Matty has a nice time with a supernatural comedy/vanity vehicle from the makers of Nightmare Sisters.

Part of the late ‘80s/early ‘90s spike in supernatural comedies and dramas (cf. Beetlejuice (1988), High Spirits (1988), Field of Dreams (1989), Always (1989), Ghost (1990), Ghost Dad (1990)), GHOST WRITER represents the midpoint between nepotism and B-movie exploitation. A vehicle for Audrey and Judy Landers, Ghost Writer was the first project assembled under their Rumar Films banner; a company spearheaded by the sisters’ mother and manager, Ruth Landers. As Judy enjoyed her experience on David DeCoteau’s Dr. Alien (1988), the film’s producing duties were assigned to DeCoteau and his Cinema Home Video partner, John Schouweiler, who, in turn, recruited their Dr. Alien and Nightmare Sisters (1988) collaborator, Kenneth J. Hall, to pen and direct. 

Already stressed due to a deadline, ambitious journalist Angela (Audrey Landers) is forced to seek solace at her auntie’s beach house in Malibu after a bunch of rowdy builders (led by George ‘Buck’ Flower, no less) start faffing about in her apartment building. However, as explained by the beach house’s affable dolt of a neighbour, Beejay (Joey Travolta, in keeping with the sibling/family motif), the abode is, in fact, haunted by another relative: the spectre of its former resident Billie Blaine (Judy Landers), a Marilyn Monroe-alike movie star who died under suspicious circumstances.

Obviously, the flaw of Hall’s frothy script is that the whodunnit aspect is blown the moment a grandstanding Anthony Franciosa rocks up flanked by his bumbling stooges, The Barbarian Brothers (more siblings!). Nevertheless, Ghost Writer is enjoyable fluff. The thrust of the plot — Angela helping Billie solve her death so she can rest in peace — is breezily and effectively delivered; the coastline scenery is nice to look at; and the finale set in a waxworks is great fun. The Landers’ submit game and appealing performances, and the supporting cast — Travolta, Franciosa, Jeff Conaway, and David Doyle — all get into the spirit (sorry) of things.  Dick Miller, tragic NFL star/rent-a-hulk John Matuszak, and a handful of DeCoteau favs of the period (Lenny Rose, Eric Freeman, Richard Gabai) appear in various capacities. The Barbarian Brothers, meanwhile, are, well, The Barbarian Brothers.

Hall’s second directorial assignment following Evil Spawn (1987), Ghost Writer’s tech credentials are competent but his style is very episodic TV. Still, Hall the helmer succeeds due to Hall the writer’s witty dialogue and scenarios, both of which tickle a rib more often than not. 

Released on U.S. video on 7th December 1989 — one month after DeCoteau’s Murder Weapon (1989) hit shelves [1] — by Prism Entertainment (who’d issued DeCoteau and Schouweiler’s Lady Avenger (1988) and Deadly Embrace (1989) via their association with Filmtrust Motion Picture Licensing), Ghost Writer was also syndicated to an assortment of cable TV stations from 1990 onward. It most prominently aired on Lifetime. According to Audrey Landers, the film pulled in good enough ratings to warrant Prism and Lifetime contemplating making a small screen sequel. Though that never happened, Ghost Writer ostensibly serves as DeCoteau’s inaugural Lifetime movie, over a quarter of a century before he’d start belting out the voluminous Wrong saga. 

Ghost Writer was released in the U.K. in autumn ‘91 by RCA Columbia. 

USA ● 1989 ● Comedy ● 90mins

Judy Landers, Audrey Landers, Jeff Conaway, Anthony Franciosa ● Wri./Dir. Kenneth J. Hall

[1] What came first in terms of shooting order depends on the source. DeCoteau believes Ghost Writer was shot after Murder Weapon, approximately mid-‘89; Audrey Landers says Ghost Writer was shot in late ‘88.