Ghost (1990 film)

Ghost

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Jerry Zucker
Produced by Steven-Charles Jaffe
Lisa Weinstein
Howard W. Koch[1]
(uncredited)
Written by Bruce Joel Rubin
Starring
Music by Maurice Jarre
Cinematography Adam Greenberg
Edited by Walter Murch
Distributed by Paramount Pictures[2]
Release date
  • July 13, 1990 (1990-07-13)
Running time
 128 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $22 million
Box office $505.7 million

Ghost is a 1990 American romantic fantasy thriller film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn, and Rick Aviles. It was written by Bruce Joel Rubin and directed by Jerry Zucker.[3]

The plot centers on a young woman in jeopardy (Moore), the ghost of her murdered lover (Swayze) and a reluctant psychic (Goldberg) who assists him in saving her although the psychic had previously been faking her powers.

The film was an outstanding commercial success, grossing over $505.7 million at the box office on a budget of $22 million.[4] It was the highest-grossing film of 1990.[5] Adjusted for inflation, as of 2015 Ghost was the 93rd-highest-grossing film of all time domestically.[6]

The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Score and Best Film Editing. It won the awards for Best Supporting Actress for Goldberg and Best Original Screenplay for Bruce Joel Rubin. Swayze and Moore both received Golden Globe Award nominations for their performances, while Goldberg won the BAFTA, Golden Globe, and Saturn Awards in addition to the Oscar.

Plot

Sam Wheat, a banker, and his girlfriend Molly Jensen, a potter, renovate and move into an apartment in Manhattan with the help of Sam's friend and co-worker Carl Bruner. One afternoon, Sam confides in Carl his discovery of unusually high balances in obscure bank accounts. He decides to investigate the matter himself, declining Carl's offer of assistance. That night, Sam and Molly are attacked by a mugger who kills Sam in a scuffle before stealing his wallet. Sam sees Molly crying over his body and discovers he is now a ghost; invisible and unable to interact with the mortal world.

Molly remains distraught in the days after Sam's death, as Sam remains close to her. Carl comes over and suggests Molly take a walk with him and Sam cannot bring himself to follow. Moments later, the mugger enters the apartment in search of something. When Molly returns, Sam scares their cat into attacking the thug, who flees. Sam follows the mugger to his Brooklyn apartment and learns that the man, Willie Lopez, was sent by an unknown party.

After leaving Willie's residence, Sam happens upon the parlor of psychic Oda Mae Brown, a charlatan pretending to commune with dead spirits who is shocked to discover her true psychic gift when she can hear Sam speaking. Sam convinces her to warn Molly that she is in danger. To allay Molly's skepticism, Oda Mae relays information that only Sam could know. Molly gives Willie's address to Carl; she then goes to the police, who have no file for Willie but they show her Oda Mae's lengthy one as a forger and con artist.

Meanwhile, Sam follows Carl and is devastated to learn he and Willie are working together. Carl is laundering money for drug dealers and he had Willie rob Sam to get his apartment key, which Carl uses to obtain Sam's book of passwords and transfer the money into a single account under the fictitious "Rita Miller".

Sam learns from a violent poltergeist haunting the subway system how to manipulate objects with his mind. Sam then persuades Oda Mae to help him thwart Carl. Before Carl can transfer the money for his clients, Oda Mae impersonates Rita Miller, closes the account, and gives the $4 million cashier's check to charity. As Carl desperately searches for the money, Sam reveals his presence by typing his name on the computer keyboard. Carl goes to Molly, who reveals she spotted Oda Mae closing an account at the bank. Carl and Willie go to Oda Mae's place but Sam warns her to take shelter. When Willie arrives, Sam tosses objects at him until Willie flees into the street in a panic and is killed by an oncoming car. Shadowy creatures emerge from the darkness to drag Willie's ghost down to Hell.

Sam and Oda Mae return to the apartment where—by levitating a penny into Molly's hand—he convinces Molly that Oda Mae is telling the truth about him. Oda Mae allows Sam to possess her body so he and Molly can share a slow dance. Carl breaks into the apartment but Sam is too exhausted from the possession to fight Carl. The women run onto the fire escape, to a loft under construction, but Carl catches Oda Mae and holds her at gunpoint, demanding the money. A recovered Sam pushes Carl off her so Carl takes Molly hostage, pleading with Sam for the money. Sam disarms Carl and attacks him again. Carl tries to escape through a window and tosses a suspended hook at Sam; the hook swings back to shatter the window and it slides down, fatally impaling Carl with a glass shard. The shadowy creatures return to claim Carl's ghost for Hell.

