Ghoulies II (1987)

The second GHOULIES film (there are four in case you’re interested) gets a UK Blu-ray release courtesy of 101 Films. It has practically no connection with the first film other than it features the same little rubber glove-puppet monsters and a knockabout sense of humour that will have those of you nostalgic for the days of Saturday morning children’s television in raptures.

A barrel full of ghoulies!

We start with a priest escaping from some kind of KKK reunion with a sack of ghoulies slung over his shoulder. Let’s pause now to give the man playing the priest some recognition, as this is none other than Anthony Dawson of Hammer’s CURSE OF THE WEREWOLF and DR NO fame. Far more famous than anyone else in this film, Anthony gets offed pretty quickly and the ghoulies are once more free to move about in their jerky, hand-assisted little way.

Ghoulies everywhere!

They hope a ride on a lorry that turns out to be part of a travelling circus. Soon the ghoulies themselves are part of the attraction as they take over the Satan’s Den haunted house, killing pissed up Uncle Ned (Royal Dano in awful jacket) and torturing various caricatures of late 1980s teendom. Soon it’s up to Larry (Damon Martin), his sidekick Sir Nigel Penneyweight (Phil Fondacaro who gave an equally winning performance as Dracula in Charles Band’s THE CREEPS) and Larry’s girlfriend Nicole (Kerry Remsen) to conjure up an enormous ghoulie to catch the little ones. We all know an enormous pair of ghoulies would have led to a much hairier situation but sadly that doesn't happen here.

Naughty ghoulies!

GHOULIES II is actually better than GHOULIES I. For a start there’s far more ghoulie action. The acting’s a bit better and the pacing is far less draggy. The only downside is we don’t get a reprise of Richard Band’s bouncy, mischievous music score but otherwise GHOULIES II provides 90 odd minutes of silly fun for the undemanding Charles Band fan. 101 Films’ disc contains no extras. 

GHOULIES II is out on UK Blu-ray and DVD from 101 Films now.