WithGhostbusters: Frozen Empiregiving audiences a nostalgic ride through the franchise’s lengthy history, new viewers and genre stalwarts alike might have ghosts on the brains. Fortunately, not all ghosts are terrifying, and it turns out, some of the cinema’s most famous spirits are pretty friendly, even by the standards of the living.
Fear and humor exist pretty close to one another on the emotional spectrum, making the horror-comedy subgenre a good placeto seek out laughs and scares in equal measure. Indeed, theGhostbustersfranchise inspired many and was itself far from the first (and likely won’t be the last) to combine elements of the supernatural with slapstick humor.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire
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10’The Frighteners' (1996)
Director: Peter Jackson
Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) is an architect-turned-necromancer who seeks to commune with his recently deceased wife. In classic “Great Power Comes With Great Responsibility” fashion, Bannister initially uses his unique abilities and his friendship with a couple of ghosts for personal gain. This comes to a screeching halt when he uncovers a disturbing truth; a spirit is crossing over into the land of the living and committing murders.
The Frightenersranks high in Peter Jackson’s repertoireand is a rare film that can shift from slapstick humorto genuinely unsettling horror in the blink of an eye. Featuring CGI special effects that were in the moment incredible and have held up fairly well over time alongside some great performances, this was a box office disappointment in its day but has grown a cult audience over the decades due to its compelling characterization and themes.
The Frighteners
The Frighteners: In a small town plagued by mysterious deaths, Frank Bannister, a debunked architect turned ghost hunter, exploits his ability to see spirits. As the body count rises, Bannister must unravel the supernatural truth behind the killings, encountering unexpected threats and complicated relationships along the way.
9’House' (1977)
Director: Nobuhiko Obayashi
Imagine if you will a young woman named Gorgeous whose father is a composer of film soundtracks. Returning from a long work trip, he springs a new stepmom on his daughter, and she decides to take her friends to go visit her aunt over summer break to avoid spending time with him and his wife. Unfortunately, her aunt’s house quite literally devours people.
Directed Nobuhiko Obayashi’sHouseis famousfor being one of the strangest films of all time, but that’s exactly why it’s so fun. Demonic possession, mattresses that attack, and a murderous clock are more than a bit disturbing, but the full-out comedic chaos of the movie is a major part of what has given this low-budget blip its impressive staying power.
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8’The Haunted Mansion' (2003)
Director: Rob Minkoff
Speaking of haunted houses,The Haunted Mansionis amovie based on the Disneyland theme park attraction, which has an interesting history all its own. When a workaholic real estate agent is urged by his wife to spend more time with his family, he chooses the worst possible place to do it; a haunted family estate pulled straight out of a Gothic novel, complete with a gaunt heir to the family fortune creeping around the premises.
This is another film that was a box office disappointment in its day, and, indeed, it doesn’t break much in the way of new ground. However,watching comedy legend Eddie Murphy interact with CGI ghosts is a lot of fun. As his family works with him to solve the mystery of the ghosts, their bond grows, making it a surprisingly heartwarming entry into the land of the ghouls.
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7’Beetlejuice' (1988)
Director: Tim Burton
When a couple dies young in a tragic car accident, they find themselves unable to leave the house they’d just recently settled into. A real estate developer and his artistic wife and daughter move into the house, suddenly forcing the couple to share space with intolerable new roommates. Attempting to force them out of the house, they must rely on a truly chaotic force of nature in striped pants named Beetlejuice.
Beetlejuiceis a great movie with substance and an absolute must-watch for fans of the horror-comedy genre. Iconic performances fromGeena Davis,Winona Ryder,Catherine O’Hara,Michael Keaton, and others make for one of the great casts of the 1980s, whilethe hilarious script and bouncy soundtrack sell the aesthetic perfectly.
Beetlejuice
The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.
6’Casper' (1995)
Casper the Friendly Ghost enjoyed a long history in the realm of kid-friendly ghost stories, existing for several decades as a surprisingly heartwarming denizen of the afterlife in both comics and cartoons. While the previous iterations of the character kept it light, the film, though very much intended for an all-ages audience, goes a little heavier on its themes. This Casper died tragically young and attaches to Kat, the new resident of the manor.
