Having brought the original Ghoulies (1984) to 4K and part two on standard Blu-ray simultaneously, I was a little doubtful the latter would make it to MVD’s LaserVision Collection. Well, I’m here to tell you I was wrong, and Ghoulies II (1987) is now available in glorious 4K, with some surprising and welcome extras. Having reviewed the Blu-ray release, I’ll include some of those insights here and my impression of the new content.
Larry (Damon Martin), Ned (Royal Dano), and Nigel (Phil Fondacaro) run a haunted house called “Satan’s Den” for the Hardin Enterprises-owned carnival. Looking to cut costs with attractions that aren’t making money, they quickly find themselves on the chopping block. Little do they know, some of everyone’s favorite little demons have stowed away in their truck.
Once the haunt is set up, they begin to wreak havoc inside until they’re let loose on the carnival. Larry, Nigel, and Larry’s girlfriend Nicole (Kerry Remsen) have to race against time to stop the mischievous little monsters before more bodies appear.
The original Ghoulies was fun, but I always felt it might have taken itself a bit too seriously. This isn’t the case with the sequel, which is nothing but a cheesy good time. There’s a terrific batch of talent in front of and behind the camera. Phil Fondacaro has a long-standing relationship with Charles Band, and this was an early appearance. Dennis Paoli, screenwriter of Re-Animator scripted, John Buechler (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood) handled the effects, and the legendary Albert Band directed.
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Ghoulies II is goofy, but it’s an absolute blast from start to finish. The ghoulies have a much larger presence (along with some new ones), and the effects are perfect for the film’s tone. There’s no need to deep-dive into this horror sequel; it’s cheesy, funny, and has a few surprising, well-timed emotional moments that work, so enjoy the ridiculousness.
The 4K transfer is vibrant and gritty as it should be, but I was surprised to find a restored, extended cut of the film, running one minute longer, presented in 4K as well. The restored content isn’t too far over-the-top, but it does add a bit to the shenanigans. The package contains both the 4K disc and the Blu-ray, so all the previous features, like the introduction by Paoli, “The Making of Ghoulies II,” Paoli interview, etc., are all included. It has its own unique slipcase and mini-poster as well.
Ghoulies II remains my favorite of the franchise, and I’m happy to see MVD keeping Empire Pictures’ name in the spotlight.
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