Ghost Stories [DVD] [2018]

It is a pleasure to see a British revival of this genre, typically featuring a collection of macabre tales and best known from the works of Amicus and Hammer Studios in the 1960s and 1970s. As might be expected, Black Mirror and survival horror games have been an influence in this update, but that's to be welcomed. With excellent acting, tension building direction and jump scares you're on to a winner.Overall Ghost Stories is highly promising, and it would be great if the writers could continue in this vein. The main area for improvement is probably in tidying up the denouement - a little protracted if not convoluted - and some attention might have been paid to Ealing Studios' 1946 Dead of Night, with its climactic montage and circular form that might have been used here, and which even now remains the gold standard for this kind of cinematic storytelling.

Bought this due to a good cast and who doesn’t like a good scary movie now and then. The film started well and was going along nicely but I was wondering how it was going to end. Did not like the ending felt a bit short changed, almost as if they did not know how to finish it so oh well this will do. Still worth a watch

A kind of annoying film. On the one hand, it has some superb moments, and the off-beat humour works brilliantly with the movie's dark, creepy, haunting aspects. Unfortunately, the film presents as cleverer than it ends up being, offering just enough closure to satisfy in its final act while still tying itself up in knots.Clearly the film-makers knew that some of what they were trying to do was a bit crap, and they revel in this fact. Meanwhile, they also offer some genuinely brilliant effects, scares, and chilling scenarios. As a portmanteau horror film, this fits with norms of the form; they're a patchy sort of film. It's just annoying that the team behind the movie didn't just look to make the best, most affectingly scary film they could.If they had, I think it would have been one for the ages. This, instead, is a bit too quirky... a bit too irksome... and while fans of the genre will likely think it is worth at least one viewing I found that watching it often felt like more of an intellectual exercise than a haunting one.

The film starts so well, it feels like an original invovitive movie but soon it starts to fall apart. The idea had a lot of potential but I feel bad they added certain scenes that just don’t fit with the rest of the movie. I must say I was disappointed all in all. The prosthetics used also gave away ending, which is shame.

Saw the stage production in Cardiff (tickets were Christmas pressie from wife) recently, it was so good that when I found out there was a film version too, I HAD to get it. I was not disappointed - it works so well as a film to with a marvellous cast and the whole way its put together - direction effects etc. - is a real treat. I particularly enjoyed the soundtrack music which has a character that is really in sympathy with the undercurrents of the plot and like the rest of the film stands out, contributing more than loud bangs and musical clichés. Thankfully a 'horror' film that's not full of pointless gore. It's a portmanteau film apparently part inspired by the spate of 60's-70's ones, but the writers, I think, develop this model for storytelling in original ways. It has scary moments but moreover this is mystery, intrigue and suspense and great atmosphere that, I think, feels distinctly British without labouring this. In short, if for like a 'spooky' and intelligent film, I reckon you'll enjoy this.

I used to be a gore hound, but nowadays I prefer my horror far more gentle - not tame, just more suspenseful and jump-inducing. It has taken me a long time to get around to watching Ghost Stories, but I am very pleased I did watch it. Excellent writing, great acting, and some really spooky goings-on: what's not to like? Ghost Stories follows the British portmanteau horror format and sits very well in that genre. OK, so it's no Dead of Night, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is definitely a film I will return to.

The stilted simplicity of the title keeps its promise: We get ghost stories (plus one about some other spirit being) of a more or less traditional kind. If you expect an innovative take on the ghost you will be disappointed. If you do not you will be disappointed, too. This supposed to be a frightfully original play with old conventions, but it is just isn't. The film consists of three episodes held together by a frame narrative that in the end develops into a (too) lengthy surreal story of its own. The second story is a weak attempt at a horror comedy. Emotionally the most engaging is the last, the first is an able variant of the typical hide-and-seek horror where you know that in the next couple of seconds the camera is going to show something really ugly that is supposed to shock you even though it usually just disgusts you. Without the fantastic performance of Whitehouse this episode would be unwatchable. The other actors do a good routine job. Freeman does the best he can with a script that does not really give him much room for his nuanced acting. All three (or four) stories are remarkable for their bleak atmosphere, an air of utter desolation and emotional numbness. In a way, the ghosts are not up to the challenge posed by this atmosphere. They are too simple, too crude. When they appear they seem to break the spell, to destroy the tension the film worked so hard to build up. The unsurprising surprise ending (Caligari beckons in the background) is merely a disappointment.

Awful really ! Few good bits . Ok ending but guessed that’s what was happening ! Just avoid not worth paying to watch !!