Ghoulies II (1988)

June 20, 2018

Vindication! I was so disappointed with the first Ghoulies and was worried that the second one wasn't going to live up to my childhood memory. It was just as stupid and great as I remember. The producer must've learned a couple lessons from the first one. First, if you make a movie called "Ghoulies" make the movie about the actual Ghoulies. Second, if you put a Ghoulie in a toilet on the movie poster, put a Ghoulie in a toilet in the movie. Third, don't take the movie too seriously, it's about a bunch of goofy stop-animation puppet monsters.

In this sequel the Ghoulies are accidently conjured at a carnival where they murder people in a horror themed fun house. There are some great death scenes and even a flying Ghoulie. What really makes the film is the performance by Royal Dano as the drunkard Uncle Ned. Dano's drunken foolishness help to lighten the film (he can also been seen playing a very, very similar role in Killer Klowns from Outer Space).

It is amazing to me that this film could've garnered any controversy because it is just so fun and stupid. But, in the 1980s it was criticized by interests groups during the Satanic Panic when parents were afraid the media was going to turn their kids into Satanists. I grew up in the '80s and I'm fine... mostly. The film and it's predecessor were accused on glorifying and making light of Satanism and Witchcraft. I bet you'd be laughed out of the Coven if you told Satanist that you were inspired to become a Satanist after watching Ghoulies II. While there are some Satanic imagery, it's like Bart Simpson said, "All the best bands are affiliated with Satan." The same goes for most horror flicks.

Oh, and we finally get our Ghoulie popping out of the toilet and eating some guy's butt. Awesome.