The Film

It was the Steven Spielberg-produced update to the 20th century’s favourite comic book and cartoon spook, given incredible new life by CG technology. TV director Brad Silberling was given the reins to a very effects-heavy film (in fact, one that would set a new precedent — where the effects themselves are the star).

Giving Casper a love interest is 15 year old Christina Ricci as Kat, having moved into the house Casper and his obnoxious uncle’s haunt. Her father (Bill Pullman) is a specialist who provides counselling to ghosts so they can move on to the afterlife and something of a crackpot who’s subjected Kat to endless moves of home and school.

Silberling and his effects team made Casper as real as you’ve ever seen him, and despite a tween-targeted script, it’s worth enjoying again even if you’re a technical buff.

The Extras

Most of the talking heads documentary and director commentary are interesting as those concerned talk about their experiences in what was in 1995 still a pretty new way of working with movies — acting to something that would be painted or pixelated in later.

The house set was like a roller coaster in the film, but watching the extras gives you a new appreciation for the scope of it — everything was full sized, and to follow ghosts flying in all directions through it, more dimensions of it had to be built than would on a usual interior (where the ceiling wouldn’t be in frame, for example).

Worth it if you liked the movie or are curious about the craft.

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 1st, 2004 at 12:00 am and is filed under DVD Reviews, Film, Filmink. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.