Sam asks if the women are all right. Miraculously, Molly can now hear him. A heavenly light shines in the room, illuminating Sam's presence. Realizing that it is his time to go, he and Molly share a tearful goodbye and one final kiss. Sam thanks Oda Mae for her help, and she tells him that he is being called home. Sam then walks into the light and onward to Heaven.

Cast

Soundtrack

The music for Ghost was written by veteran composer Maurice Jarre. The soundtrack also featured the 1955 song "Unchained Melody", composed by Alex North with lyrics by Hy Zaret. That song appears in both instrumental form and in the 1965 recording by the Righteous Brothers. Jarre's score was nominated for the 1990 Academy Award for Best Original Score, though it lost to John Barry's work for Dances with Wolves.[7]

The soundtrack album was issued on Milan Records (and licensed to Varèse Sarabande for North American release); it was subsequently reissued in 1995 with two extra tracks, and later as part of Milan's Silver Screen Edition series with the extra tracks and an interview with Maurice Jarre.[8]

Reception

Box office

The film became an unexpected huge box-office success, grossing $505,702,588 on a budget of $22,000,000.[9][10][11][12] It was the highest-grossing film of 1990.[5] Box Office Mojo estimates that the film sold over 51.46 million tickets in the US.[13]

Critical response

Ghost has received generally favorable reviews and has a "Certified Fresh" rating of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 65 critics.[14][15][16] It has a score of 52 on the review site Metacritic, indicating mixed or average reviews.[17] The film has been criticized for featuring the Magical Negro stereotype in the character of Oda Mae Brown,[18] although Goldberg's performance was highly praised. In a review for The New York Times, Janet Maslin comments "Ms. Goldberg plays the character's amazement, irritation and great gift for back talk to the hilt. This is one of those rare occasions on which the uncategorizable Ms. Goldberg has found a film role that really suits her, and she makes the most of it."[19] Even some writers who gave negative reviews of Ghost extended praise to Goldberg's work in the film.[20] Goldberg went on to win an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe for her performance.

Accolades

Award Category Subject Result
Academy Award Best Picture Lisa Weinstein Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Whoopi Goldberg Won
Best Film Editing Walter Murch Nominated
Best Original Score Maurice Jarre Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Bruce Joel Rubin Won
BAFTA Award Best Original Screenplay Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Whoopi Goldberg Won
Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Won
Best Actor – Musical or Comedy Patrick Swayze Nominated
Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Demi Moore Nominated
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy Lisa Weinstein Nominated

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Musical adaptation and parodies

Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, in one of the most famous scenes from the movie[26]

The film has inspired a musical stage version, Ghost the Musical. The show had its world premiere in Manchester, UK, in March 2011[27] before transferring to London from June 2011 and having its premiere on July 19, 2011.[28] Richard Fleeshman created the role of Sam, with Caissie Levy as Molly and Sharon D. Clarke as Oda Mae Brown. The success of the West End production led to a Broadway transfer in March 2012. This run was short-lived however, closing August 2012. Subsequently, the original production closed on October 6, 2012. A national tour of the United Kingdom launched in April 2013, with a tour of the United States also announced.

The pottery wheel scene is very well known[26] and often parodied, with examples occurring in In Living Color ("Ghost II: Sammy Davis, Jr.'s Spirit"), Two and a Half Men,[29] Saturday Night Live, Family Guy ("The Story on Page One" and "Baby Not on Board"), All's Well, Ends Well, Naked Gun 2½ (directed by David Zucker, brother of director Jerry Zucker, and released by the same studio as this film), Loaded Weapon 1, The Penguins of Madagascar, Futurama ("Bendless Love" and "Bender's Game"), Community ("Beginner Pottery"), Victorious ("Survival of the Hottest"), Wallace and Gromit ("A Matter of Loaf and Death"), 6teen ("Unhappy Anniversary"), Ellen ("Alone Again ... Naturally"), Glee ("Girls (and Boys) On Film"), Bob's Burgers, 30 Rock ("Governor Dunston"), and Fuller House ("Save the Dates").

