does not have the vitality needed for this kind of ghost story. (It is a reversal of the 180s trend where young people continually get murdered - here it is the older generation!)

1. The popularity of this kind of horror film in the late '70s, early '80s? The multiple murder genre? The eerie background, ghosts, killings? Horror films and nightmares? The facing of horror? How was this film different? Its effectiveness as a ghost story?

2. The colour photography, locations, atmosphere? Use of light and darkness? Shocks, scares, suspense? The length of the film and its pace? Special effects -violence? The re-creation of the '30s? The contrast with the 'SOS? Musical score?

3. The strength of the cast and their contribution? Atmosphere?

4. An atmosphere of reality and unreality? How willingly did the audience suspend disbelief? The opening ghost stories, the group? Their involvement in a real murder story? A real ghost story? Ghosts and vengeance and justice?

5. The portrait of the four men? Their backgrounds, professional careers, style? Audiences responding to the four stars and their performances in so many films? Audiences identifying with them? Their fears, dreams and waking? Terror? Memories? Their having to cope with a vengeance situation? Death? The sketches of their wives helping them to cope? Edward Wanderley and the death of his son? The funeral? The discussions about what had happened? His argument with his other son? The apparition on the bridge in winter? His death? Jeffrey as doctor, his relationship with his wife, his being haunted by the past? His worry and concerns? His death?

6. David Wanderley and the relationship with the girl, the eerie scene in the apartment, the corpse and his falling to death? His twin brother and the background story of their love for Alma? Don going home to his father and their fights? The story of Alma and the meeting at the university, her air of mystery, erratic behaviour, dates, their living together, her demands, possessiveness and jealousy? Her disappearance and relationship with his brother? His wanting to solve the mystery?

7. Alma (and the meaning of her name - Soul Spirit)? Her beauty, her being an enigma, place at the university, pushing herself at Don, the relationship, her possessiveness, disappearance? Her relationship with David and his death? Her being the ghost of Eva Galli?

8. Hawthorn and Sears James? Their being part of the group, experiencing their friends' deaths, trying to solve the mystery? Hawthorn and his coping, the investigation, the discussions with Don, telling his the story, the visit to the house? Sears and his scepticism? His visit to the house? The car crash and his being haunted to death?

9. The flashback - the group, the spirit of the times, their youthfulness, carelessness, infatuation with Eva? Dances etc.? The accident? The getting rid of the car? its disappearance - and Eva alive at the window? Their cover-up?

10. The return to Eva's house and its eeriness? Don and Hawthorn and their fear? The significance of the Bates brothers and their presence in the street, in the house? In league with Eva Galli? Hawthorn's fear, Don's injury?

11. Hawthorn and his wanting to get help? The car chase and its pace?

12. The dragging of the car from the lake? Don and his confronting the ghost? The dead Eva and the disappearance of the ghost?

13. How entertaining as a story, as a ghost story, as a portrayal of character, as a fable of guilt and being haunted?