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HorrorComedy

The Frighteners

- No rest for the wicked.

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.

Release Date : 1996-07-18

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : WingNut FilmsUniversal Pictures

Production Country : New ZealandUnited States of America

Alternative Titles : Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners

Cast

Michael J. Fox

Character Name : Frank Bannister

Original Name : Michael J. Fox

Gender : Male

Trini Alvarado

Character Name : Lucy Lynskey

Original Name : Trini Alvarado

Gender : Female

Peter Dobson

Character Name : Ray Lynskey

Original Name : Peter Dobson

Gender : Male

John Astin

Character Name : The Judge

Original Name : John Astin

Gender : Male

Jeffrey Combs

Character Name : Milton Dammers

Original Name : Jeffrey Combs

Gender : Male

Dee Wallace

Character Name : Patricia Bradley

Original Name : Dee Wallace

Gender : Female

Jake Busey

Character Name : Johnny Bartlett

Original Name : Jake Busey

Gender : Male

Chi McBride

Character Name : Cyrus

Original Name : Chi McBride

Gender : Male

Jim Fyfe

Character Name : Stuart

Original Name : Jim Fyfe

Gender : Male

Troy Evans

Character Name : Sheriff Perry

Original Name : Troy Evans

Gender : Male

Julianna McCarthy

Character Name : Old Lady Bradley

Original Name : Julianna McCarthy

Gender : Female

R. Lee Ermey

Character Name : Hiles

Original Name : R. Lee Ermey

Gender : Male

Elizabeth Hawthorne

Character Name : Magda Rees-Jones

Original Name : Elizabeth Hawthorne

Gender : Female

Angela Bloomfield

Character Name : Debra Bannister

Original Name : Angela Bloomfield

Gender : Female

Desmond Kelly

Character Name : Harry Sinclair

Original Name : Desmond Kelly

Gender : Male

Jonathan Blick

Character Name : Steve Bayliss

Original Name : Jonathan Blick

Gender : Male

Todd Rippon

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Todd Rippon

Gender : Male

John Sumner

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : John Sumner

Gender : Male

Michael Robinson

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Michael Robinson

Gender : Male

Jim McLarty

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Jim McLarty

Gender : Male

Anthony Ray Parker

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Anthony Ray Parker

Gender : Male

Paul Yates

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Paul Yates

Gender : Male

Melanie Lynskey

Character Name : Deputy

Original Name : Melanie Lynskey

Gender : Female

John Leigh

Character Name : Bryce Campbell

Original Name : John Leigh

Gender : Male

Nicola Cliff

Character Name : Young Patricia

Original Name : Nicola Cliff

Gender : Male

Ken Blackburn

Character Name : Dr. Kamins

Original Name : Ken Blackburn

Gender : Male

Stuart Devenie

Character Name : Museum Curator

Original Name : Stuart Devenie

Gender : Male

Genevieve Westcott

Character Name : TV Presenter

Original Name : Genevieve Westcott

Gender : Male

K.C. Kelly

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : K.C. Kelly

Gender : Male

Leslie Wing

Character Name : Mrs. Waterhouse

Original Name : Leslie Wing

Gender : Female

Leslie Klein

Character Name : Maid

Original Name : Leslie Klein

Gender : Male

Frank Edwards

Character Name : Resuscitating Man

Original Name : Frank Edwards

Gender : Male

Alan O'Leary

Character Name : The Waiter

Original Name : Alan O'Leary

Gender : Male

Danny Lineham

Character Name : Barry

Original Name : Danny Lineham

Gender : Male

Charlie McClellan

Character Name : Reporter

Original Name : Charlie McClellan

Gender : Male

William Pomeroy

Character Name : Jacob Platz

Original Name : William Pomeroy

Gender : Male

George Port

Character Name : Orderly

Original Name : George Port

Gender : Male

Billy Jackson

Character Name : Baby in Bouncer

Original Name : Billy Jackson

Gender : Male

Sophie Watkins

Character Name : Nursery Baby

Original Name : Sophie Watkins

Gender : Male

Taea Hartwell

Character Name : Nursery Baby

Original Name : Taea Hartwell

Gender : Male

Max Grover

Character Name : Nursery Baby

Original Name : Max Grover

Gender : Male

George Grover

Character Name : Nursery Baby

Original Name : George Grover

Gender : Male

Tony Hopkins

Character Name : Hospital Patient

Original Name : Tony Hopkins

Gender : Male

Lewis Martin

Character Name : Hospital Patient

Original Name : Lewis Martin

Gender : Male

Clay Nelson

Character Name : Passerby

Original Name : Clay Nelson

Gender : Male

Matthew Chamberlain

Character Name : Passerby

Original Name : Matthew Chamberlain

Gender : Male

Vivienne Kaplan

Character Name : Nun

Original Name : Vivienne Kaplan

Gender : Male

Liz Mullane

Character Name : Nun

Original Name : Liz Mullane

Gender : Female

Matt Aitken

Character Name : Cowboy Ghost (uncredited)

Original Name : Matt Aitken

Gender : Male

Grae Burton

Character Name : Guest (uncredited)

Original Name : Grae Burton

Gender : Male

Michael Elsworth

Character Name : Undertaker (uncredited)

Original Name : Michael Elsworth

Gender : Male

Nic Farra

Character Name : Ray's Friend (uncredited)

Original Name : Nic Farra

Gender : Male

Peter Jackson

Character Name : Man with Piercings (uncredited)

Original Name : Peter Jackson

Gender : Male

Fran Walsh

Character Name : Passerby (uncredited)

Original Name : Fran Walsh

Gender : Female

Reviews

J

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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

G

Gimly

@Ruuz

2021-06-23

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._