A fan of a local horror host attempts to prevent his idol's impending murder.
Directed by: Kurt Larson
Starring: Devin Ordoyne, Angela Gulner, Kurt Larson, Matthew Boehm, Marlon Correa
Son of Ghostman scratched me where I didn’t even realize I had an itch. It gave me a story and characters I didn’t know I even wanted or needed because it had been way too long since seeing characters as horribly over the top as Ghostman and Son of Ghostman. Writer/director/co-star Kurt Larson uses his obvious love for classic horror hosts to craft a genuinely heartfelt film about Denny (Ordyne). Denny is jobless, has lost his girlfriend, and realizes the legacy of the last real joy of his life, Ghostman, legendary local late night horror host, is about to be wiped out by some punk who is dead set on becoming famous.
Having no idea how to change his life or how to stop Count Dracool, Denny decides to become the Son of Ghostman. At first it is a drunken endeavor, but when a neighbor kid watches the tape of Denny as Son of Ghostman he becomes the spark Denny needs to change his life. Not only does Denny find joy in the character as he works with Zack (Boehm) and Carlo (Correa) to stop the Count, but he also quickly falls for Zack’s beautiful and over worked Aunt, Claire (Gulner).
Made specifically for and, I can only assume, by fans who are nostalgic for the old days of horror, Son of Ghostman is full of heart and soul, which carries the film high enough to overlook its few flaws, most notably of which is the quality of the sound editing. For most of the film it is fine, but there are couple of times throughout the film that the audio starts echoing like they are talking into a tin can. Beyond that, the acting is great and the film looks just like any other high budget film that is released throughout the year.
Having grown up in the nineties, I didn’t get to enjoy crazy and eccentric late night horror hosts for very long, but when I was younger I did develop an affection for them, and horror films in general, that I feel has not been filled regularly enough. I miss the days of my youth when I had an opportunity to enjoy classic, cult, and utterly horrible horror films presented throughout the dead of night by men and women who loved film even more than myself. Sadly, most of the time when I ask people if they miss it too, they usually stare blankly at me and ask what I’m talking about, and frankly until seeing this film I felt like I had imagined it completely.
It seemed like no one knew what I was talking about, almost as if I imagined those crazy characters talking about their favorite film experiences while their cheesy and corny sets and music entertained me when I couldn’t, or maybe just didn’t want to, sleep. I’m so glad I was wrong, and even more excited to realize that others love and miss them as I do. This film carries love for a time in horror that is gone, but is far from forgotten by its fans. Anyone who misses this aspect of horror will quickly see that they have a lot in common with Denny, and I’m sure they will find great joy in this film.
8/10
Andy Comer