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Ghost (1990)

Hiyo

By Hiyo
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Hiyo

Hiyo

One of the best films of the 90s, and probably any other decade as well.

I love how it mixed different genres and mixed them so well...romance, drama, horror, comedy, action. And of course that song...

 

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Bastet

Bastet

"Molly, you in danger, girl."

I mostly like this film for Whoopi Goldberg*, but Patrick Swayze also does really well with Sam's confusion and then determination.  I love the evolution of the scenes between the two of them. 

And when Sam is tormenting Tony Goldwyn's character via computer after figuring out his role.

Sam and Molly, eh, fine - for the relationship underpinning the whole premise, it's my least favorite, but the actors make it work a lot better after Sam's dead than the terribly forced exposition in the beginning.

*I love the story of the Oscar nominee lunch the year she won Best Supporting Actress for this role.  None of the women - Goldberg, Mary McDonnell (Dances With Wolves), Lorraine Bracco (Goodfellas), Diane Ladd (Wild at Heart), and Annette Bening (The Grifters) - in that category were ingenues, and this group of women in their late 30s (50s in Ladd's case) bonded over that amidst having a great time together (you sit with your category).  Ladd casually suggested whoever won should take the others to lunch.  The day after Goldberg won, the others received huge bouquets of flowers with invitations to lunch. 

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Hiyo

Hiyo

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None of the women in that category were ingenues

And none of them had won an Oscar before, which probably made it even more interesting. And Whoopi would be the only one of them who does...

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I love the evolution of the scenes between the two of them. 

Whoopi and Patrick do have some great chemistry together.

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

Oh I love this movie. It was a little bit of everything: drama, comedy, romance, fantasy, thriller…

I love Whoopi and everything, but this should have been her second Oscar win instead of her first. She should have won for The Color Purple first. Stupid Academy.

I miss Patrick Swayze.

Also Demi Moore is such a prettier crier in this movie.

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Hiyo

Hiyo

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I love Whoopi and everything, but this should have been her second Oscar win instead of her first. She should have won for The Color Purple first. Stupid Academy.

I dunno, that year had some good performances nominated, so I can't begrudge someone else winning (even though some might argue Geraldine Page winning was one of those "lifetime achievement awards in disguise"...it was her eighth nomination and only win, for what it's worth).

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Also Demi Moore is such a prettier crier in this movie.

Much prettier than I would be lol

While Whoopi and Patrick do own the movie, I do think this is one of Demi's better performances.

Edited by Hiyo
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Ms Blue Jay

Ms Blue Jay

This movie really grew on me.  At first, I was like, What IS this movie? Because it's a blend of so many genres.  But now it's on its way to being comforting for me.  Whoopi and her sisters make the movie so funny.  I agree that Demi is pretty adorable in this.

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Simon Boccanegra

Simon Boccanegra

On 3/17/2022 at 6:28 AM, Spartan Girl said:

Also Demi Moore is such a prettier crier in this movie.

Oh, yes. About other qualities she had, there can be discussion and debate, but when the topic turns to beautiful crying -- not only in this but About Last Night... and some others -- she is one of the masters, worthy of the Ingrid Bergman Award for Distinguished Achievement in Crying. (The award is shaped like a perfect single tear.) 

Something I always remember about Ghost: A movie-loving friend of mine (who, alas, has passed to the other side herself now) was merciless with Ghost for what she felt was the telegraphing of the villain. She did a hilarious slice-and dice (complete with impressions) of the "There's too much money in these accounts, Carl"/"Oh, don't worry about that! Go home to your pretty girlfriend" scene. She saw Ghost with another friend of hers, and when that scene was playing, she nudged the friend and said, simply, "Carl." The friend looked at her like "What do you mean?" and then later claimed to have been completely surprised! Heh.

I didn't think that that telegraphing was such a big deal, personally. I actually thought they threw us a clue even earlier, by highlighting Carl's greed/materialism re: the expensive car and having Sam tell him to pay off his Mustang first.

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Simon Boccanegra

Simon Boccanegra

There can be a kind of pleasure in being a little ahead of the characters, and that might have been what Ghost was intending. I haven't seen the movie in a long time, but as I recall, Sam/Swayze is really stunned and hurt when he sees what his supposed friend is capable of. We in the audience have had a view from farther back, so if we feel there's something shifty or off about Carl almost from the start, it works. He's not our friend.  

