Now playing in theaters is the animated feature film, The Canterville Ghost.
The Canterville Ghost is from Shout! Studios and Blue Fox Entertainment.
The film features the voice talents of Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Freddie Highmore, Miranda Hart, Emily Carey, Toby Jones, Imelda Staunton, and David Harewood, to name a few.
The Canterville Ghost is based upon the classic short story written by Oscar Wilde. Over the years it’s been wildly adapted on both the big screen and on stage. It was written in 1887.
Virginia Otis and her family moved from the United States to a remote countryside manor in England. The Canterville Chase Manor is allegedly haunted, but that didn’t sway Mr. and Mrs. Otis. They just knew they were getting a great deal on a countryside mansion that they’ve always wanted.
Virginia doesn’t share the same excitement her parents and twin brothers Louis and Kent feel about moving.
Almost as soon as they move in, Virginia meets the resident ghost, Sir Simon Canterville. She does not find him scary at all.
Virginia makes a deal with Sir Simon to have him scare his parents so they move out of the mansion and return to where they came from. That task is easier said than done.
Over the next few weeks, Virginia learns why Sir Simon is cursed to remain a ghost in the mansion. She wants to help set him free, but how and at what cost?
Will Virginia be able to help free Sir Simon from his eternal curse? Will Sir Simon be able to scare the Otis family so they flee the mansion? To find out the answers, check out The Canterville Ghost. Look for it playing at a theater near you.
This film is a modern take on the classic so it will keep children entertained. I think if it was bases more upon the classic, kids might find it boring.
The main character, Virginia, is a strong willed girl. She’s brave, intelligent and strong willed. The film makers could have gone with a male character as the lead, but they switched things up and used a girl. I think that was a smart move. I think young girls will enjoy the film more seeing a girl lead. That doesn’t mean that boys won’t like this film. The twins in this film are silly and mischievous. There is also a “ghost buster” lady who uses a special laser beam, and a creepy monster, which kids will find cool (boys and girls).
Virginia is a teen girl, or in her early 20’s (she gets married).
The animation is really good. I am not personally a fan of this type of CGI animation, but it was still decent. I really loved the backgrounds in this film. I like how it was done with a “softness” to it (for lack of a better description).
This is not a scary movie, even if it’s about a ghost. There is a sword fight where someone gets stabbed (no blood) and someone’s death, but aside from that it’s a family friendly film, and an interesting take on the classic version.
Seeing as how it’s “spooky season,” this would be a great film to see as a family. It’s NOT scary at all, but the idea of a ghost fits in with Halloween season.
To learn more about Shout! Studios, visit ShoutStudios.com. For more information about Blue Fox Entertainment, visit BlueFoxEntertainment.com. You can also check both of them out on social media. Their links are found on their website.
You can find a direct link to the movie’s official webpage here.
Below is the film’s trailer for your entertainment.
Kimberly
*I received a free screener in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinion expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
