Note: the cut reviewed is the R-rated Director’s Cut.
After watching Ghoulies, you were like; “yeah, but if we can have more Ghoulies and set it within a Carnival/Circus, but with a lot more Ghoulies”. Then, Ghoulies II is going to be your jam.
I love Ghoulies II because it does exactly what Gremlins II: The New Batch does (but wouldn’t do for another three years, which makes Ghoulies II the film that Gremlins II STOLE FROM!!!) which gives us more monsters, more gore, and more zany antics. By setting it in a Carnival ala Nightmare Alley and Freaks (stealing some plot points from both those Noir Classic) it allows for more time with the monsters.
The secret weapon of Ghoulies II isn’t the ghoulies but the one-of-a-kind character actor Royal Dano. Dano playing a down-on-his-luck four-time loser of a magician/carney Uncle Ned is flat-out amazing. The work is so sullen and sad but mixed in with the characteristically funny Dano spin gives us something elevated. The way that he tries to do his best but then after failure after failure allows himself to revel in his demons is the rare sort of elevated performance one hopes to see in a film like this, but rarely do.
Not to be outdone by Dano, Phil Fondacaro, is the film’s second MVP. Playing Sir Nigel Pennyweight another of the carneys and friend to Dano’s character. Pennyweight is a Royal Shakespeare actor who’s been relegated to this carnival because of his stature. Fondacaro gives the role the weight, empathy, and respect it deserves. The moment that the teenagers screw with him hits you harder than anything in the entire film. It’s because of Fondacaro’s work and just how great he is in this role with a surprising amount of depth.
I would be remiss if I did not say that Ghoulies II really kicks ass in this entry to the series. In that, the ghoulies terrorize everyone, murder the a-holes that deserve it with aplomb, and the only way to stop them is to create a MEGA-GHOULIE to eat them all. So yes, this is not some sort of Awards Chasing drama about life at the Carnival but rather quite the opposite.
There is violence and meanness (plus a few choice F-Bombs) in the R-rated Director’s cut that isn’t present in its PG-13 cut that one as a horror fan can appreciate. The added gore adds to the Ghoulies’ meanness which makes the film all the more fun when the aforementioned shitty human beings get their comeuppance. Ghoulies II in this form doubles down on just being an all-around better film than the original. One understands why it was cut (read commercial/box office prospects) but this R-rated version makes the film all the better.
Yes, Ghoulies II is everything you want in a sequel to Ghoulies – more ghoulies, more kills, more ghoulies, and in the case of the R-rated version more GORE!!
The Transfer
The all-new 2024 4K Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR is exactly what one wanted from the Blu-ray release of the sequel. The image is sharp with a beautiful patina of active grain giving it the look of a freshly struck print. Even the R-Rated cut looks amazing without any sort of degradation in image with the inserts. This is in every way the equal or maybe even the superior transfer to the original film’s 4K UHD from MVD Entertainment. Bravo to MVD for making sure the mastering and authoring of this disc and adding the 4K Version of the R-Rated cut to this edition.
The Extras
They include the following;
Includes both the 90-minute Theatrical PG-13 cut and the restored 91-minute R-rated Director’s Cut of the film.
Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli
More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies II
Under A Magic Moon: Interview with Dennis Paoli
Deleted Scenes
Photo Gallery
Theatrical Trailer
2-Sided Artwork
Collectible Mini-Poster
Limited Edition Slipcover (*FIRST PRESSING ONLY)
Note: the 4K disc contains the film in both the PG-13 and R-rated cuts of the film, the introduction, and the trailer. All other special features are on the Blu-ray disc of the film and only the Theatrical Cut of the film appears on the Blu-ray disc.
Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli (1:15) – a brief introduction from the screenwriter that rails against CG FX work over the practical FX work of the feature.
More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies II (16:50) – a companion piece to the making-of on the Ghoulies4K edition. This beautifully produced making-of covers all the bases, editing the various footage from the film, b-roll, and behind-the-scenes photos to take us through the film’s even wilder production than the first. They do cover some interesting points about the film likethe production going to Italy and why, the carnival scenes were on a set, Italian extras and crew on the production, Charles Band’s father Allan directed the picture, and how many of the American actors felt like it was a vacation because of the Italian style of production, how they achieved the FX work, and much more. With comments by Producer Charles Band, actor Donnie Jeffcoat, actor Kerry Remsen, FX artist Gino Crognale, and others.