I recall that when Carl is impaled, Sam is horrified. Like, the guy may have turned out to be a mercenary little weasel who would hire a Willie Lopez and then threaten (more) murders at his own hands to get what he wanted, but Sam still didn't want that for him. There's a very meme-able look of wide-eyed horror and aversion of eyes from Swayze at the impaling, and when he sees Carl in ghost form, knowing what's about to come, there's no satisfaction. He says, "Oh, Carl," mournfully. It's a nice character touch.

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Hiyo

Hiyo

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Those ghouls that take away Willie and Carl's souls did freak me out a bit when I saw the movie for the first time.

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He says, "Oh, Carl," mournfully. It's a nice character touch.

It does speak to Sam's innate goodness, that's for sure.

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Simon Boccanegra

Simon Boccanegra

2 hours ago, Hiyo said:

Those ghouls that take away Willie and Carl's souls did freak me out a bit when I saw the movie for the first time.

I remember those being a somewhat controversial element of the movie at the time. Some people thought they were terrifying; others thought they were badly done. I leaned more toward "terrifying." Looking at the Carl scene from YouTube, I think I've put my finger on the issue: it depends on whether a viewer is focusing more on sight or sound. The visual effects are thin by the standards of what was possible in 1989-90, but the noises are unsettling in the extreme. Those noises make me want to lead a more virtuous life.

One comment on the YT clip says the effect was achieved by recording crying babies and slowing them way down, which, if true, is very cool. (And very Lynchian...the only thing about Ghost that reminds me at all of David Lynch. He achieved a blood-curdling effect in the 2017 Twin Peaks miniseries with Beethoven slowed down to unrecognizability.) 

It's nice to see such interesting discussion of a movie I haven't thought about in a long time. When Ghost was a new film, I was seeing more of the big-star commercial films that tend to be released in the summer. Honestly, if more of them were at Ghost's level, I'd still see more of them. It was soulful, an interesting mingling of genres; the three leads were perfectly cast for what they could do best, and all were at the peak of their powers.

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

(edited)
2 hours ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

I can't believe that while talking about this movie, no one, posted this ICONIC scene. Almost as iconic as the "He doesn't have a head!" from Soapdish!

 

Or this one with Orlando! 🤣😆

 

"Damn, baby, what did you do to you hair?"

"Do you like it? It's Autumn Sunrise!"

Just the way that lady said it was hilarious.

Edited by Spartan Girl
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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

1 hour ago, Hiyo said:

The scenes at the bank and with the nuns were also great.

 

 

 

Hilarious! Especially when she asks for another signature card because she "signed the wrong name" 🤣😂

"Four million dollars!!????" Whimpers, squeaks then murmurs "Yes. Mhmmm." And then the struggle when she wouldn't let go of the check and Sam is all like "Let GO!"

Hmm. I think I'll watch this again tonight.

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JAYJAY1979

JAYJAY1979

The scene where Molly (Demi) realizes that Oda Mae was telling the truth about Sam being there with the coin floating in the air was so powerful.  She could have turned on the tears, but when she lifted her head and the one tear fell.. it was more powerful.  And then opening the door to seeing Whoopi standing there.... so powerful.

Whoopi so deserved the Oscar for this movie because she provided so much support to the two leads and was memorable.  She mixed comedy and drama so effortlessly.. that I couldn't imagine anyone else playing that part.

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SlovakPrincess

SlovakPrincess

(edited)
On 4/4/2022 at 7:42 AM, Spartan Girl said:

Lmao the way she squeaks “Tens and twenties?” before Sam makes her ask for a check is priceless.

I definitely LMAO at that part.  Every time, even though I've seen the movie a bunch of times by now.  

@Simon Boccanegra the demons - and especially the sound - scared the crap out of me!  That, and Carl attacking Oda Mae and Molly, and how Carl eventually dies, just freaked me right out as a child.  (Why and how, as a child, I got into the theater to see this, I do not recall at this point LOL).  

All three actors - Swayze, Goldberg, Moore - are absolutely flawless in their roles.  

Edited by SlovakPrincess
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Cobalt Stargazer

Cobalt Stargazer

On 3/21/2022 at 9:11 AM, Spartan Girl said:

"Damn, baby, what did you do to you hair?"

"Do you like it? It's Autumn Sunrise!"

Just the way that lady said it was hilarious.

"What's he look like?" From a customer Oda Mae is supposedly summoning her husband for.

"Oh, he's a handsome man."

*wife stares*

"In God's kingdom, we're all beautiful."

