Ghoulies (1985)
Ghoulies is an American horror comedy film from 1985 directed by Luca Bercovici. Starring Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan and Michael Des Barres.
Plot
At a satanic ceremony, a baby named Jonathan Graves is about to be sacrificed by his glowing-eyed father, Malcolm (Michael Des Barres). Jonathan’s mother, Anastasia, rescues the child and puts an amulet around his neck that produces an electric shock when Malcolm touches the boy. Malcolm orders a participant named Wolfgang to take the kid away, and sacrifices Anastasia instead.
Many years later, Jonathan (Peter Liapai), who was raised by Wolfgang, inherits his unknown father’s estate.
Wolfgang believes the evil curse has died along with Malcolm, and reveals nothing to Jonathan about his parents. While Jonathan and his girl friend Rebecca (Lisa Pelikan) tour the grounds, they stumble upon Malcolm’s grave, and Jonathan introduces Rebecca to the mysterious Wolfgang. In the house, Rebecca finds several books on magic and discovers a basement full of occult paraphernalia.
Later, the couple throws a party in their new home, and invites their wild friends. For fun, 
Jonathan recruits his friends to perform a ritual, and he instinctively draws an occult diagram, and recites a conjuring spell from a book. When nothing happens, everyone leaves the basement to search for their missing friend, Robin. Elsewhere, Wolfgang awakens in alarm, as a mysterious creature materializes in the basement.
Robin is later found roaming the grounds, and strange things begin occurring throughout the estate.
Soon after the party ends, Jonathan tells Rebecca of his decision to quit college and work on the estate instead, and Rebecca expresses her concern. Jonathan begins fixing up the house, and is soon lured by the spirit of his evil father to perform satanic rituals. He later forges a gold medallion, and gives the “talisman” to Rebecca for protection. When Jonathan refuses to eat, explaining that he is fasting, Rebecca’s concern grows.
After performing another conjuring spell, Jonathan brings forth several evil creatures called ghoulies, and proclaims himself their “master.”
Notable scenes
Ghoulie coming out of the toilet
Making of Ghoulies
The poster for the film ( featuring a Ghoulie popping out of a toilet bowl ) reportedly caused several angry mothers to write letters to the studio saying that their kids were too scared to use the bathroom after seeing the poster.
Began life in 1983 as a project called “Beasties”, which was to be directed by Charles Band, with creature FX by Stan Winston. The pair had previously collaborated on the monster movie Parasite (1982).
Critters (1986) has a scene where a “Critter” comes out of a toilet as an homage to this film.
According to stories producer Charles Band tells on his Full Moon Horror Road Show, he was tasked to come up with a great campaign to promote the film. During a brainstorming session he came up with the idea to have the Ghoulie popping up from the toilet. The idea was a huge success and the scene was then shot for the film after the fact.
According to Charles Band, he and the other staff members of the movie received a ton of hate mail in response to the TV trailer for the movie. Most of the letters are from parents who dislike the ads for making their kids afraid to go to the bathroom because of the shot of a ghoulie coming out of a toilet.
“Ghoulie” means “small monster” in Persian.
Often compared to Gremlins (1984), the movie that kicked off a mid-80s spate of films about small, malevolent creatures that attacked people.
Our view on Ghoulies
A surprise hit in the 1980s were a lot of horror movies came out. Ghoulies had several sequels.
Ghoulies was one of long line of puppet movies from the Empire Pictures After that Empire came out with the legendary Re-Animator. Exploitflix must see!
