Halloween

The Greatest Horror Movie Moments!
by: Dr. Boogie

Ghost Ship

What can you say about Ghost Ship? Not much, since it's a pretty unremarkable horror movie (not as incredibly unremarkable as the Los Angeles Ghost Ship haunted attraction from last year, but still pretty unremarkable). Just imagine if Event Horizon took place in the ocean instead of space, and instead of black holes you had... drifting aimlessly around the ocean for a while.

The one thing the movie really has going for it is its opening scene. The year is 1962, and a ball is being held aboard the Antonia Graza.

The buffet's in steerage.

It's not immediately clear why the ball is being held in the forecastle instead of, say, the ballroom. Perhaps some of the guests wanted to be closer to the ship's thundering engines and greasy winches.

"I'll just shift us to 'maximum snappage.'"

In any case, if you're going to have a movie called "Ghost Ship," you'd better have a ship full of ghosts. The crew of the Antonia Graza know this, so the word goes out that the passengers need to get a better look at one of the ship's finer cables.

I'm not really sure what this thin cable is for, but it is run across the deck in such a way that if it were suddenly pulled taught...

Lesson learned:  don't sub out a limbo stick with piano wire.

The cable slices across the deck, knocking over furniture and cutting the decorative bouquets a bit low. Speaking of cutting low...

"Well I don't feel like I've been chopped in half!"

Like Wile E. Coyote slowly realizing that he just ran off a cliff, it takes a moment for the guests to realize they've been halved by a flying cable. When it finally sinks in, they fall to pieces.

It's remarkable that a cable which appeared to be roughly neck-level with the majority of the passengers managed to slice through them in so many different locations. I'd have more to say about it, but that would distract from the majesty of seeing people grasping futilely at their severed lower halves.

"Has anyone seen my wallet?"

Debbie's lapband surgery goes horribly wrong!

Still better than a Carnival Cruise.

The only people to survive the sweep are the captain and a little girl, which is odd because she isn't so short that... ah, forget it.

The captain ducked down to try and shield the girl from the flying cable. If only he had ducked down a little further.

Kakihara!

Ooh, this is going to make dinner at the Captain's Table very awkward.

Raise your hand if you have a severed arm!

Have any questions or comments about this piece?
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE READER COMMENTS SECTION BELOW!

 

Reader Comments

You'll thank me later...
Sep 17th, 2012, 02:22 AM
Classic Doc,

I happen to have a couple days off and I think I'll spend all of tomorrow watching this clip.
Slacking Enthusiast
Sep 17th, 2012, 06:21 AM
I like how the arm in the last panel is just nonchalantly going, "I'll take five!"
Forum Virgin
Sep 17th, 2012, 02:54 PM
Awesome, i love the bit about the passengers trying to 2 get back 2 their lower halves...classic. Guess no one let them know there was gonna be a limbo contest later, or told the captain that he needed 2 floss..oh well, they know now.
I am Johnny Luchador
Sep 17th, 2012, 04:37 PM
I remember picking this up at Walmart in the 5 dollar movie bin a few years back. As much as the movie was terrible as hell, that opening scene was worth the 5 bucks. I have no regrets for owning this in my horror collection. I'm glad you guys showcased the terrific cinema magic Ghost Ship provided.
I hate this hacker crap!
Sep 17th, 2012, 05:18 PM
This is pretty much the only part of the movie I remember!
The goggles do nothing!
Sep 17th, 2012, 09:24 PM
That opening scene was the only reason I watched the rest of the movie...
Baron Von Snugglemittens
Sep 18th, 2012, 12:21 AM
personally I've always liked the ending scene after the ship explodes and starts sinking. with all the souls floating off into the sky. can't explain why but it seemed cool to me as a kid.
Forum Virgin
Sep 18th, 2012, 02:47 AM
this film makes me think of this horror movie i watch not to long ago called titanic 2
Movie Enthusiast
Sep 18th, 2012, 06:57 AM
This site needs more of these. I can never get enough. Good stuff, Boogie.
Admiral of the Undead
Sep 18th, 2012, 09:37 AM
Haven't seen Ghost Ship. After reading this... still won't see it. What a lame-o setup for a horror film.
pickled
Sep 25th, 2012, 06:00 AM
Thanks, Doc. The beginning and ending of this movie was always neato to me.
an organism
Oct 5th, 2012, 05:12 PM
I love the pregnant pause you see in all "just got sliced in half" scenes in horror movies. It's as if they completely forgot that the cable/blade/whatever that violently penetrated their flesh only seconds ago might have caused some injury, but they're not sure HOW.

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