The Frighteners (1996)

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers (WGA):

Fran Walsh (written by) &
Peter Jackson (written by)

Release Date:

19 July 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

No Rest for the Wicked.

Plot:

After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see...

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Hell | Architect | Grim Reaper | Widow

Awards:

1 win & 10 nominations

Cast

Michael J. Fox	...	Frank Bannister
Trini Alvarado	...	Dr. Lucy Lynskey
Peter Dobson	...	Ray Lynskey
John Astin	...	The Judge
Jeffrey Combs	...	Milton Dammers
Dee Wallace	...	Patricia Ann Bradley (as Dee Wallace-Stone)
Jake Busey	...	Johnny Charles Bartlett
Chi McBride	...	Cyrus
Jim Fyfe	...	Stuart, Bannister's Ghostly Assistant
Troy Evans	...	Sheriff Walt Perry
Julianna McCarthy	...	Old Lady Bradley
R. Lee Ermey	...	Sgt. Hiles
Elizabeth Hawthorne	...	Magda Rees-Jones
Angela Bloomfield	...	Debra Bannister
Desmond Kelly	...	Harry Sinclair

Also Known As:

Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners (USA) (complete title)
Agárrame esos fantasmas (Spain) [es]
Chasseurs de fantômes (Canada: French title) [fr]
Fantômes contre fantômes (France) [fr]
Ko se boji duha jos? (Serbia) [sr]
Kummituskopla (Finland) [fi]
Kynigos fantasmaton (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Os Espíritos (Brazil) [pt]
Sevimli hayaletler (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Sospesi nel tempo (Italy) [it]
Törjön ki a frász! (Hungary) [hu]

MPAA:

Rated R for terror/violence.

Runtime:

110 min | USA:122 min (director's cut)

Country:

New Zealand | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (2000) (DVD) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1997) (video) (uncut) | Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 (director's cut) | Germany:18 (nf) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 (2005) (uncut) (DVD) (director's cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) (uncut) | UK:15 (uncut director's edition) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:R (certificate #34656) | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut)

Filming Locations:

Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Weta Digital Ltd, Peter Jackson's special effects company, had to expand their capacity from 1 to 35 computers in order to meet the visual effects demands for this movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Lucy is freezing Frank down, the dial she turns is color-coded light blue to dark blue (cold to colder). Moments later, when Dammers turns up, the dial is on a previously non-existent red setting.

Quotes:

Sergeant Hiles: What in the hell are you doing in my graveyard? You have been told to stay away! Sound off like you've got a pair!
Frank Bannister: Yeah, well, it's a public place, Hiles.
Sergeant Hiles: I do not like you! You cannot bring your spooks here without my permission! Disappear, scumbag!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Recreating the Eighth Wonder: The Making of 'King Kong' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Superstar

* * * out of 4.

Con man (Michael J. Fox) uses the ghosts he sees and maintains friendships with in order to rip off people in order to make a living after losing his wife. However, there is a dead serial killer lurking about killing everyone and Fox has to stop this ghost before it can claim another victim. This film moves along at such fast pace you never have time to question what is going on on-screen. The film itself, is filled with many wonderful visual effects and proves to be a perfect vehicle for Fox's many talents. It is also brimming with many original thoughts and idea's. It is highly under rated and I highly recommanded this film. Just check your brain in at the door however.

Rated R; Violence and Profanity.