Ghosthouse (1988) - Nice touches, but ultimately forgettable

'Ghosthouse' is one of those many 80s horror films that tries to cash in on the success of better-known supernatural chillers but never quite finds its own way.  It generally relies on the typical haunted house tropes, ghostly children and (admittedly nice practical) gory set pieces into a package that produces nothing we haven't seen before many times in the genre.

Admittedly, there are a couple of moments where 'Ghosthouse' shows flashes of potential. As I said, some of the practical gore effects are actually quite nasty, especially during the film’s more violent opening.  Then you have the eerie children’s tune that recurs throughout the movie which is genuinely unsettling—it’s easily the most memorable thing about the film. 

Unfortunately, everything else falls flat. The characters are instantly forgettable, delivering bland dialogue that sounds like it was translated twice before filming.  I probably shouldn't be too harsh on the actors, as they're given very little to work with and it’s hard to care about anyone as they wander through the cobweb-covered sets waiting for their inevitable doom.  The story itself follows such a predictable path that even the occasional burst of violence can’t liven things up.

In the end, 'Ghosthouse' is a reminder that not every 1980s horror film deserves cult status. While there are some nice moments and that haunting tune, the dull characters, uninspired script and formulaic plot make this one an easy skip—especially when there are so many better, more memorable cult classics from the decade to choose from.

3/10