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High Spirits (film)

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High Spirits
Theatrical release poster
Directed byNeil Jordan
Written byNeil Jordan
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAlex Thomson
Edited byMichael Bradsell
Music byGeorge Fenton
Production
company
Vision PDG
Distributed by
Release date
  • 18 November 1988 (1988-11-18)
Running time
99 minutes
Countries
  • Ireland
  • United Kingdom
  • United States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$15 million [1]
Box office$8.5 million (US)

High Spirits is a 1988 fantasy comedy film written and directed by Neil Jordan and starring Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, Beverly D'Angelo, Liam Neeson and Peter O'Toole. It is an Irish, British and American co-production.

Set in a remote Irish castle called Dromore Castle, County Limerick, High Spirits is a topsy-turvy comedy with thematic leanings towards Ireland's rich folklore regarding ghosts and spirits, where the castle starts to come to life with the help of such denizens.

Plot

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Cash-strapped Peter Plunkett has converted his ancestral home, the dilapidated Castle Plunkett, into a bed and breakfast ever since the death of his father 10 years prior. Owing money to an Irish-American businessman named Jim Brogan who attempts to move the castle to Malibu and convert it into a theme park called "Irish World" unless they come up with the money within three weeks time before facing foreclosure, Plunkett attempts to turn the castle into "the most haunted castle in Europe" for the tourist trade. Inspired by his mother, Lavinia's stories about the castle being haunted mostly by their Plunkett ancestors including his late father, he and his wacky Irish staff set about creating ghostly costumes and effects for their first group of American guests.

Guests include Jack Crawford and his apathetic Irish-American wife, Sharon having arrived for their supposed second honeymoon, cynical parapsychologist, Malcolm Clay accompanied by his wife, Marge and their three children: Wendy, Woody, and Graham in order to prove the possible existence of ghosts in the castle, temporarily celibate Miranda, and timid priest, Brother Tony for a vacation before taking his final vows. After a staged haunting gone completely wrong on their first night and Clay threatening to expose this sham, Jack is initially shocked to discover that Plunkett and his staff are going to lose their castle within the remaining two weeks left to Jim Brogan as he reveals that the latter is actually his father-in-law, thus, making him realize that his wife, Sharon actually lied to him by using their second honeymoon for her father on a matter of business; having been asked to only come to check the place out after hearing about this supposed "ghost" business since the latter has always wanted it as he was supposedly born here as well; much to Jack, Plunkett, and his staff's disgust and horror.

Later, after a few drinks with Plunkett, Jack comes across two real ghosts: one of them being Plunkett's six-times great-grand cousin, Mary Plunkett (whose painting Jack admired earlier in the evening) and the other, her newly wedded husband, Martin Brogan having a scuffle in a deserted room until the latter stabs her to death with his knife in a jealous fury under false accusations and assumptions of having an affair with someone else after the latter's refusal to make love with him on their wedding night; a constant "loop" that has been going on each night for nearly 200 years. When the ghosts re-enact the scene again, Jack inadvertently interrupts the "loop" by getting in the way. Suddenly, Mary becomes enamored of him.

Having learned about the current situation with the castle, all the ghosts including Plunkett's father decide to give the Americans exactly what they came here for by staging a real full-scale paranormal event. On the verge of leaving the castle, the ghosts strip the Americans half-naked, sabotage their only means of transport, knock the phone lines out, and force them back into the castle through a manifested thunderstorm whereas Jack is spirited away then brought to Mary Plunkett by her talking horse, Reynaldo where he learns of the story behind her murder and that her marriage to Martin was actually an unhappy one arranged by her father. Throughout the day, both the guests and hotel staff begin to experience and suffer all kinds of real but harmless hauntings including Sharon who eventually finds herself enamored of Martin. Even Plunkett comes face-to-face with his estranged ghostly father before making up with him for all the lost times they didn't spend together giving each other advice before the latter's death. Realizing how much Jack truly loves and cares about Mary, Plunkett's mother decides to help him out by handing him a book on high spirits that reveals that true love can actually bring the dead back to life on Halloween night (which is tomorrow night and the one night of every year where ghosts turn into flesh) so long as the lovers don't go so far as to making physical love amid the dangers of it.

On Halloween night, both Plunkett, his staff, and the guests experience and suffer more hauntings; the latest being a love struck Martin pursuing Sharon in the hotel's bus that was previously but accidentally sunk into the lake on the Americans' first day at the castle with more ghosts later coming out of it to chase the others back into the castle whereas both Jack and Mary begin to share a romantic moment before making love. However, Jack finally discovers the dangers for performing such an act with a ghost on Halloween night when he sees that Mary has become a living but rotting old corpse. After a prolonged chase, Sharon finally gives in and professes her true love to Martin whereas Jack gives Mary a kiss of true love which restores her original youth despite his slight disgust and reluctance. As dawn approaches, when Sharon aims to embrace Martin in her arms, she accidentally falls out the window and dies and Mary suddenly disappears. However, when Jack lies by what appears to be his wife's corpse whose death he mourns for, he suddenly finds out to his happiness that the "corpse" is actually Mary, in Sharon's clothes, having finally been resurrected before they share another kiss. Sharon, now a ghost in Mary's wedding dress, shares a kiss with Martin before they vanish.

Despite the shocking experience, the guests have actually enjoyed their stay at the hotel and Clay promises Plunkett to recommend his castle in the Western hemisphere as "the most haunted castle in the world" before they leave, thus, saving Plunkett and his staff from financial ruin and foreclosure once and for all. Brother Tony has resigned from his state of priesthood after throwing away his collar to pursue a romantic relationship with Miranda. Jack, having decided to stay, shares a dance with Mary before proposing to her. Then, they are slightly annoyed when interrupted by the ghostly presence of Martin and Sharon sharing a dance as well since the former booked the hall till 12. After each pair of former lovers currently dance with each other, the current lovers resume dancing with each other.

Cast

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Reception

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The film received negative reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes it has a 31% rating based on 16 reviews.[2]

Home media

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Scream Factory released the film on Blu-ray Disc in 2015.[3] It was packaged as a double feature with Vampire's Kiss on February 13, 2015.[4] The film was released on Blu Ray from Final Cut on August 24, 2020 in the UK.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jones, Alan (1989). "High Spirits". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  2. ^ "High Spirits (1988)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  3. ^ ""VAMPIRE'S KISS" / "HIGH SPIRITS" Double Feature". Archived from the original on 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  4. ^ Vampire’s Kiss / High Spirits (Blu-ray Double Feature)
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