High Spirits

1988
PG-13
1h 39m

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

11K

YOUR RATING

Home Video Trailer from Anchor Bay Entertainment

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Farce Supernatural Fantasy Comedy Fantasy Romance

When a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up ... Read allWhen a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up falling for two guests.When a hotelier attempts to fill the chronic vacancies at his castle by launching an advertising campaign that falsely portrays the property as haunted, two actual ghosts show up and end up falling for two guests.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

5.8/10

11K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Videos2

Trailer 0:31

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Writer and Director Neil Jordan has always maintained that the released version of this film is very different from the one he shot. He was more or less excluded from the editing process of the final cut. He insists that his version is still locked away in a vault.

Goofs
There's no explanation given as to why Mary and Martin would repeat the murder scene twice in one night, as we see when Jack stumbles upon them. Everywhere else in the film, Mary implies that she was killed once a night.

Quotes
Peter Plunkett: [on the phone with Jim Brogan] Sir, once again I must remind you that my first name is not "Dick". Nor is my surname "face". It is simply "Peter". "Peter Plunkett"... No, I was not given a middle name but I'm sure if I had, my mother would not have chosen "shit-for-brains peckerhead"... Well then clearly you know a side to my mother that I have been happily sheltered from. Nevertheless I marvel at your colorfully creative ever-so-American colloquialisms which flow so trippingly from your razor-like tongue!

Crazy credits
The end credits show the cast under three headings, first 'The Irish', then 'The Americans', and finally 'The Ghosts'

Alternate versions
There exists a print of this film that was Neil Jordan's original vision of this movie. It contains a much more serious tone than the theatrical release, and is much more of a fun mystery. There is a lot more footage of Liam Neeson's character, and the ghosts are allowed to have much more of a plot, than in the theatrical release. Rumor has it, that when the studio saw this cut, they had no idea how to market it, so they had it re-cut against Neil Jordan's wishes (he was allegedly locked out of the editing room at this point). There was a shortened version of this cut available on video in Japan.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Mad Dog and Glory/El Mariachi/Rich in Love/The Last Days of Chez Nous (1993)

Soundtracks
Chantilly Lace
Words and Music by The Big Bopper (as J.P. Richardson)
Performed by The Big Bopper
Fort Knox Music Inc./Trio Music Co., Inc.
Administrated by Hudson Bay Music Inc./Glad Music Company
Courtesy of Polygram Records

User reviews81

Review

Featured review

Glue can't hold everything, but it does its share...

Peter O'Toole is hysterical in this film, and quite easily, is the glue that holds it together (contrary to popular opinion). While this film suffers its share of problems, (such as a few holes in the plot, a little shoddy acting here and there) it makes me laugh as few other movies have. O'Toole's drunken wisdom and fights with his drunken, ghost-talking mother are great. Steve Guttenberg does fine, Daryl Hannah is okay. The Irish country side is lovelyand haunting (incidentally, the movie was filmed in a castle in Limerick,Ireland, where Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes grew up); the set ofthe castle itself is the stuff that fairy tales are made of. The effort that the staff makes to haunt the cynical guests is great, in particular the Lady Godiva/Broggan Banshee fiasco.

While the whole spouse-swapping aspect of the movie is a little hazy, Beverly D'Angelo and Liam Neeson are grand. The entire plot is somewhat goofy, as are some of the transitions to get from Point A to Point B, but it is the humor that keeps it alive. It received terrible reviews, but it's absolutely worth a viewing if you're ever in the mood for something a little absurd that will make you chuckle.