Under A Magic Moon: Interview with Dennis Paoli (33:36) – the archival interview with Paoli begins with his theories on what his specific task is as a screenwriter. Some of the other details covered during the interview include his time with Stuart Gordon in high school; his time at Second City – in Chicago; his time at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1960s; a conversation about his involvement with the protests at the Chicago National Convention in 1969; how Gordon and Paoli bonded over Lovecraft and comedian Jonathon Winters; his work on Gordon’s Reanimator; how he infused humor into the script as they developed Reanimator – a larger discussion about the closeness of horror and comedy; a discussion about writing both Spellcaster (another Empire Pictures production) and Ghoulies II – which leads to how each was developed very different; how Charles Band worked with filmmakers and development; a larger discussion about the difficulties of writing for Charles Band and the various scripts he had written – including the wild notion that he wrote the sequel without having seen Ghoulies both the movie and the creatures; and much more.
Deleted Scenes (2:43) – this is more consistent with the violence and gore that was cut to attain a PG-13 rating which one can now see re-inserted into the Unrated Cut of the film.
Photo Gallery – the still gallery consists of 22 behind-the-scenes photos, production stills, and poster art from the film. Unfortunately, you cannot navigate the gallery but you can pause any still for further inspection.
Theatrical Trailer (1:23)
The Final Thought
Get your popcorn ready. Ghoulies II delivers cult classic 80s horror-ness in the only way that Charles Band and Company can. MVD has produced a wonderful upgraded 4K UHD edition.
NOTE TO THE COLLECTOR: MVD Entertainment should absolutely be commended for one important small but very important detail of their overall production of this edition. Ghoulies II’s Spine-Number and order in which it comes in. Those who collect their LaserVision line know they have Spine-Numbers. MVD had the foresight to make Ghoulies II their number 3 so it will sit right alongside Ghoulies their number 3 if one chooses to put them in Spine number order in their collection like many a hardcore collector does.
The Ghoulies are back in Ghoulies II!!! MVD Entertainment’s LaserVision Collection continues to bring cult classics to 4K UHD loaded with special features like this Charles Band-produced gem.
The Film
Note: the cut reviewed is the R-rated Director’s Cut.
After watching Ghoulies, you were like; “yeah, but if we can have more Ghoulies and set it within a Carnival/Circus, but with a lot more Ghoulies”. Then, Ghoulies II is going to be your jam.
I love Ghoulies II because it does exactly what Gremlins II: The New Batch does (but wouldn’t do for another three years, which makes Ghoulies II the film that Gremlins II STOLE FROM!!!) which gives us more monsters, more gore, and more zany antics. By setting it in a Carnival ala Nightmare Alley and Freaks (stealing some plot points from both those Noir Classic) it allows for more time with the monsters.
The secret weapon of Ghoulies II isn’t the ghoulies but the one-of-a-kind character actor Royal Dano. Dano playing a down-on-his-luck four-time loser of a magician/carney Uncle Ned is flat-out amazing. The work is so sullen and sad but mixed in with the characteristically funny Dano spin gives us something elevated. The way that he tries to do his best but then after failure after failure allows himself to revel in his demons is the rare sort of elevated performance one hopes to see in a film like this, but rarely do.
Not to be outdone by Dano, Phil Fondacaro, is the film’s second MVP. Playing Sir Nigel Pennyweight another of the carneys and friend to Dano’s character. Pennyweight is a Royal Shakespeare actor who’s been relegated to this carnival because of his stature. Fondacaro gives the role the weight, empathy, and respect it deserves. The moment that the teenagers screw with him hits you harder than anything in the entire film. It’s because of Fondacaro’s work and just how great he is in this role with a surprising amount of depth.
I would be remiss if I did not say that Ghoulies II really kicks ass in this entry to the series. In that, the ghoulies terrorize everyone, murder the a-holes that deserve it with aplomb, and the only way to stop them is to create a MEGA-GHOULIE to eat them all. So yes, this is not some sort of Awards Chasing drama about life at the Carnival but rather quite the opposite.
