DVD Talk review of 'Ghost Story'
10-31-04, 04:30 AM
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DVD Talk review of 'Ghost Story'
I read Stuart Galbraith IV's DVD review of Ghost Story at http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=12395 and...
I was immeasurably pleased. When I first saw this film many years ago I was rather disappointed. Then I read Peter Straub's excellent novel, and was even more disappointed. I positively loathed it for a while. It seemed to me the single worst adaptation of a novel I'd ever seen, and it is simplified almost to the point of an outline when compared with Straub's amazingly rich and satisfying novel. I do wish Lawrence D. Cohen's script could have included a bit more of the book, but to have had anything like a complete version of the plot would've required a six or eight hour miniseries. The film stayed in my mind however, and I kept thinking how good this or that part was. I recently purchased it on dvd, and was amazed by how good it actually is when taken on it's own terms. A trully beautiful production, rich in atmosphere with wonderful performances by the accomplished, veteran cast. Wasson and Krige are also excellent, but Patricia Neal is utterly wasted in what amounts to a bit part. I have now viewed it multiple times, and I love it more each time. My only complaint is that I can't find Phillipe Sarde's brilliant score on cd.
I was immeasurably pleased. When I first saw this film many years ago I was rather disappointed. Then I read Peter Straub's excellent novel, and was even more disappointed. I positively loathed it for a while. It seemed to me the single worst adaptation of a novel I'd ever seen, and it is simplified almost to the point of an outline when compared with Straub's amazingly rich and satisfying novel. I do wish Lawrence D. Cohen's script could have included a bit more of the book, but to have had anything like a complete version of the plot would've required a six or eight hour miniseries. The film stayed in my mind however, and I kept thinking how good this or that part was. I recently purchased it on dvd, and was amazed by how good it actually is when taken on it's own terms. A trully beautiful production, rich in atmosphere with wonderful performances by the accomplished, veteran cast. Wasson and Krige are also excellent, but Patricia Neal is utterly wasted in what amounts to a bit part. I have now viewed it multiple times, and I love it more each time. My only complaint is that I can't find Phillipe Sarde's brilliant score on cd.
11-01-04, 02:00 PM
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I tend to agree more with your earlier opinion. I found the novel to be surprisingly good for pulp horror, but did not care at all for the film. But I love Krige in just about everything she does, and she's good here, as well.