Ostensibly a comedy, this movie deals with what it means to let go of your loved onesafter they pass away in a surprisingly mature way. Featuring thefirst-ever CGI-generated main character with Casper, the dynamic between him and Kat is a big part of what makes this movie great.
An afterlife therapist and his daughter meet a friendly young ghost when they move into a crumbling mansion in order to rid the premises of wicked spirits.
5’Scrooged' (1988)
Director: Richard Donner
For those who just can’t get enough ofBill Murray’s comedic performances in theGhostbustersfilms, there are plenty of other options to turn to once you’ve wrapped your rewatch. One of the greats isScrooged, a retelling ofCharles Dickens’A Christmas Carol. Though it’s a tale that has been told and retold to great effect many times over,Scroogedremains one of the best reimaginings as it takes the myth of old and drops it right in the middle of the wealth-obsessed 1980s.
Frank Cross is an amoral TV executive who forces his staff to work through the holiday. Ironically, this is all to put on a production ofA Christmas Carol, which opens the door for visits from the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. This is a film that might not hold many surprises, butit delights in the telling, making it one of the more relevant and long-lasting interpretations of this classic story.
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4’Elvira: Mistress of the Dark' (1988)
Director: James Signorelli
Well before goth fashion became socially acceptable, Elvira (Cassandra Peterson) was out in the comparatively colorful world of the 1980s, living the dream. A “horror host” TV personality who made good, Elvira’s feature-length debut remains one of the great comedies of its era. Playing up the camp factor and embracing the cheese of cultural icons like Vampira,Elvira: Mistress of the Darkups the sex appeal in a way that is both funny and genuine.
In line with many of the plots on this list, Elvira inherits a haunted mansion. This places her smack dab in the middle of a suburban neighborhood that would be just as happy seeing her and the house disappear. Meanwhile, she has other problems to deal with, namely the things that go bump in the night. Amovie full of quotable one-liners, this is a must-watch forGhostbustersfans.
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
3’Gremlins 2' (1990)
Director: Joe Dante
Many people have watchedGremlins(1984) as it’s widely considered one of thegreat holiday-themed horror films. Yet, its underrated sequel is seldom mentioned. Embracing the silly side of the concept and running with it, this take imagined Gizmo spawning several Mogwai in a skyscraper in NYC, with the central conceit being that the humans must prevent their escape.
With a new host of strange new Mogwai and overflowing with cultural references and parodies, this might have struck audiences as a callous cash grab upon its release. However,its sheer strangeness is a big part of what makesGremlins 2click today, having developed a cult following in the decades since its initial release.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
2’Blithe Spirit' (1945)
Director: David Lean
A writer hoping for inspiration invites a medium to conduct a seance in his ancestral home and gets more than he bargained for when the ghost of his deceased first wife shows up. This leads the central cast through a comedy of errors in which most of them end up deceased while the medium finds herself mostly unable to advise them in navigating these bizarre circumstances.
Another film that was a bit ahead of its time on its release that laterstruck a chord with audiences due to its gorgeous cinematography and rapid-fire, quippy dialogue,Blithe Spiritis a film that is well worth a trip tothe movies of the 1940s. Inspiring countless other films, it’s a tried and true cinematic great that has remained surprisingly relevant.
1’Little Shop of Horrors' (1986)
Director: Frank Oz
DirectorRoger Cormanis well-known by film fans and schlock lovers across the globe for creating some very strange low-budget masterpieces over several decades. Having gifted the world with the originalLittle Shop of Horrors(1960), the torch was passed to a musical production that did big numbers, in turn leading to a film directed by none other than Muppets alumniFrank Oz.
Featuring several iconic performances from comedy greats likeRick Moranis,Steve Martin,John Candy, andChristopher Guest,this quirky film about a man and his monstrous, human-devouring plant has had long-term appeal.Little Shop of Horrorsis among the best of the late 80s and has kept its entertainment value over the years.
