Ghostkeeper (1981)

User Rating:

4.3/10   

Director:

Jim Makichuk

Writers:

Doug MacLeod (writer)
Jim Makichuk (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Their ancestors spoke of the evil being that lived in the mountains. Too late they heeded their warning...

Plot:

A group of three friends on a snowmobiling trip find themselves stranded at an abandoned lodge isolated in the mountains. They discover that an old woman resides in the hotel, along with an evil entity that she is keeping in the basement.

Plot Keywords:

Lodge | Hotel | Abandoned Hotel | Canadian Rockies | Snowstorm

Cast

Riva Spier	...	Jenny
Murray Ord	...	Marty
Sheri McFadden	...	Chrissy
Georgie Collins	...	Ghostkeeper
Les Kimber	...	Storekeeper
Bill Grove	...	Danny (as Billy Grove)
John MacMillan	...	Windigo

Also Known As:

Ghost Keeper (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

89 min | UK:88 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:R | UK:18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Badland Pictures

Quotes:

Marty: I'm a lawyer. I'm in control.

Movie Connections:

References The Living Desert (1953)

Sadly unknown, spooky little gem.

I saw this film at a rather young age when I rented it from a video store, and it really, really scared me. "Ghostkeeper" is about three friends (two women and one man) who are snowmobiling during the holidays up in the mountains. Despite a storekeepers warning, they head up the slopes, only to have one of the women crash her snowmobile. With only one snowmobile left for transportation, and a snowstorm coming in, the three decide to stay in an old abandoned hotel lodge looming in front of them. They meet an old lady (played by Georgie Collins, who actually gives a really scary performance) who is living there with her unseen son, but she is hiding a ghostly secret.

Definitely one of the better '80s horror films, this unknown little chiller should be a familiar entry in the genre, but sadly is seen by hardly anybody. It didn't receive a big release and got little attention, which is really too bad because of how good the film is. The storyline actually original, and the setting is, in one word - CREEPY! The isolated lodge and the snowy mountain backdrop are a nice accent to the film and really add to it's scariness, and are a little reminiscent of "The Shining". The acting is mediocre, but so what? It's an '80s horror flick, you can't expect Oscar-worthy performances. The strange ending will leave you creeped out but also satisfied. I love this film because of it's simple set-up and foreboding spookiness. Surely an underrated little horror gem. If you can get a hold of it (since it's now pretty hard to find, only being available on a long out-of-print video tape), definitely do. It's one of the better (and overlooked) early '80s horrors. 10/10.