Reviewed by EWAN McDONALD
Herald rating * * *
Like Johnny Depp's Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney's latest slightly shocking, not-too-horrible thriller is based on a ride at the Mighty Mouse corporation's Disney World theme park in Florida. And kids, their parents and grandparents will enjoy going along for the ride.
Eddie Murphy
and Marsha Thomason stars as Jim Evers, a workaholic real estate agent, and his wife/business partner, Sara. They're going away for a family weekend with the kids, Michael (Marc John Jeffries) and Megan (Aree Davis), when they get the opportunity to list a big ol' mansion. And as every agent knows, you never let a chance go by.
Gracey Mansion is not your average villa do-up. This would have the My House, My Castle crew thinking twice: the street appeal is hidden behind an iron gate, the garden really is a jungle and — apart from minor renovations like swaying curtains and bulging doors — some potential buyers might be put off by the graveyard over the back fence.
The door is opened by the butler, Ramsley (a marvellous turn from Terence Stamp, possibly to hook in the older generation), who leads a group of servants that includes Madame Leota (Jennifer Tilly), a body-less head in a crystal ball who offers advice.
The owner, Master Gracey (Nathaniel Parker), has a thing about Sara, because he used to be in love with a young woman who was her spitting — oops, this is a Disney movie — image. Except that this was in New Orleans before the war. Err, the Civil War of the 1860s.
There is A Curse, Nasty Secrets, Skeletons In The Closet, Interfering Minor Characters, Smart Kids and a huge sense of fun. Some parents may take exception to a little profane language and the occasional scary scene, but a tut-tut and a cuddle should fix those.
Older kids and DIY dads will get most out of the DVD. The house features in two of the extra features: Secrets Revealed introduces the spirits and tells how they parted Jennifer Tilly from her body; Ghosts In the Graveyard explains the computer-generated tricks. There's quite an array of behind-the-scenes footage, a virtual tour of the house guided by servants-ghosts Ezra and Emma; some genuinely funny out-takes and a deleted scene. More, much more, in the same vein is available via the DVD-Rom, including a virtual ride on the original Disney World attraction.
DVD, video rental Out now
