Customer Reviews

When Good Ghouls Go Bad [VHS]

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

WHEN GOOD GHOULS GO BAD is a made for television movie, based upon a R.L. Stine story that first aired a few years ago on the Fox channel. The movie is narrated by and stars Christopher Lloyd as the patron of his small town. He has everyone call him Uncle Fred, including his own son and grandson and is a town legend. Uncle Fred used to own the chocolate factory that was the town's bread and butter. However, after a tragic accident involving a baking kiln that Uncle Fred had donated to the local high school, he shut the factory down and the town has been struggling ever since. However, with the accident at the school there also came a curse, that the town was to never celebrate Halloween again or else the young man who was baked alive would come back from the grave to destroy the town. Twenty years pass and Uncle Fred's son and grandson move back to town, wanting to celebrate Halloween. However, the townspeople won't have it. Then strange events start to happen and things go from strange to just plain bizarre.

WHEN GOOD GHOULS GO BAD is a good family Halloween movie to watch together. There isn't anything too scary and much of what could be frightening is tapered with a good sense of humor. The story is easy to follow and the acting is fairly well done for a made for tv flick. Christopher Lloyd is always a joy to watch and if for no other reason, this movie is worth watching for his performance. There aren't a whole lot of deep messages in the movie, though it does have a lot to say about the importance of family and staying connected (in more ways than one). Happy Halloween viewing.

This was orginally a TV movie which plays every year on the Family Channel. As family Halloween movies go it's pretty decent. Not so scary that very young ones cannot watch but good enough that adults will enjoy it as well.

The story was written or at least based on a story by R.L. Stine of Goosebumps fame and really plays like an extended episode of the old Goosebumps TV show.

A wonderful imaginative and fun Halloween story. Of course one must suspend belief for a while, but it is worth watching. Christopher Lloyd is his usual manic self, and brings life to what would be a typical zombie/monster movie without his energized performance.

When 12 year old Danny Walker moves to his Patriarchal home town in Minnesota he finds that the town does not celebrate Halloween, and things are not quite what they appear to be.

An enjoyable movie that may be destined to be a Halloween classic.

This is another great family film based on a book by none other than the Horror King for Kids, R. L. Stine. It's a charming offering, nothing short of great Halloween fun for everyone in the family. I suppose children younger than 5 or so might not be keen on the grandfather (Christopher Lloyd, who by the way, was fantastic in this)coming back from the dead as a zombie, even though it's really quite comical. Truthfully, it got my 6 year old to ask some intruiging questions about life, death and heaven. She didn't seem frightened in the least, and I think the ending scenes of the dead dancing with the fireflys and gently waltzing into dust was oddly comforting. It was funny, it was scary, it was great family fun and as it turns out, is a favorite amongst many teenagers we are acquainted with. R. L. Stine is always a favorite with kids, and this movie won't disappoint his many fans.

I remembered watching this movie on ABC Family (I believe it was Fox Family at the time). I never knew that it was released to DVD, so when I saw it, I had to have it. It brought back some great memories. I love this movie. Great flick for the whole family, and since it was written by R.L. Stine, it's great for all ages.

This movie is very good. I recommend it for all Christopher Lloyd fans. He plays his part so amazingly well with comic mischief and humor that you'll love it and want to watch it over and over again! GET THIS NOW!

Good fun Halloween movie takes place in a town where nobody celebrates Halloween, or even says the word Halloween because of a past tragety. The movie is about about a boys grandpa who dies after having a "Halloween" (getting hit on the head by a pumpkin) and comes back, as a good guy.

[warning: review contains spoilers]

From Goosebumps' author R.L. Stine comes this delighful Halloween-themed tale, both charming and evocatively enjoyable:

Founded by the delightfully eccentric "Uncle" Fred Walker, Walker Falls has not seen a Halloween for years because of a purported "curse" placed upon it by one "Curtis Danko" {obvious 'Donnie Darko' influenced nomenclature}, labeled the town "weirdo" for his preference to dress in black, and express his imagination with monsters, and scenes of a world gone mad. His creativity is clearly envied by others, and thus, they react in fearful passive-aggressive manners which are no less than despicable, displaying their inferior and odious ill-natures.

So once when the art class project was to sculpt a depiction of one's hero*, the school bully and cronies lock him in the incinerator as a prank. He actually resembles Edward Scissorhands while sculpting.

