Ghost

Tonight I saw Ghost, starring Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg.

The week this film debuted in 1990, I was at the theater, first in line. I loved all the actors, I loved the title and that was all I needed to know to buy the ticket. Luckily, it didn't disappoint. It not only became one of my all-time favorite films, it also took home two Academy Awards (Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress for Ms. Goldberg).

I own the film, and have watched it several times since, but haven't seen it in a theater since the year it came out. I was thrilled when a nearby indie theater said they'd present it as part of their Throwback Thursday series and settled into my favorite balcony seat tonight to enjoy it.

In so many ways the film remains timeless—the themes of love, spirituality, good vs. evil and betrayal all resonate as vividly today as they did 30 years ago. There's also many things that are dated—the black computer screens with archaic green text, the landline phones, the clip of The Arsenio Hall Show that plays as the characters watch. None of these details diminished the story for me this many years later, but I could see how someone young seeing it for the first time may deem it "old."

What still gave me goosebumps? The iconic pottery-making love scene set to "Unchained Melody." The first time the subway ghost rages at Sam. The moment Oda Mae surrenders to the ghost and yells "Sam" after he chases her around the table. The first "capture" of a bad soul to the other side.

It's also sheer pleasure to witness the chemistry between Demi Moore and Swayze and between Swayze and Goldberg. I can't begin to picture anyone else in any of their roles because they were so spot on.

Worth mentioning is the fact this film manages to dip in and out of several genres seamlessly: drama, comedy, thriller, horror, supernatural, romance. Ghost has it all, which is why it will continue to delight viewers for decades to come.

~~~