IMDb > The Frighteners (1996)
The Frighteners
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The Frighteners (1996) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3 NEW)
The Frighteners (1996) -- After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see...
The Frighteners (1996) -- Post
The Frighteners (1996) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   26,103 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 195% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Peter Jackson
Writers (WGA):
Fran Walsh (written by) &
Peter Jackson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Frighteners on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
19 July 1996 (USA) more
Tagline:
No Rest for the Wicked. more
Plot:
After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see... more | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
1 win & 10 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(27 articles)
50 Influential Scream Queens: Part 2
 (From Fangoria. 27 October 2009, 10:57 PM, PDT)

Dee Wallace Talks Horror -- Exclusive Video Interview
 (From Dread Central. 22 October 2009, 1:31 AM, PDT)

User Comments:
"Death ain't no way to make a living." more (198 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Michael J. Fox ... Frank Bannister
Trini Alvarado ... Dr. Lucy Lynskey

Peter Dobson ... Ray Lynskey

John Astin ... The Judge
Jeffrey Combs ... Milton Dammers

Dee Wallace ... Patricia Ann Bradley (as Dee Wallace-Stone)

Jake Busey ... Johnny Charles Bartlett

Chi McBride ... Cyrus
Jim Fyfe ... Stuart, Bannister's Ghostly Assistant
Troy Evans ... Sheriff Walt Perry
Julianna McCarthy ... Old Lady Bradley

R. Lee Ermey ... Sgt. Hiles
Elizabeth Hawthorne ... Magda Rees-Jones
Angela Bloomfield ... Debra Bannister
Desmond Kelly ... Harry Sinclair
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Robert Zemeckis Presents: The Frighteners (USA) (complete title)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for terror/violence.
Runtime:
110 min | USA:122 min (director's cut)
Country:
New Zealand | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital
Certification:
Finland:K-16 (2000) (DVD) (cut) | Finland:K-16 (1997) (video) (uncut) | Netherlands:12 | Germany:16 (director's cut) | Germany:18 (nf) | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-15 (2005) (uncut) (DVD) (director's cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) (2005) (uncut) | UK:15 (uncut director's edition) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | USA:R (certificate #34656) | New Zealand:M | South Korea:15 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Italy:VM14 | Norway:11 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director Cameo: [Peter Jackson]The bearded and pierced man who Frank bumps into a minute before the ghost of Ray knocks him down. Jackson had to wear the heavy metal outfit (leather jacket, make up and a vast amount of piercings) the entire day of shooting, which was also the day that the studio had invited the media to the set for publicity. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Frank reaches over to pull Ray out of the grave, workers are shoveling dirt into the hole, but as Frank pulls Ray out, there is no one near the grave. more
Quotes:
Frank Bannister: Catch you later, Hiles.
Sergeant Hiles: Hey - my tour of duty runs another 85 years! There's a piece of dirt up here with your name on it, Bannister! I'm waitin' for you, you little maggot!
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in "Movie Magic: Ghost Effects: Ghost Stories (#4.13)" (1996) more
Soundtrack:
Superstar more

FAQ

Why was this film rated R in the USA?
What are the differences between the old British BBFC-15 version and the Uncut version?
more
23 out of 25 people found the following comment useful.
"Death ain't no way to make a living.", 15 January 2003
Author: Backlash007 from Kentucky

The Frighteners is a textbook example of how to do a horror/comedy. Peter Jackson once again proves he can handle the genre masterfully. With Psychic Investigator Frank Bannister, Michael J. Fox adds another great character to his pantheon of heroes. The rest of the cast is top notch as well. Horror icon Dee Wallace Stone is great in this. John Astin is great in this. R. Lee Ermey is great in this. Even Jake Busey is great in this. Everyone is great in this. The actors and actresses do a wonderful job of handling the humor and the scares. But the actor that really shines here is genre veteran Jeffrey Combs. His portrayal of F.B.I. Special Agent Milton Dammers is one of his most memorable in long career of genre roles. Only the best went into this movie: Rick Baker was brought in to handle some of the visual effects and Danny Elfman composed the score. I don't know that it's my favorite, but this may be Jackson's best horror offering thus far in his career. That's a bold statement considering he's no stranger to horror.

Note for genre buffs: Peter Jackson cameos as the pierced passerby.

Was the above comment useful to you?
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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Frighteners (1996)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
I think Jeffrey Combs is a great actor BUT sevenhillz
What a crappy film... The_Nephilim
She's a man! Haunted-Tomato
Somewhat underrated blackrose909
Body count??? chadhiz
Jim carey??? skoglio
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