Ghoulies (film series)
Four films about small demonic creatures causing havoc.
The *Ghoulies* series is an American comedy horror franchise made up of four movies that came out between 1985 and 1994. The stories follow a bunch of small, demonic creatures with varied, twisted looks that get summoned to create chaos in different places. The first film was proposed as a single-location horror movie by director Luca Bercovici and his co-writer Jefery Levy to producer Charles Band.
**Ghoulies (1985)** College student Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis) finds his late father’s occult gear in the family mansion. He tries to summon demonic forces to gain supernatural powers, which brings the little Ghoulies to the manor to terrorize everyone involved in the ritual. The cast includes Lisa Pelikan, Michael Des Barres, Jack Nance, and Mariska Hargitay in her first film role. The movie premiered in Los Angeles on January 18, 1985, and in New York on March 1. Charles Band has said on his Full Moon Horror Road Show that he came up with the idea for a Ghoulie popping out of a toilet during a brainstorming session with Gary Allen to promote the film. Band claims that scene was shot after the fact to match the poster, but Bercovici says it was part of the original shoot.
**Ghoulies II (1987)** In the sequel, the Ghoulies hitch a ride with a carnival and hide in an amusement park funhouse called "Satan's Den." The place becomes a hit when visitors think the little demons are part of the show—until people start getting killed. The film stars Damon Martin, Dale Wyatt, Royal Dano, Phil Fondacaro, and J. Downing. It was produced by Empire Pictures and directed by Charles Band's father, Albert Band. This was the last entry with Charles Band’s involvement; he sold the rights to Vestron Pictures to save Empire Pictures from financial trouble. *Ghoulies* and *Ghoulies II* were released as a double feature DVD by MGM Home Entertainment in 2003 and as a double feature Blu-ray by Scream Factory in 2015. Both releases include theatrical trailers, and the Blu-ray adds commentaries, interviews, and still galleries. In 2017, Austrian company NSM Records put out *Ghoulies II* on Blu-ray in a fully uncut R-rated version—the first uncut release since the original cast and crew premiere.
**Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College (1991)** The third film sees the little demons summoned on a college campus by Professor Ragnar (Kevin McCarthy), an occult-obsessed academic. T
- First film
- 1985
- Last film
- 1994
- Number of films
- 4
- Genre
- Comedy horror
- Country
- United States
- Creatures
- Small demonic creatures with twisted appearances
Lore & Background
The series began with Ghoulies (1985), in which college student Jonathan Graves uncovers his late father's occult paraphernalia and attempts to summon demonic forces, bringing the Ghoulies to terrorize participants in the ritual. The film premiered in Los Angeles on January 18, 1985, and in New York on March 1. A notable promotional idea—the Ghoulie popping out of a toilet—was claimed by Charles Band to have been shot after the fact to mirror the poster, but director Luca Bercovici stated it was part of the original shoot.
Ghoulies II (1987) was directed by Charles Band's father Albert Band and was the last entry with Charles Band's involvement, as he sold the rights to Vestron Pictures to save Empire Pictures. In this installment, the Ghoulies hide in a carnival funhouse called "Satan's Den," becoming a hit attraction until people start dying. Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College (1991) was released straight-to-video and marked the first time the Ghoulies spoke; it also features Matthew Lillard's film debut. Ghoulies IV (1994) brought back Peter Liapis as Jonathan Graves, now a police officer, and replaced puppet Ghoulies with little actors in costumes.
Reader's Guide
The Ghoulies series is significant as a low-budget comedy horror franchise that capitalized on the 1980s trend of small, mischievous monster movies. The first film's marketing, particularly the iconic toilet scene, helped cement its place in pop culture. The series saw a shift in production companies and directors, with Charles Band's Empire Pictures handling the first two films before financial troubles led to a sale. The later entries went straight-to-video, reflecting the franchise's declining theatrical prospects. The series is notable for featuring early roles for actors such as Mariska Hargitay and Matthew Lillard. Home video releases, including double feature DVDs and Blu-rays, have kept the series accessible, with Ghoulies II receiving an uncut R-rated Blu-ray release in 2017. The franchise remains a cult curiosity for fans of 1980s and 1990s horror-comedy.
Did You Know?
- Mariska Hargitay made her film debut in the first Ghoulies film.
- Matthew Lillard made his film debut in Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College.
- Ghoulies IV replaced puppet Ghoulies with little actors in costumes.
- Charles Band sold the rights to Ghoulies to Vestron Pictures to save Empire Pictures.
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