+

poster of The Frighteners
Rating: 6.9/10 by 1436 users

The Frighteners (1996)

Once an architect, Frank Bannister now passes himself off as an exorcist of evil spirits. To bolster his facade, he claims his "special" gift is the result of a car accident that killed his wife. But what he does not count on is more people dying in the small town where he lives. As he tries to piece together the supernatural mystery of these killings, he falls in love with the wife of one of the victims and deals with a crazy FBI agent.

Directing:
  • Peter Jackson
  • Merrin Ruck
  • Carey Carter
  • Michele Priest
Writing:
  • Peter Jackson
  • Fran Walsh
Stars:
Release Date: Thu, Jul 18, 1996

Rating: 6.9/10 by 1436 users

Alternative Title:
Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners - US
Sospesi nel tempo - IT
Fantômes contre fantômes - FR
Страшилы - RU
Os Espíritos - BR
神通鬼大 - CN
Zastrašivači - HR
The Frighteners - Herr der Geister - DE
Muertos de Miedo - SV
Přízraky - CZ
The Frighteners (Director's Cut) - CA
Chasseurs De Fantômes - CA
Los espectros - MX
สามผีสี่เผ่าเขย่าโลก - TH
Agárrame esos fantasmas - ES

Country:
New Zealand
United States of America
Language:
English
Runtime: 01 hour 50 minutes
Budget: $30,000,000
Revenue: $29,359,216

Plot Keyword: daughter, small town, mother, sheriff, judge, funeral, widow, fbi, architect, supernatural, poltergeist, hell, con man, black humor, lovers, murder, scam, serial killer, grim reaper, reporter, doctor, car accident, investigator, widower, threat, psychotic, recluse, ghost, graveyard, multiple murder, army sergeant, haunted
Subtitle   Wallpaper   Watch Trailer    

Michael J. Fox
Frank Bannister
Trini Alvarado
Lucy Lynskey
Peter Dobson
Ray Lynskey
John Astin
The Judge
Jeffrey Combs
Milton Dammers
Dee Wallace
Patricia Bradley
Jake Busey
Johnny Bartlett
Troy Evans
Sheriff Perry
Julianna McCarthy
Old Lady Bradley
Elizabeth Hawthorne
Magda Rees-Jones
Angela Bloomfield
Debra Bannister
Desmond Kelly
Harry Sinclair
Jonathan Blick
Steve Bayliss
John Leigh
Bryce Campbell
Nicola Cliff
Young Patricia
Stuart Devenie
Museum Curator
Leslie Wing
Mrs. Waterhouse
Frank Edwards
Resuscitating Man
Alan O'Leary
The Waiter
Billy Jackson
Baby in Bouncer
Sophie Watkins
Nursery Baby
Taea Hartwell
Nursery Baby
Max Grover
Nursery Baby
George Grover
Nursery Baby
Tony Hopkins
Hospital Patient
Lewis Martin
Hospital Patient
Matt Aitken
Cowboy Ghost (uncredited)
Grae Burton
Guest (uncredited)
Michael Elsworth
Undertaker (uncredited)
Nic Farra
Ray's Friend (uncredited)
Peter Jackson
Man with Piercings (uncredited)
Fran Walsh
Passerby (uncredited)

John Chard

When a man's jawbone drops off it's time to reassess the situation. Peter Jackson's The Frighteners is an odd blend of outright comedy and supernatural thriller, if able to get onside with that then there's a whole lot to enjoy. Plot essential has Michael J. Fox as a psychic who really can see dead people, so much so in fact that he has befriended three ghosts and makes a living out of setting up hauntings and charging people to exorcise the spirits. However, things turn decidedly deadly when he encounters a grim reaper like spirit that is killing people and putting a number on their foreheads. It seems there is a serial killing spirit on the loose. Frank Bannister (Fox) is grieving from the death of his wife and he has become a conman, this is an interesting characterisation for Fox to play and he does so with relish. Initially the pic is all about the comedy, with Bannister's interactions with the three ghosts devilishly funny. Ok, the effects work now look a bit crude, but there's a vibrancy on offer both visually and orally. Come the second third the pic shifts into a serial killer investigation and the narrative gets dark. Oh there's still fun in the mix, but Jackson and his team are toying with the very real facet of a celebrity serial killer (ebulliently played by Jake Busey). Trini Alvarado (what happened to her?) is playing what ends up as Bannister's side-kick and love interest and the pair of them are thrust into a frantic final third of a life and death battle with Busey's psychotic spirit Johnny Bartlett. Bartlett in turn is aided by mentally ill Patricia Bradley (horror icon Dee Wallace Stone), while an outrageously over the top Jeffrey Combs is in the mix as a damaged FBI agent intent on destroying bannister and all he stands for. When you strip it down it's a live action horror comedy cartoon, which when you look in context to Jackson's early work is not surprising. It's also not surprising that The Frighteners has become a cult movie of some standing. The bonkers plot, the close to the knuckle humour and choice narrative threads make it a fascinating viewing experience. 7.5/10

Gimly

Has maybe not aged flawlessly, but it's very silly and very involved in a good kind of way. Kind of feels like a spoof but I'm honestly not sure what of, so I think that it's maybe just a light toned take on some pretty dark subject matter. It's been about 20 years since I last watched The Frighteners and I think I could probably go about that long before I watch it again, but I still do think it's worthwhile. _Final rating:★★★ - I liked it. Would personally recommend you give it a go._


My Favorite

Welcome back!

Support Us

Like Movienade?

Please buy us a coffee

scan qr code