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Ghost Ship [1952]
![Ghost Ship [1952]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51vUeXB9qJL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £3.49 (subject to change)
A neat little thriller worth your consideration
Review date: 2008-08-24 Rating: 8 out of 10
Oh what pranksters these DVD companies are! Optimum Releasing have put this 1952 potboiler out as a "Horror Classic". It is neither 'horror' nor 'classic', nor does "terrifying danger [ride] the decks of the devil-yacht..." as the cover blurb would have it. Devil-yacht indeed! Anyone buying this for the horror fan of the family is not going to be thanked.
Instead, GHOST SHIP is a perfectly formed little thriller of the type that would easily have made up the bottom half of a typical film programme of a 1950s picture house. It is nothing like a horror film, but what GHOST SHIP does have are sterling performances from real-life married couple Dermot Walsh and Hazel Court, efficient direction from Vernon Sewell (who owned the yacht and therefore had a cheap location) and a sparkling script, written by Sewell, which slowly unfolds into a neat psychological thriller about a boat (or is it a ship?) whose previous owner may have been up to no good - or not. It's one of those spookily crafted "is it or isn't it?" stories that Jimmy Sangster wrote so effectively for Hammer in the 60s.
At just 72 minutes, the film gets on with it, and your attention is held throughout. All supporting players are competent, but it is essentially a two-hander and clearly demonstrates why Hazel Court went on to such a satisfying career as a "Horror Queen" for Hammer, Roger Corman and others. (Miss Court's involvement probably explains why Optimum have chosen to flog this to the horror market. Check out the following link to find out more about this delectable actress.) Hazel Court - Horror Queen: An Autobiography
Stanley Grant's glorious black-and-white photography is superbly rendered in this transfer which appears to come from a brand new unmarked print. The sound, naturally in mono, is crisp and clear. There are no extras but none are needed. Enjoy this film for what it is, and marvel at Hazel Court's perfect blend of natural beauty, innocence and vulnerability. Optimum should be praised for putting this little gem of a movie onto the DVD market, but it's just a pity that they seem ashamed to call it a drama or just a thriller.
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Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Hazel Court
Joss Ambler
Dermot Walsh
John Robinson
Hugh Burden
Creators:
John Robinson (Primary Contributor)
Hazel Court (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: Optimum Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Optimum Home Entertainment
EAN: 5060034579069
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Full Screen, PAL,
Release date: 2007-06-25
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audience rating: Universal, suitable for all
Region code: 2
Running time: 71 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1952
Language: English (Original Language)