When you are assessing the quality of a family film, you have to judge it based on several different criteria. Most importantly, will it keep its young target audience’s attention throughout the runtime of the film? This should not be an extremely high bar to clear, as children are a very forgiving audience, in general. You also have to judge whether or not your family film does indeed work for the entire family. Meaning, will it make the adults in the room want to pull their hair out? When the 2002 family film Spooky House came across my radar, I honestly did not know what to expect. This was a film that was released in 35 American theaters in 2004 and had pretty much disappeared from existence since. Yet, it had Academy Award winners Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King) as the adult leads, and I am always in desperate need of fresh, lighthearted content for the Halloween season. Having now watched it, sans any children in the room, I can comfortably say that Spooky House is a family film that has something for the entire household.
The film centers on The Great Zamboni (Ben Kingsley), an extremely talented magician that has been secluded away in retirement after his wife disappeared during a performance. Zamboni does not make many appearances in the small town in which he resides, but he wears a mysterious turban and fake mustache when he does. The town children are intimidated by him, if not for his alarming appearance then for the fact that he lives in the town “Spooky House” that people avoid at all costs. There are countless stories spread around about the recluse, with the most popular being that he is a 2000-year-old vampire. Maybe the fact that he walks around with his pet jaguar, Shadow, also puts some ill at ease. Zamboni relishes his reputation for being feared; he has a bitter dislike of children and being bothered by the outside world in general. When a group of young kids find themselves breaking into his house to find their stolen pet goat (just go with it), they are met with all manner of illusions and hidden secrets that only a master magician could rig up.
Up until this point, the movie is about equal to the level of a standard Disney Channel Made-For-TV Halloween film of the early aughts, such as Scream Team. Most of the children are not great actors, but you accept it because you know what type of film this is. Early on, we are introduced to the real villains of the film; a trio of teenage bullies, led by Mona (Katharine Isabelle), who steal stuff around town for their boss (Mercedes Ruehl). The teenagers are no standouts in the acting department either, but they portray their one-note characters with an over-the-top gusto that fits in with your expectations. It is because of them that we find our young protagonists in the Spooky House. All of the kids get the bejesus scared out of them and quickly flee the house. All but one, that is. Young Max (Matt Weinberg) is an adorable orphan who sees through the facade and chooses to pursue friendship with Zamboni. While very reluctant at first, Zamboni eventually begins to soften and teaches him some tricks, becoming something of a father figure to Max.
This all sounds very cheesy and cloying, but the movie actually handles this relationship with a deft hand in a way that plucks at your emotions. If you are going to have Sir Ben Kingsley in a movie such as this, you give him honest material like this that he can elevate with his immense acting talent. Kingsley and Weinberg are so natural with one another that they completely steal the movie. I was shocked to find that right in the middle of this fluffy film that things shifted to something that was actually substantial. The gradual softening of Zamboni is natural, as Max showcases his goodhearted nature by saving Shadow from a precarious situation rather than strictly relying on his endearing orphan powers. The film does not rush through the plot, choosing to reveal more history about Zamboni that unlocks greater poignancy within the story. The trajectory of the story is predictable, it is a family film after all, but it hits all the right emotional buttons along the way.
This stretch does not last the entire film, though, as it does return to more of the Disney Channel Original level as it heads into the homestretch and folds in our villains once again. This mode is still a lot of fun, though, as we get a finale set on Halloween night. The film had a nice base-level spookiness throughout the first half that scratched the Halloween itch, but the finale really makes its case for being put into the Halloween rotation. The Spooky House is really explored in-depth, revealing so many fun illusions and inventive special effects over the course of a home invasion. The film does not break any new ground within the family film space, but it does prove to be more emotionally fulfilling than its exterior might present. If you are a fan of lighthearted Halloween tales, you have likely watched the majority of the classics multiple times. Spooky House is here to give you something new and fun to sink your teeth into.
Video Quality
Spooky House makes its Blu-Ray debut with a 1080p transfer that is quite striking, but not without its issues. While I have no specific details about the transfer, this appears to be derived from a dated master that has not had much work done to it. For the majority of the film, the transfer looks incredibly clear and detailed, but certain shots look a bit soft. The transfer is naturally filmic with some impressive detail in the production design and texture of clothing. Colors stand out in a really pleasing manner with bright reds and greens leaping off the screen. Black levels are passable in their depth, but there is some crush present at points. Perhaps the most noticeable issue is the fairly frequent specks of print damage present in the transfer. It is not a mess, but it is not something you will miss either. Overall, I was quite impressed by how strong the presentation was for this little unknown film.
Audio Quality
Kino Lorber brings us this new Blu-Ray with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix that is a stealth powerhouse. The dialogue holds up quite nicely, coming though clearly without being stepped on by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are delineated nicely and given a dynamic placement throughout the speakers. The sounds of a goat or jaguar noises, along with a slew of other sounds, from the rear speakers is a common occurrence. There is a scene near the end of the film in which a room is spinning where the music travels around the speakers in a way that really wowed me. The movie features many cheesy songs made especially for the film that sound great within the mix. This is a track that was way more dynamic than I ever expected it to be. A truly pleasing experience.
Special Features
- Interviews
- Ben Kingsley: An 18-minute archival interview with Sir Ben Kingsley in which he discusses why he chose to tackle this film, his concern for actors that play the same role over and over, what his character brings to the heart of the film, the notion of family entertainment and more. You may feel that Kingsley took this role for the money, but hearing him discuss it makes you feel otherwise. Definitely worth a watch.
- Mercedes Ruehl: A two-minute archival interview with the actress in which she discusses some of her inspirations and how she prefers quieter, dramatic roles over eccentric characters.
- Katharine Isabelle: A 30-second archival piece in which the actress talks about working with Ruehl and how much fun it is to play a bully.
- Music Videos: Eight music videos totaling twenty minutes are provided here featuring the songs from the film. The songs are cheesy, and the videos match them in that regard, but it is fascinating to watch. The highlight is hearing the song from the Six Flags dancing guy commercial.
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer does not quite capture the heart of the film, but serves as a decent summary.
Final Thoughts
Spooky House is a surprisingly effective family film in the truest sense of the meaning. The film offers up a lot of silly and inventive humor within the house itself, but it also gives older viewers something emotionally resonant to hold onto. The film is not an undisputed masterpiece, but is a really fun way to spend your time when you are looking for something pleasant. Kino Lorber has provided a Blu-Ray with a pretty great A/V presentation and some surprisingly engaging special features. You know you have blown through all of the Halloween films on Disney+, so why not try out something new with Spooky House? Recommended
Spooky House is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Lorber has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
