Casper (1995)

***Fun, silly ghost flick with Bill Pullman, Christina Ricci and Cathy Moriarty***

A ghost-whispering paranormal expert and his daughter (Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci) move into a dilapidated mansion on the coast of Maine that’s haunted by a friendly ghost and three mischievous ones. Cathy Moriarty plays the venal heir of the mansion and Eric Idle her assistant.

“Casper” (1995) delivers the goods if you're in the mood for a "spooktacular" Goosebumps-like horror film that's fun & silly and not scary at all. It's like Scooby-Doo but without the dog and the teens are tweens. “Monster Night” (2006) and “Ghostbusters” (1984) are other reference points, but I prefer “Monster Night,” which has a similar plot, but is all-around more entertaining (even though it cost significantly less) and has a superior assortment of good-lookin' women, young and older. With “Caspar” there’s Moriarty, but she plays the biyatch antagonist. There’s also ricci, but she was only 14 during shooting, although she’s effective in the role.

The movie runs 1 hour, 40 minutes and was shot at Universals City, California, with establishing shots of Rockport, Maine.

GRADE: B-/C+

I remembered so much of this, and yet absolutely nothing of the plot.

<em>’Casper’</em> is a film I must’ve watched so much as a young kid on video, the opening few scenes are very nostalgic. As noted though, I didn’t recall anything serious from this 1995 flick though. It’s a little deeper than I remember, with some adult themes touched on - the concluding scenes stand out in that regard.

I did remember the cast, however. Malachi Pearson is perfect as the voice of the titular character, while Christina Ricci is good in the lead live-action role. Bill Pullman spearheads the rest of the onscreen talent well. One casting note: A young Devon Sawa has a part, I recently watched him in television’s <em>’<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chucky_(TV_series)" rel="nofollow">Chucky</a>’</em> - which I’d recommend, fwiw. Another: Clint Eastwood makes a small cameo, as does a certain ghost hunter.

Just the *checks notes* four follow-ups have spawned from this release. Off we go...

Kids in Scotland of a certain age might just remember Glen Michael’s “Cavalcade”. This was a television programme on a Sunday afternoon that featured cartoons and one of the most popular of those was “Casper”, the friendly ghost. It was probably more popular because there were hardly ever any available and so when they were announced, it was always exciting. It’s against that sentimental backdrop that I really quite enjoyed this Spielberg action adventure film. It all starts when “Carrigan” (Cathy Moriarty) inherits a decrepit manor house in which she believes there to be a secret fortune. When she arrives she discovers it already has an occupant, and she has to get rid of him first. How, though? Well she even tries the “Ghostbusters”, but to no avail. Eventually, she and her hapless aide “Dibs” (Eric Idle) alight on the widowed spectral scientist “Dr. Harvey” (Bill Pullman), who arrives at the house with his daughter “Kat” (Christina Ricci). Quickly getting used to their house-sharers, what now ensues sees a series of mischievous adventures with our apparition and the young “Kat” as they try to thwart the treasure seeking owner and maybe even settle some old scores, too. If I do have a complaint, well it’s probably that there just isn’t enough “Casper” in his own movie. His three tormenting sidekicks take up a bit too much of the screen time, and at times it does veer a little close to becoming “Carry on Casper”. That said, though, Ricci delivers quite engagingly and Pullman provides a steady, if unremarkable, effort as the resident and bereft adult. The visual effects are quite good fun and the denouement (before it goes altogether too cheesy) has shades of “Frankenstein” to it. It’s more in the vein of “Scooby Do” than “The Conjuring”, but there’s some comedy from the script and I found it flew by.

Few family movies manage to make a haunted house feel this inviting, but Casper turns its spooky setting into the heart of a surprisingly charming adventure. It is not a particularly sophisticated film, nor does it always know what to do with its darker themes, but its warmth, visual creativity, and sheer entertainment value make it an easy movie to enjoy.

The film’s most impressive achievement is its visual effects. The CGI remains remarkably smooth for its era, allowing Casper and the Ghostly Trio to blend naturally into the live-action world. Whipstaff Manor is equally terrific, filled with elaborate rooms, contraptions, and atmospheric details that make it feel like a character in its own right. The movie has a wonderfully playful visual identity, and much of its entertainment comes simply from seeing what strange thing will happen next.

It also benefits from a strong supporting cast and a genuinely likable central character. Casper is charming without being obnoxiously cute, and his loneliness gives the otherwise lightweight story a surprisingly sweet emotional core. The movie understands that its best moments come from its characters rather than its plot, and when it leans into Casper’s desire for friendship and belonging, it can be genuinely affecting.

Unfortunately, the screenplay is considerably less memorable than the film’s presentation. The story is fairly simple, Carrigan is a rather lackluster villain, and the plot occasionally feels like an excuse to quickly move from one special-effects sequence to another. None of this makes the movie unpleasant to watch—in fact, it remains consistently entertaining—but there is little sophistication beneath the polished surface.

The film also ventures into some surprisingly heavy territory for a children’s movie. Death and grief are central to its story, while adult-themed content such as alcohol and some stronger language occasionally clash with its otherwise playful tone. Those elements give Casper more emotional weight than a typical children’s adventure, but the movie doesn’t always integrate them gracefully, resulting in a tone that can feel somewhat uneven.

Still, Casper succeeds where it matters most: it is fun. Simply put, Casper is a fun and entertaining movie. Its impressive effects, fantastic setting, appealing cast, and lovable ghost give it enough personality to rise above its simplistic storytelling. It may not be a particularly deep or polished family classic, but there is plenty of charm behind that friendly face.