Urban Legend: He refused for anyone to see his project, guarding it from all during the day. He returns at night to work on it in private. Next one morning, when Mike Kankel walks into the classroom, he notices something is wrong, and discovers Danko's ashes in the incinerator with his statue, with a forboding message written in the ashes, that if the town celebrates Halloween, he will return and face his wrath:

"If you ever have another Halloween again, I will return and destroy you all!"

Kankel pretends at blindness, claiming that the statue is so terrible that no one should look upon it as if made by someone counceled by The Devil, lest they go blind, or head explode, or even turn to stone, a-la Medusa's glare. So the ashes and statue are sealed within a crypt with nicely arranged cob-webbed chains.

Factuality: After a teasing session, Danko is incarcerated in the incinerator to be left until the following morning. Unfortunately, an absent-minded janitor accidentally taps the 'on' button, immolating Danko. Terrified of being blamed for his murder, he writes the warning in the ashes himself and claims that looking upon the statue blinded him for three days. It was later confessed that now Coach Kankel did it because funds were being directed into the fine arts at the school instead of sports activities.

'Uncle' Walker's grandson Danny arrives from Chicago to attend this new school, and is bullied by Kankel's son and his moronic hench boy. Despite this, he befriends Dayna who shows him marvelous secrets within Danko's haunted house, where, unbeknownst to the a-dolt towns people, the Magic of Halloween has been preserved - skeletons, skulls, demons, monsters, ghouls, bats, spiders, ghosts, zombies, witches, are all here in this abandoned mansion to be enjoyed in secret by the towns children**.

When Danny's business-minded father James suggests the town hold a "Spooktacular" Halloween celebration at a town meeting, the residents go bananas with fear, especially when time and time again, Halloween decorations begin mysteriously appearing about. James Walker seeks to re-open the Walker Chocolate factory {also founded by nucleus Uncle Walker, in a Willy Wonka vein}, with the help of soon-arriving German Businessmen, and the support of the towns people.

Uncle Walker is quite a character, who listens to his Hammond Organ recordings on his jukebox, building elaborate tracks for his hot wheels, surrounded by amusing nick knacks, while attired in various playful outfits. He serves as a true father for Danny, since his dad is virtually un-present in the goings-on of his life. Someone who could actually offer the wisdom of experience as well as be a playmate and friend. Also mentionable is the sage wisdom imparted to Danny about the Magic of Halloween...

So when he apparently dies from a bash on the head by a falling pumpkin from a veritable pumpkin mountain pile which strangely appears in the town square, his heart is broken until he later returns as a zombie to help him place Danko's statue in its rightful place. In the meantime, several amusing circumstances unfold including the appearance of 'Cheesy The Clown' {quite a Lokian depiction}, and Uncle Walker retrieving his runaway hand, a-la Thing {especially humorous considering Christopher Lloyd wonderfully portrayed Uncle Fester in treasured films 'The Addams Family' & 'Addams Family Values'}.

When Danko returns from the grave with green-glowing eyes in skeletal form, who along with various other zombies, at the secret Halloween dance, all is finally set to balance as Halloween is restored, after a shameful spectacle and confession by Coach Kankel, the statue is finally seen, which provides for quite a surprise, followed by a moving ending scene and narration.


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* Interesting to note that I actually sculpted a statue for art class of a Baphomet-headed Satan in a robe wearing a pentagram medallion, holding a sword in one hand and signifying The Cornu with the other. To My surprise, Sgt. Randy Emon was notified, who took photos of it for his occult portfolio.

** It can be observed that the mansion may also be considered a metaphor for the subconscious accumulation of archetypal images of fear and memento moris, waiting to be released and celebrated. To deny them only causes an unbalanced psyche.

I bought this without watching first. I was afraid it would be stupid. Actually it turned out to be kind of cute. A great movie for kids.

My son's B-Day is Halloween, He loves this movie. It's a great adventure, spooky and fun. You've got to love Christopher Lloyd he is such a fun character. Amazon has such great prices, everything always arrives in excellent condition and delivery is always fast. Once I had something arrive damaged and they replaced it right away with no problems. I love Amazon =)

I like to watch on TV a long time and I love it very much but no captioned closed. I want to see TV listing this month because Holloween. Thanks a lot from Linda