On 4/10/2022 at 8:21 AM, JAYJAY1979 said:

The scene where Molly (Demi) realizes that Oda Mae was telling the truth about Sam

Oda Mae didn't even know she could really talk to ghosts until Sam contacted her, right? It was all a scam to make money, and then she ends up helping him get the funds Carl stole back and give him the chance to speak with Molly.

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Scarlett45

Scarlett45

8 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Oda Mae didn't even know she could really talk to ghosts until Sam contacted her, right? It was all a scam to make money, and then she ends up helping him get the funds Carl stole back and give him the chance to speak with Molly.

Yup she was scamming people but could actually hear Sam (I can’t remember if she could see him or not) and was totally freaked out. 

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jah1986

jah1986

3 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

Yup she was scamming people but could actually hear Sam (I can’t remember if she could see him or not) and was totally freaked out. 

She couldn't see him. When she went to his apartment and met Molly she asked Sam "is this you?" then she said "cute, White but cute". 

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GHScorpiosRule

GHScorpiosRule

8 hours ago, Cobalt Stargazer said:

Oda Mae didn't even know she could really talk to ghosts until Sam contacted her, right? It was all a scam to make money, and then she ends up helping him get the funds Carl stole back and give him the chance to speak with Molly.

5 minutes ago, jah1986 said:

She couldn't see him. When she went to his apartment and met Molly she asked Sam "is this you?" then she said "cute, White but cute". 

 

Oda Mae could only hear Sam for most of the movie; by the end, when it was time for Sam to go to "Heaven", both Oda Mae and Molly could see him. And Molly and Sam kissed before he left.

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pancake bacon

pancake bacon

(edited)

The good: Demi Moore is a great crier, and she really rocked that pixie cut! Whoopi Goldberg is a Global Treasure, and I'm delighted in a personal way that she won her Oscar for a comedic role. Firstly because, comedic roles don't get enough Oscar love as it is, and secondly, because Whoopi built her legend as a funny person. 

The bad: This movie is pretty silly, and the villain turn by Tony Goldwyn is fine mustache-twirling, enjoyable enough. But this movie won Best Original Screenplay over the awesome gems like Metropolitan (my personal favorite), Alice, Avalon and another romantic film, Green Card, which holds up as a screenplay much better back then, and over time. 

PS. We don't have to agree, of course. Ghost is a deserved iconic movie, but I still upset about this bad Oscar win personally! 

Edited by pancake bacon
Added the PS
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Viver

Viver

On 3/17/2022 at 11:28 AM, Spartan Girl said:

Oh I love this movie. It was a little bit of everything: drama, comedy, romance, fantasy, thriller…

I love Whoopi and everything, but this should have been her second Oscar win instead of her first. She should have won for The Color Purple first. Stupid Academy.

I miss Patrick Swayze.

Also Demi Moore is such a prettier crier in this movie.

For me, this movie was boring, but that's just my opinion.

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WendyCR72

WendyCR72

Loved this movie, but then, I totally geeked over Patrick Swayze back in the day!

But one thing I read fairly recently was, although "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers was used in the iconic pottery scene, apparently some legal issue prevented those in charge from using the original 1960s recording.

To get around this, Bobby Hatfield offered to re-record the song. (And I read there was much anxiety because, by the late 1980s/early 1990s, he was obviously older, and some were concerned that he would not be able to hit the high notes like he originally did.)

Apparently, the concern was for naught. I read that, in the re-recording for the film, one of the notes Bobby hit was even higher than in the original version, the song got the green light to be used in the movie, and the rest is history. It's too bad that Bobby Hatfield died fairly young, but at least his voice was introduced to new generations, like yours truly, a Gen-X'er.

And that re-recording rocketed up the charts thanks to the movie, thus giving "Unchained Melody" another popular run decades after its first one... From what I gathered, just as with the original, the song was attributed to The Righteous Brothers even though Bobby Hatfield was the only singer, and Bill Medley wasn't involved. (But hey, Bill Medley got his own resurgence in another Patrick Swayze film (Dirty Dancing, naturally!), so he did fine, too.)

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Spartan Girl

Spartan Girl

Been watching this movie on TV a lot lately. For the millionth time, I miss Patrick Swayze. Too bad he couldn’t have at least gotten nominated for this one right along with Whoopi.

While it’s definitely a bittersweet ending, let’s not forget that thanks to Sam and Oda Mae, those nuns and their charity got the four million dollars. So that makes the ending a little happier…

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