Ghoulies
Blu-ray
Director: Luca Bercovici
Screenwriters: Luca Bercovici, Jefery Levy
Cast: Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Michael Des Barres, Jack Nance, Mariska Hargitay, Scott Thomson, Ralph Seymour
Scream Factory
Rated PG-13 | 81 Minutes
Release Date: April 21, 2015

Directed by Luca Bercovici, 1985’s Ghoulies is a creature feature in the vein of Gremlins, Critters, and Troll. Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis) uncovers his late father’s occult paraphernalia in his family’s mansion. Graves attempts to summon the demonic forces his father dabbled with in hopes of gaining supernatural powers. As a result, the Ghoulies arrive to terrorize everyone who participated in the ritual.

Ghoulies is one of those films notorious for its absorbing and irresistible box art. I remember seeing Bercovici’s movie on the shelves of my local mom-and-pop video store — Movieland Video — and wondering why this little green monster was wearing a blue belly shirt and red suspenders while climbing out of a toilet. Needless to say, I had to rent it.