There is violence and meanness (plus a few choice F-Bombs) in the R-rated Director’s cut that isn’t present in its PG-13 cut that one as a horror fan can appreciate. The added gore adds to the Ghoulies’ meanness which makes the film all the more fun when the aforementioned shitty human beings get their comeuppance. Ghoulies II in this form doubles down on just being an all-around better film than the original. One understands why it was cut (read commercial/box office prospects) but this R-rated version makes the film all the better.
Yes, Ghoulies II is everything you want in a sequel to Ghoulies – more ghoulies, more kills, more ghoulies, and in the case of the R-rated version more GORE!!
The Transfer
The all-new 2024 4K Restoration (16-Bit Scan of the Original Camera Negative) of the film presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio in Dolby Vision / HDR is exactly what one wanted from the Blu-ray release of the sequel. The image is sharp with a beautiful patina of active grain giving it the look of a freshly struck print. Even the R-Rated cut looks amazing without any sort of degradation in image with the inserts. This is in every way the equal or maybe even the superior transfer to the original film’s 4K UHD from MVD Entertainment. Bravo to MVD for making sure the mastering and authoring of this disc and adding the 4K Version of the R-Rated cut to this edition.
The Extras
They include the following;
Note: the 4K disc contains the film in both the PG-13 and R-rated cuts of the film, the introduction, and the trailer. All other special features are on the Blu-ray disc of the film and only the Theatrical Cut of the film appears on the Blu-ray disc.
Introduction by Screenwriter Dennis Paoli (1:15) – a brief introduction from the screenwriter that rails against CG FX work over the practical FX work of the feature.
More Toilets, More Terror: The Making of Ghoulies II (16:50) – a companion piece to the making-of on the Ghoulies4K edition. This beautifully produced making-of covers all the bases, editing the various footage from the film, b-roll, and behind-the-scenes photos to take us through the film’s even wilder production than the first. They do cover some interesting points about the film like the production going to Italy and why, the carnival scenes were on a set, Italian extras and crew on the production, Charles Band’s father Allan directed the picture, and how many of the American actors felt like it was a vacation because of the Italian style of production, how they achieved the FX work, and much more. With comments by Producer Charles Band, actor Donnie Jeffcoat, actor Kerry Remsen, FX artist Gino Crognale, and others.
Under A Magic Moon: Interview with Dennis Paoli (33:36) – the archival interview with Paoli begins with his theories on what his specific task is as a screenwriter. Some of the other details covered during the interview include his time with Stuart Gordon in high school; his time at Second City – in Chicago; his time at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1960s; a conversation about his involvement with the protests at the Chicago National Convention in 1969; how Gordon and Paoli bonded over Lovecraft and comedian Jonathon Winters; his work on Gordon’s Reanimator; how he infused humor into the script as they developed Reanimator – a larger discussion about the closeness of horror and comedy; a discussion about writing both Spellcaster (another Empire Pictures production) and Ghoulies II – which leads to how each was developed very different; how Charles Band worked with filmmakers and development; a larger discussion about the difficulties of writing for Charles Band and the various scripts he had written – including the wild notion that he wrote the sequel without having seen Ghoulies both the movie and the creatures; and much more.
Deleted Scenes (2:43) – this is more consistent with the violence and gore that was cut to attain a PG-13 rating which one can now see re-inserted into the Unrated Cut of the film.
Photo Gallery – the still gallery consists of 22 behind-the-scenes photos, production stills, and poster art from the film. Unfortunately, you cannot navigate the gallery but you can pause any still for further inspection.
Theatrical Trailer (1:23)
The Final Thought
Get your popcorn ready. Ghoulies II delivers cult classic 80s horror-ness in the only way that Charles Band and Company can. MVD has produced a wonderful upgraded 4K UHD edition.
NOTE TO THE COLLECTOR: MVD Entertainment should absolutely be commended for one important small but very important detail of their overall production of this edition. Ghoulies II’s Spine-Number and order in which it comes in. Those who collect their LaserVision line know they have Spine-Numbers. MVD had the foresight to make Ghoulies II their number 3 so it will sit right alongside Ghoulies their number 3 if one chooses to put them in Spine number order in their collection like many a hardcore collector does.
Highest Recommendations!!!
MVD Entertainment’s 4K UHD Edition of Ghoulies II is out July 9th
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