Ghost Town (1988 film)
A sheriff battles a zombie outlaw in a cursed ghost town.
In this 1988 horror Western, Richard McCarthy, credited as Richard Governor, directed Franc Luz and Catherine Hickland. The plot follows a sheriff searching for a missing woman who instead finds himself among the undead inhabitants of a ghost town. David Schmoeller provided the story. This film was one of the final projects from Charles Band's Empire Pictures.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Richard McCarthy (as Richard Governor)Green (2016)
- Producer
- J. Larry Carroll
- Writer
- Duke Sandefur
- Story
- David Schmoeller
- Starring
- Franc Luz
- Catherine Hickland
- Jimmie F. Skaggs
- Bruce Glover
- Music
- Harvey Cohen
- Cinematography
- Mac Ahlberg
- Editing
- King Wilder
Facts from the source article.
Plot
Kate leaves her fiancé at the altar and drives alone on a highway in Riverton, Arizona. She hears galloping horses but sees no one, then is swept away in a dust cloud. Sheriff Langley investigates her abandoned car and is shot at by a rider; a bullet hits the gas tank, exploding the vehicle. Langley wanders to a ghost town and falls asleep in a building. He wakes to apparitions tied to the town's past, meeting a barmaid named Grace, a blind gambling dealer, a blacksmith, and his daughter Etta. Kate is held captive by Devlin, a zombie-like outlaw who controls the town through a pact with Satan. Devlin kills the blacksmith and Etta after they speak to Langley. Langley finds his modern gun useless but receives an old revolver from Grace, with which he can kill Devlin's henchmen. He locates Kate, and they hide in a church that Devlin sets on fire. They escape, and Langley destroys Devlin in a shootout. As they leave, the town's souls approve, and the town vanishes.
Production
Duke Sandefur wrote the script based on a story by David Schmoeller, with Charles Band as executive producer. Filming took place in late September and October 1987 at Old Tucson Studios in Tucson, Arizona. Franc Luz performed his own stunts. Luz described director Richard Governor as a charismatic, high-energy man with a strong Australian accent, and noted that he was unsure if Governor had full control of the set.
Release
Ghost Town opened in limited release on November 11, 1988, on eight screens, the same day as Child's Play. It grossed $10,478 its opening weekend and $75,000 total. TV Guide called it a mixed bag of pretty pictures and stale storytelling, praising cinematography and performances but faulting the predictable script. Chris Willman of the Los Angeles Times gave a negative review, calling it spookily devoid of unexpected plot twists and basic frights. The New York Daily News noted more atmosphere and visual style than typical Empire products but found it poorly plotted with uncharismatic characters. Leonard Maltin gave a positive review, calling it an imaginative fantasy thriller with fine special effects. Variety praised the atmospheric lensing by Mac Ahlberg and called it an odd variation on a familiar suspense format. Film journalist Glenn Kay retrospectively found the end result unremarkable.
Home media
The film was released on VHS in 1988 by New World home video and received no DVD release. Scream Factory, licensed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, released it on Blu-ray for the first time on July 28, 2015. Diabolique Magazine noted the release seemed planned as part of a double feature and considered it worthwhile for Empire Pictures fans but not a must-own, calling it one of the company's lesser releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed Ghost Town (1988 film)?
Ghost Town was directed by Richard McCarthy (as Richard Governor)Green (2016).
Who stars in Ghost Town (1988 film)?
Ghost Town stars Franc Luz, Catherine Hickland, Jimmie F. Skaggs and Bruce Glover.
Who composed the music for Ghost Town (1988 film)?
The music for Ghost Town was composed by Harvey Cohen.
How long is Ghost Town (1988 film)?
Ghost Town has a running time of 85 minutes.
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