Search - The Canterville Ghost on DVD

The Canterville Ghost

Actor(s): Patrick Stewart, Neve Campbell
Director(s): Sydney Macartney
13

Movie Details

MPAA Rating: PG
Content Advisory: Suitable for Children
Movie Release: 1996
DVD Release: 08/31/2004
Format: DVD
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 32 mins
Studio: Platinum Disc
Total Copies: 3
Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Comedy, Haunted House Film, Heaven-Can-Wait Fantasies
See Also: The Canterville Ghost

DVD Synopsis

This modern TV-movie update of the Oscar Wilde tale is noteworthy for a grandiose performance by Patrick Stewart as the melancholy spectre of Sir Simon Canterville, doomed to wander the corridors of his vast estate for the past four centuries in guilt and despair over his wife's suicide. Stewart first makes himself known to an intelligent, angst-ridden teenager (Neve Campbell), who spends much of the film's runtime trying to convince her father of Simon's existence. Failing this, she changes tactics, searching instead for a way of putting his weary soul to rest. Despite its apparent production flaws -- particularly the staid, movie-of-the-week feel -- this is still worth a look thanks to enjoyable performances from Stewart and Campbell, both of whom seem to relish their roles. This film was features on the Wonderworks, family TV series. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide

Actors

Patrick Stewart - Sir Simon de Canterville
Neve Campbell - Ginny Otis

Member Movie Reviews

Kendra M. (KendraM) from NASHVILLE, TN wrote on 1/25/2008...

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

The version with Charles Laughton is still unavailable on dvd and the Ian Richardson one is cost-prohibitive. So, after doing some searches on different versions of this movie, I decided on this particular version-- since Patrick Stewart is definitely one of my favorite actors.

He really doesn't disappoint here. He's excellent, as expected, and brings depth and empathy to the role of the Canterville Ghost.

However, everyone else in this production is more than bad. They are horrid.

Neve Campbell, in particular, can't act. She's a one-note actress and I'm surprised that nobody has told her to go take some acting lessons. She does this great tentative, unsure-of-herself, little girl smile thing, then she stops smiling (as if she's not sure a smile is appropriate), then she'll smile again-- just a bit. UGH! Talk about annoying. Maybe this was a good thing for that character she played on the tv show, but it's not good in feature films and it's not good if that's all you see her do. And, it is. I've seen her in a few other films, and she plays every single role the same way. Have you ever seen her break into a wide grin? Give a hearty laugh (a guffaw, even?)? No-- because she can't act. She can only shyly smile, stop smiling, give a hint of another smile, lick her lips tentatively, and repeat.

So, because she has so much on-screen camera time, I can't give this film too many stars. And, because there are other people who also can't act in this film, I can't rate the film too highly.

The little brothers were alright- not too cute, but cute enough. They didn't have big roles, however. The father was horrible! If not exactly a one-note actor, he's a two note actor, maybe. He wasn't given a great script, granted, but he delivered his lines fairly flatly. Yes, he was "angry" when he delivered the lines, but not with depth. And, at one point, he had to kneel and cry into his wife's body. Oh, he didn't pull that off well, at all.

The script was terrible. Yes, Sir Canterville's dialogue was perfectly fine. But the story line for the rest of the film was asinine. The kids can see the ghost. The parents can't and the dad thinks the daughter is making it all up so that they can leave England (she's just a sullen hormonal teen, I suppose). So, the kids are being haunted and the father is increasingly angry at the daughter, unfairly. Finally, the daughter has the 'ingenious' idea that will force her father to be able to see the ghost, too. This works, but also has some consequences. That's the story-- which would be okay, if they had some actors that could act.

That's what really bothered me about this movie. There are so many actors out there who need jobs and can act. Why use these actors? Why use the dad and Neve Campbell when there are tons of good quality actors who would love to do these roles? It's not as if actors are in short supply!

So, five out of five stars for Patrick Stewart, but many negative stars for the other actors and the script itself.