MovieChat Forums > High Spirits (1988) Discussion > Wonderfully AWFUL! :D

Wonderfully AWFUL! :D

posted 19 years ago by sneakyclevermongols
7 replies | jump to latest

There is a sub-category of bad movie, that is a total joy to watch.

IT knows it's a bad movie. It makes damn sure YOU know it's a bad movie. It has utterly no pretentions that every successive frame is going to do anything but get steadily sillier and ludicrously worse.

And it makes sure you love it. "High Spirits" invites you to frolick in its awfulness, with a whoop of unabashed delight. It's a celebration of what great fun it is, to be a dumb Irish ghost movie. (Whee!)

An early exchange:

MRS. PLUNKETT: "...your father is furious!"

PETER: "Mother, father has been dead for twenty years."

(Pause.)

MRS. PLUNKETT: (not backing up an inch)"Well, he's still UPSET..."

IMHO, this bit is topped only by the arrival of Mr. Plunkett's ghost (who still apparantly pays conjugal visits to his widow) and the thunderous rant of Shakespearean melodrama, where Peter O'Toole dresses down "the old goat" for "dying on me, ***JUST LIKE THAT***!!!" ROFL!

Liam Neeson has never looked hotter. ;) I wish he did comedies more often.

Darryl Hannah, whose acting I normally despise, was actually funny.

Steven Gutenberg was tolerable. That's good, for him.

(Most memorable quote: "Don't you just...love...whiting.")

Rent it out this St. Patrick's Day!

[–] waterspryt 19 years ago

actually my fav line was in the very beginning of the film and it went something like this

Peter Plunkett: (on the phone) No I do not have a middle name but I am sure that if my mother had given me one it wouldn't have been low life sh*t for brains peckerhead! LOL

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Seralu 19 years ago

My Mum used to make us watch this at every children's party we had (well either that or Blackbeard's ghost!) - I don't think she ever copped onto the Necrophiliac aspect of it or she wouldn't have encouraged it at all...but anyway I pratically know it off by heart so I want to contribute to best lines.
1. PLUNKETT : "What is going on here, EAMONN? WHY are there chunks of MASONERY floating ABOUT?"
2. KATIE : "I think I should be the tart on the horse and you should be the hag in the tree!"
PATRICIA: "I think I should go home. Just gimme that hair back!"

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] Psyche-8 18 years ago

Any line from Martin, I thought he was great!

Martin: Madam, for you I missed my wedding for the first time in years. That's how much I want you. Sure, I know I'm a ghost and a murderer but forget about all that!

"Never put a sock in a toaster." - Eddie Izzard

[–] gravese 18 years ago

best scene in the film is when martin and mary have just gone into the room where jack and shoron are and sharon kicks martin in the u know whats and then he goes through a whole line of flirting with her he is so great and cute

[–] Psyche-8 18 years ago

Oh I LOVE that bit! When Martin is on the floor weeping over where Mary's murdered corpse is supposed to be lying and saying "Oh God, oh God", then looks up and sees Sharon's legs and says "Oh God!" in an entirely different tone of voice!

"Oh God, what have I done? Oh God, what have I done? [looks at Sharon] Oh God, what a woman!"

Liam Neeson, you rock!

"He murders his wife every night. Other than that, I think he's pretty harmless."