High Spirits (film)
| High Spirits | |
|---|---|
Original theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Neil Jordan |
| Produced by | David Saunders Stephen Woolley |
| Written by | Neil Jordan Michael McDowell |
| Starring | |
| Music by | George Fenton |
| Cinematography | Alex Thomson |
| Edited by | Michael Bradsell |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
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Release date
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18 November 1988 |
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Running time
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99 minutes |
| Country | Ireland United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $17 million |
| Box office | $8,578,231 (USA) |
High Spirits is a 1988 fantasy comedy film directed by Neil Jordan and starring Steve Guttenberg, Daryl Hannah, Beverly D'Angelo, Liam Neeson and Peter O'Toole.
Set in a remote Irish castle called Dromore Castle, Co. 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.
Peter O'Toole is Peter Plunkett, the owner of a dilapidated Irish castle which has been converted to a bed and breakfast supplying the only employment for the local villagers. Owing money to an American businessman, Plunkett has the idea to turn the castle into "The most haunted castle in Europe" for the tourist trade. He and his wacky staff of Irish characters set about creating ghost costumes and effects for their first group of American lodgers.
At first annoyed by the inept hauntings, the American guests (including Steve Guttenberg, Beverly D'Angelo, Connie Booth, Peter Gallagher and Jennifer Tilly) soon get what they paid for as the genuine ghosts of Castle Plunkett take umbrage with being cheaply exploited and stage a full scale paranormal event.
The ghosts of two dead people, Mary Plunkett and Martin Brogan (played by Daryl Hannah and Liam Neeson) become romantically entangled with Guttenberg and D'Angelo's characters. This romantic twist is the focus of most of the plot.
The film received negative reviews from critics, as it currently holds a 17% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 reviews. Daryl Hannah was nominated for a Razzie Award as Worst Supporting Actress for her performance in the film, but lost to Kristy McNichol for Two Moon Junction.
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