Ghoulies

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Ghoulies

PG-13

Released Jan 18, 1985

1h 24m

Horror

Fantasy

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

7%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

21%

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10,000+ Ratings

As a child, Jonathan (Peter Liapis) was almost killed by his father, Malcolm (Michael Des Barres), during a satanic ritual. After being saved and raised by Wolfgang (Jack Nance), who has kept him unaware of his background, Jonathan inherits Malcolm's house and moves in with girlfriend Rebecca (Lisa Pelikan). During a party, he jokingly performs a ceremony described in one of his father's books on black magic, not realizing he has unleashed small, demonic creatures known as "Ghoulies."

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

This is the sort of movie where you can sense the puppeteers poised just outside of the camera’s eye.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 16, 2023

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Stefan Birgir Stefans

sbs.is

There are much better haunted mansion films, many also produced by Charles Band, but Ghoulies has a charm of its own. It's a fun B-movie through and through with plenty of satanism and devilish creatures.

Rated: 3/5

Mar 13, 2021

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

With Charles Band serving as executive producer, the film never had much of a chance to transcend the cheesy, B-movie vibe that permeates most of his projects.

Rated: 2/10

Sep 6, 2020

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Barbara Shulgasser

Common Sense Media

Cheesy, low-budget '80s horror film has violence, cursing.

Rated: 1/5

Aug 7, 2018

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Mariska Hargitay makes an inauspicious feature film debut in this trashy little horror picture.

Rated: D

Sep 4, 2017

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Austin Kennedy

Film Geek Central

I can enjoy a bad cheesy B-movie, but there has to be a sense of charm, and GHOULIES has none whatsoever!

Rated: 0/4

Jan 19, 2013

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CodyZamboni Z

Movie is cheap, campy, dumb, Filled with amateurish fx, As silly looking puppet monsters terrorize slow witted humans, Movie's only asset - lots of attractive women.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

06/11/25

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Nick O

Every time I invite friends over to my mansion for a seance, little green slime monsters appear and totally ruin the party vibe!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/29/25

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Joel H

I wish I had a time machine so that I could go back in time and tell my younger self that the VHS cover of Ghoulies was more interesting than almost anything that happened in the actual movie. I was fascinated by the image of the green-skinned creature popping out of the toilet back then, but I had no idea that the story was completely nonsensical, the acting was entirely over the top, and the visual effects consisted of hokey-looking puppets and laughable animations. Or maybe, to not mess up the established timeline, I’d just time travel to yesterday and tell myself not to waste my time on Ghoulies.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

11/01/24

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Liam D

It’s not the worst Gremlins knock off but it’s an very okay Creature feature but Charles Band (Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby, Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn) brand of Puppetry is well on display

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/03/24

Full Review

B P

Ghoulies is perhaps best known for being the film that got flamed by parents because the poster features a ghoulie popping out of the toilet… scaring the crap out of kids to the point many wouldn't even go to the bathroom. As one of those kids, I can attest to the efficacy of that marketing. While it's hardly much of a fright, Ghoulies does possess a charm that isn't purely nostalgic.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

11/30/23

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Ethan G

Silly and stupid, this is a Gremlins rip off not worth watching.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

09/03/23

Full Review

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Luca Bercovici

Director

Peter Liapis

Jonathan Graves

Lisa Pelikan

Rebecca

Michael Des Barres

Malcolm Graves

Jack Nance

Wolfgang

Peter D. Risch

Grizzel

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Jonathan Raises His Father

2:12

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Testing Grizzel and Greedigut

2:13

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Human Sacrifice

2:12

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Ghoulie Clown Attacks

1:11

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Ghoulies in Disguise

0:39

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Wolfgang's Magical Showdown

2:11

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Controlling Rebecca

2:07

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Summoning the Ghoulies

2:12

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Giant Tongue

2:12

Ghoulies: Official Clip - Ghoulies Dinner Party

2:12

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Synopsis

As a child, Jonathan (Peter Liapis) was almost killed by his father, Malcolm (Michael Des Barres), during a satanic ritual. After being saved and raised by Wolfgang (Jack Nance), who has kept him unaware of his background, Jonathan inherits Malcolm's house and moves in with girlfriend Rebecca (Lisa Pelikan). During a party, he jokingly performs a ceremony described in one of his father's books on black magic, not realizing he has unleashed small, demonic creatures known as "Ghoulies."

Director: Luca Bercovici
Producer: Jefery Levy
Screenwriter: Luca Bercovici, Jefery Levy
Production Co: Empire Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 18, 1985, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 24m

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