Distribution

Remakes

In November 13, 2010, Paramount and Shochiku released a Japanese remake of Ghost, titled Ghost: In Your Arms Again (ゴースト もういちど抱きしめたい, Gōsuto Mouichido Dakishimetai).[30] The remake stars Nanako Matsushima, South Korean actor Song Seung-heon, and veteran actress Kirin Kiki.[31] In this film, the ghost is a woman, played by Matsushima.

TV series

In November 2013, it was announced that Paramount Television is developing a television series adaptation of Ghost, with Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner writing the pilot.[32]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kinn, Gail; Piazza, Jim (2014-12-16). Academy Awards®: The Complete Unofficial History -- Revised and Up-To-Date. Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN 9781579129866.
  2. ↑ Cieply, Michael; Easton, Nina J. (1990-09-11). "Paramount Reels in Power Struggle After Hits, Misses". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  3. ↑ Honeycutt, Kirk (1990-07-13). "Director Leaves Laughs Behind to Capture Spirit of 'Ghost' : Movies: A suspense drama about the afterlife is the last film you'd expect from Jerry Zucker, one of the crazy guys who dreamed up 'Airplane!'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  4. ↑ "Ghost (1990) - Box Office Mojo". Boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  5. 1 2 "1990 Worldwide Grosses". Boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "All Time Box Office Adjusted for Ticket Price Inflation". Boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  7. ↑ Clemmensen, Christian. "Ghost soundtrack review". Filmtracks.com. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  8. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ghost [Silver Screen Edition] - Review". All Music. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  9. ↑ Broeske, Pat H. (1990-07-17). "'Ghost' Performing Solidly at the Box Office". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  10. ↑ Broeske, Pat H. (1990-07-25). "'Ghost': Sentimental Choice as Summer Hit". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  11. ↑ Broeske, Pat H. (1990-08-07). "'Ghost' Tops Box Office Again". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  12. ↑ Easton, Nina J. (1990-09-05). "Hollywood's Summer of Love : Romantic 'Ghost' Outguns Macho Movies to Become Season's Biggest Hit". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  13. ↑ "Ghost (1990)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  14. ↑ "Ghost". Variety. 1989-12-31. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  15. ↑ "Ghost". Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  16. ↑ "Immaterial Affections". Newsweek. Retrieved 2010-10-04.
  17. ↑ "Ghost Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
  18. ↑ Gabbard, Krin (2004). Black Magic: White Hollywood and African American Culture. New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Press. p. 154. ISBN 0-8135-3383-X. OCLC 53215708.
  19. ↑ "Ghost(1990)". The New York Times. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  20. ↑ Podgorski, Daniel (October 15, 2015). "A Ghastly Script: The Mediocrity of Jerry Zucker’s Romantic Classic, Ghost". The Gemsbok. Your Thursday Theater. Retrieved February 20, 2016.
  21. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions" (PDF). American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  22. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs" (PDF). American Film Institute. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  23. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  24. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  25. ↑ "AFI's 10 Top 10 Nominees" (PDF). Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  26. 1 2 Cox, Gordon (2009-03-06). "'Ghost' getting musical treatment". Variety. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  27. ↑ "GHOST The Musical – About - Opening in Manchester 28 March 2011". www.ghostthemusical.com. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  28. ↑ "Ghost The Musical announces Manchester dates pre-West End". The Stage. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  29. ↑ "Kutcher parodies Demi’s iconic ‘Ghost’ pottery scene". New York Post. 2014-02-28. Retrieved 2015-03-02.
  30. ↑ Shiso (2010-11-14). "Japanese Remake of Ghost to Be Released in 5 Different Countries". Tokyohive. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  31. ↑ Fischer, Russ (2010-06-09). "Paramount to Remake Ghost in Japan". Slashfilm. Retrieved 2011-03-19.
  32. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2013-11-12). "Akiva Goldsman & Jeff Pinkner To Adapt Movie ‘Ghost’ As Series For Paramount TV". Deadline. Retrieved 2014-08-17.
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