The Frighteners Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR: Debbie
SCHOLARS:
| Would you like to be a scholar and make five dollars per review?
Click here to submit a review! |
Click here for free online dating advice!
| Review Summary |
Frank Bannister (Michael J. Fox) had pretty much given up on life since his wife died in a freak car accident. He was an up and coming architect before the wreak, but ever since he watched his wife die before his eyes, whispers have followed him around town that he murdered her in cold blood. Frank's erratic behavior since the car accident don't help matters any and its not like most people believe that he can really see ghosts, even though he can. Something about being so close to death opened his eyes and Frank found himself a new line of work as a kind of ghost buster. Frank supposedly gets rid of poltergeists and haunting ghosts, but he really sends his three friends, The Judge (John Astin), the afro sporting, disco wearing Cyrus (Chi McBride) and the nerdy Stuart (Jim Fyfe), all of whom happen to be dead, into homes to terrorize innocent people until they pay his outrageous fees. Frank made a pretty good living from it, too, except people have starting dying from freak heart attacks all over town - and Frank can see numbers engraved in their foreheads. Numbers that show Frank who will be taken next...
As Frank struggles to save the people marked for death, he finds himself falling in love with Dr. Lucy Lynskey (Trini Alvarado), a very recent widow whose husband was killed by whatever thing is stalking the town. But Lucy has her own problems to deal with as she tries to help the reclusive Patricia Ann Bradley (Dee Wallace-Stone), who lives in an old Gothic mansion on the edge of town with her crazy mother (Julianna McCarthy). Lucy is convinced that Patricia is being abused and wants to help her, but she doesn't quite know how. What Frank and Lucy don't know is that all of their problems stem from one event - serial killer Johnny Bartlett's (Jake Busey) killing spree at a local mental hospital. It was never proved that Patricia was involved in the deaths of so many people, but it was never disproved either. She was Johnny's girlfriend and has never been what you would call normal. Johnny was caught, condemned and executed shortly after his killing spree, but his spirit has come back to haunt everyone and he was determined to kill more people than any other serial killer in American history...
Debbie, Resident Scholar
|
Peter Jackson co-wrote and directed THE FRIGHTENERS in 1996.
Since he survived the car accident which cost the life of his wife, Michael J. Fox has the power to actually see the ghosts of the people who refuse to accept death and stay on among us waiting for a next opportunity to rejoin Paradise. He will have to fight the ghost of the late serial killer Jake Busey who goes on killing people in his insane quest to be the first in the category of the most productive killers. Michael will be helped by doctor Trini Alvarado with whom he will fall in love.
Daniel Staebler, Resident Scholar
|
| Detailed literary breakdown of The Frighteners |
|---|
| Our unique search engine breaks down books and movies into
dozens of literary elements, all of which are searchable.
New movie search (click here) New book search (click here) |
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie
Actual chase scenes or violence - 40%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzle - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
**Fantasy or Science Fiction?**
- fantasy story on present day Earth
Horror film?
Yes
Kind of Horror Story
- ghosts!
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- small businessman
- unemployed
Age:
- 20's-30's
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- clairvoyant
Eccentric:
Yes
- emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/medium straight
Body type
- average (man)
Events of movie makes character more...
- happy
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn curly
Body type
- ample chest & buttocks (female)
How much in movie?
- 40%
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- ghost
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- killer
Has special powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main antagonist:
- is very quick
- can change shapes
- clairvoyant
- super strength
- Invisibility
Eccentric:
Yes
- mentally ill
- obsessed
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
- 80%
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- average (man)
- muscular (man)
Ethnicity
- White
Sense of humor?
- Cynical sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physical condition
- very athletic
- average physique
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
- mean, arrogant
Setting
Earth setting:
- 20th century (1970's to Present)
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Misc settings
- prison
- mental hospital
- mansion
- bar/restaurant
Small town?
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- explicit references to deaths
- very explicit references to deaths and torture
Tone of movie
- upbeat
- fearful
Comedy or somewhat funny movie?
Yes
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
Any profanity?
- Some foul language
Kinds of F/X
- nasty human transformations
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Orchestra/classical
|
| Most similar reviews by Gordonator ranking |
|---|
| White Noise
starring Michael Keaton, Deborah Kara Unger
|
| The Wraith
starring Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Sherilyn Fenn
|
| Ghost Story
starring Craig Wasson, Fred Astaire, John Houseman, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Patricia Neal, Alice Krige, Ken Olin
|
| Ju-on: The Grudge
starring Megumi Okira, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui Ichikawa
|
| The Fog
starring Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, Hal Holbrook
|
Think you can enter a better review
of this movie? Click here to try! |
|
