COLLECTOR'S CRYPT - GHOULIES (MVD REWIND 4K UHD)

Is nostalgia always a good thing? As is the case with pop culture, trends, and styles have a way of boomeranging back into relevance oftentimes decades after the fad has faded. The film, television, and music industries (among many others) traffic in nostalgia for more capitalistic reasons, and if you don’t believe me, just look into the steps Disney takes to use psychology and nostalgia to maintain visitor-ship at their amusement parks. This is not intended to demonize or judge these kinds of tactics, rather, it is to create an awareness of the potency and power of nostalgia in relation to how it impacts our objectivity. It is similar to how some folks claim that 80s horror movies are better, but really, there is no objective measure of that. Instead, we are nostalgic for a time in our lives when those movies had a great impact on us. They become entrenched in your understanding of the world and your preferences on what you like and don’t, which offers both benefits and burdens alike. Nostalgia is such an important tool that it often drives the sales of older movies decades after their release, as is the case with the MVD Rewind Collection and their newly released 4K UHD editions. For their second outing in 4K, we are treated to Empire Pictures’ riff on the tiny creatures genre with Ghoulies. Is this another case of novelty and nostalgia, or is this Gremlins-riffing absurdity in a class all of its own?

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

A young man and his girlfriend move into an old mansion home, where he becomes possessed by a desire to control ancient demons.

HOW IS IT?

Depending on whether or not you rented movies from a video store as a kid has a lot to do with whether or not you will like Ghoulies, or if you’ve even heard of it. While it certainly has a memorable cover, it also is one of the prime examples of the 80s cover art that over-promises and under-delivers. The silly “Ghoulies in the toilet” gag is just for show, and tonally this Empire Pictures film is all over the amp. Still, for someone who grew up starring at, and likely renting this movie as a young kid you can’t help but wish it was half as good as it looks.

Heavily riffing off of the Gremlins phase of the era, but also not, the story in Ghoulies is kind of a monster of its own. A dash of a spooky haunted house, a splash of demon-worshipping cultists, and a sprinkle of telekinesis that has the potential to control an army of tiny demons as the little cherries on top. It’s almost too much going on, and because of how unfocused the story is we really don’t get as much screen time for the titular “Ghoulie” characters we are promised. The biggest sin the film commits is that it denies the audience the one thing it rightfully expects to see more of; the creatures. Still, when the Ghoulies are on screen there is a lot to like about their design which by today's standards seems rather pedestrian, but in the video store era, this cover beamed from the horror shelves on account of these PCP-gremlins.

Oddly enough, warts and all, there is something endearing about what is being attempted here. It is trying so hard not to be Gremlins that it gets tangled up in something else that takes more screen time. Much of this is corrected in the sequel, review coming soon, and while the plot is a mess and the acting is shoddy this is a quintessential slice of 80’s schlock. “Ghoulies” doesn’t exist to scare, it exists to make a little money riding the coattails of cinematic trends and garner just enough interest to generate a franchise. From that perspective, “Ghoulies” succeeds. It is hard to see how this would gather any new fans aside from those who watch in jest, however, it has an “Italian” way about it in how audaciously and creatively it rips off just enough and changes so much to make something familiar and new at the same time, even if it doesn’t entirely succeed this first go round.

HOW DOES IT LOOK?

MVD Rewind brings out their 2nd in their new 4K UHD line, and just like the previous film the picture quality on this release is incredible. What is most noticeable about the 4K UHD release is just how clean the film looks. It is almost hard to explain, but compared to previous releases this one just looks far more naturally vivid in the more vibrant color scenes (ceremony, dinner table). There is also a more natural look to the skin tones, as opposed to a more jaundiced yellow look from the last release. Given that we just so happen to have the previous Scream! Factory double-feature disc in the crypt we are able to provide a side-by-side comparison of the two releases for your own eyes to judge.

HOW DOES IT SOUND?

MVD Rewind includes the 2.0 mono DTS-HD audio track from prior releases, and it is a perfectly adequate and well-balanced track. The dialogue is given good weight against the rest of the sound, and it lacks any sort of pops or crackles.

ANYTHING SPECIAL?

Much like the last MVD Rewind 4K UHD release, this is the ultimate collection of all previously available special features. However, this is the first time some of them have been released with Ghoulies stateside, save for those who have region-free players. Combining the Region B and Region A special features into one singular release minimizes the need for Uber collectors to hold onto multiple copies just to retain special features (wink wink Anchor Bay wink wink). The first special feature we took in was From Toilets to Terror: The Making of Ghoulies, which is just under the 30-minute featurette retained from the Scream! Factory release that goes into not just how the film was made, but also the important role the film had in launching Charles Band and his various production efforts into the spotlight of the late 80s and early 90s. As much about Empire Pictures as it is the film, this is a must-watch for those industry history buffs.

The next special feature we checked out was Editing an Empire: Interview with Ted Nicolau. This is another sub-30-minute feature this time focusing on long-time collaborator of Band’s Ted Nicolau, who talks not just about his role editing, but also about directing and working with Band all these years with various different companies. One of the most interesting stories is one all too familiar to those in the know about Band’s history, in particular, how much of a mystery it was if your check would clear back in the old days of the company. This is no judgment of Band but more a testament to the time, place, and people, to which Nicolau provides both candid and affirming stories about the ups and downs of film production. A full list of special features included are listed below:

4K SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2023 4K Restoration (16-bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR

• Optional English Subtitles

• 2.0 Mono DTS-HD Audio

• Archival 2015 Audio commentary with director Luca Bercovici

• Archival 2016 Audio commentary by director Luca Bercovici moderated by Jason Andreasen of Terror Transmission

• Collectible '4K LaserVision' Mini-Poster

BLU-RAY SPECIAL FEATURES:

• 2023 HD Restoration of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio

• Optional English Subtitles

• 2.0 Mono DTS-HD Audio

• Archival 2015 Audio commentary with director Luca Bercovici

• Archival 2016 Audio commentary by director Luca Bercovici moderated by Jason Andreasen of Terror Transmission

• Video Introduction by Luca Bercovici (HD)

• Editing an Empire: Interview with Ted Nicolau (HD, 27:30)

• The Mind Is A Terrible Thing to Waste: Interview with Scott Thomson (HD, 22:02)

• 'Just For The Chick Man' interview with Luca Bercovici (HD, 33:46)

• 'From Toilets to Terror:' The Making of Ghoulies (HD, 29:49)

• Photo Gallery

• Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:55)

• 4 TV Spots (SD)

LAST RITES

Ghoulies is far from perfect, but it is also just peculiar enough to warrant interest from even the average horror fan, and this MVD 4K UHD release is a fantastic edition to grab. Bringing together all the best special features with the best possible video and audio, this is surely the definitive Ghoulies for the foreseeable (and hopefully) future!

THE GORY DETAILS

Thank you to the fine fiends over at MVD ENTERTAINMENT for providing a review copy for the crypt! Ghoulies is available NOW and can be purchased via MVD DIRECT!

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