31 Days of Drafts and Darkness:

"The Frighteners" (1996)

Having witnessed Peter Jackson at his most gory extreme, let's check out a tamer, more mainstream horror entry of his. A ghostly adventure story, "The Frighteners" tells the tale of an escaped 'grim reaper' claiming souls and one gifted man's ability to stop it.

While "Braindead" was a tongue-in-cheek splatterfest, Jackson's "Frighteners" takes a different horror route. It sets up a complex and paranormal mystery with haunted house-style trappings. Along the way, there are dashes of comedy and gore. The tone is kept relatively light by Michael J. Fox's hero and his partners, a bickering pair of apparitions.

Note: This film is available of Netflix Instant Streaming right now! Be sure to check it out.

The Plot:

We open on a creaky old mansion that looks straight out of a Hitchcock film. Inside, the reclusive Patricia appears tormented by some spectral presence. Creeping out of the walls and ceiling, the ghost follows Patricia from room to room as she attempts to flee. Moments before being strangled, Patricia is saved by her shotgun-toting and slightly off mother, but the malevolent spirit is still out there.

At a nearby funeral service, a salesman by the name of Frank Bannister (Fox) is handing out business cards. He's apparently a regular at local wakes and funerals. Frank claims to have the sixth sense and offers to communicate with the recently departed. Most of the town hates him, seeing him as a con-artist that takes advantage of grieving families. And while Frank is, indeed, a con-artist, he's not a liar.

You see, after a traumatic car accident that killed his wife, Frank developed the genuine ability to see and talk to ghosts. He's even befriended a pair of spirits, one a nerd from the 1950's, the other a swinging 70's disco dancer. Together, their 'business' involves Frank sending his ghostly buddies into local homes to cause trouble. Once the homeowners see their furniture in full-on poltergeist mode, they frantically turn to Frank to exorcise the abode. Frank shows up, collects a hefty fee, and leaves with his dead friends behind him. Poof! Haunting over. That Frank is responsible for the hauntings in the first place means he'll always have steady business.

But such paranormal gifts are not to be taken lightly. While Frank's more than used to chatting with ghosts, he's beginning to see other things, too. Strange visions begin plaguing him. Most disturbingly, Frank begins to notice numbers appear on the heads of normal, healthy people mere days before they die. Is the grim reaper leaving a calling card? And why are seemingly healthy people starting to kick the bucket? Might something be amiss on the other side?

Turns out, the grim reaper's had his scythe stolen. And by the worst possible spirit imaginable.

The Flavor:

If a had to stick "The Frighteners" into a genre, I'd call it horror/comedy. The multitude of ghostly proceedings and supernatural murder anchors the movie to the horror realm. A surprisingly whimsical tone and sarcastic characters also lend the film plenty of comedic charm. But these elements aside, there's also a rich mystery plot to "The Frighteners". Frank's adventure getting to the bottom of these visions leads him on a journey going back decades. Serial killers, demented cult followers, and influence from both above and below factor into the mix.  

Giving you scant clues at the start, you'll find "The Frighteners" wrapping you up in its lore from the get-go. As the film unfolds and you put clues together, tension mounts and the threat become more deadly. Though I won't reveal the identity of the film's villain, that said antagonist has the ability to destroy both the living and the dead means that no character, alive or ghostly, is safe.

For a perfect Halloween-flavored adventure, "The Frighteners" pairs enough ghoulish elements with quirky ones to appeal to many tastes. Tame enough to not disgust, but appropriately (and inventively!) grisly when it needs to be, the film is likely to please a large audience. Like "Braindead", it's tone is humorous enough that even when things are at their most nasty, you're still having fun.

Best Paired with:

Although some death scenes may be too much for young children, I'd say "The Frighteners" makes for excellent Halloween family viewing. You may want to preview the film yourself to determine if a scene or two should be skipped over. With most of the gory or effects-driven moments being supernatural,  there's less in the way of bloodshed and more creepy imagery.  Anyone over the age of 12 or so oughta be fine, but take a peek at some of the more ghoulish scenes first and judge for yourself.

For friendly gatherings, "The Frighteners" makes for a great film to have on during a Halloween party or for seasonal viewing. There's enough crazy content to make coming in any moment of the film enjoyable. However, if you want to follow the story, which does get fairly complicated, you'll have to watch from beginning to end. And pay attention.

Accompanying Brew:

For a fun chiller like "The Frighteners", tonight's beer should be refreshing and crisp. Not overly heavy on seasonal flavor and enjoyable enough to relax with while absorbing the film's twisty plot.

From Nantucket's Cisco Brewery comes tonight's pairing: Pumple Drumkin Pumpkin Ale!

After spending all of October (plus most of September) sampling dozens of seasonal brews, I've had a lot of spices. While I usually love the Fall dose of cinnamon and nutmeg, after having so many, I'm eager for something more mellow. Something that's less about spice overload but still has a nice seasonal taste.

Enter Pumple Drumkin.

The best way I can describe Drumkin's flavor is by having you imagine a classic copper ale. Not too hoppy but bitter enough to balance the taste. Nice slightly-nutty malt blend. Beautiful golden amber color. Now imagine just a slight note of spices and soft pumpkin taste. That best captures the experience of Pumple Drumkin.

If strong spices are what you seek, you might find this brew underwhelming. However, if you're tired of the cinnamon-overload and seek a solid, highly-refreshing ale that's still got seasonal flavor without overdoing it, Pumple Drumkin's a great choice. I really enjoy how the beer's mellow enough to allow the actual ale taste to come through. When you start with a quality ale like this, the last thing you want is to smother it with spices. 

Pumple Drumkin allows you to both experience a tasty copper ale and pumpkinhead simultaneously.

Much in how "The Frighteners" uses classic spooky elements to assemble a new story, Pumple Drumkin takes the classic ale recipe and adds just enough seasonal flavor to present something with elements of the old and new.