If you go looking for information on this very low budget yet effective film you won’t find much if anything. You’ll be directed to the Marvel comic book character and film based on that instead. That’s kind of sad because this is actually a decent film.
In 1886 the townspeople of a small Texas town have had enough of the local bad guys and have arrested and tried Frank Clements for a murder he committed. That’s not enough for town Reverend Bill Shaw. He organizes a lynching party and they intend to hang Clemens before morning. Clemens’ gang shows up and begins killing the sheriff and townspeople but Shaw is able to trip the trap door and Clemens is hanged while his men are gunned down.
Fast forward to 1986. Shaw’s descendent, Jim Sutton, is a professor of history at a nearby university. He’s been studying old texts, scrolls and wanted posters about Clemens and something disturbs him. He’s contacted his son Hampton who heads out to his place in the woods along with history student/groupie Pam, his friend Cory and their employee Tommy. When they arrive his father is nowhere to be found and they go looking for him. Along the way they keep seeing a group of old style cowboys following them but seeming to disappear when they try and get a better look at them.
Eventually the cowboys draw their weapons and Tommy is killed. The other three head to the woods in an attempt to hide as the cowboys track them. They eventually find Hampton’s dad who tells them this is the ghost of Frank Clemens and his mean and they have come for vengeance, seeking the pistol that Clemens once wore which was taken by Rev. Shaw. Now they have to find a way to defeat the cowboy gang and survive.
The story here is a very small plot and the film is definitely a low budget endeavor. It’s one of those regionally shot films that are popular with those around where it was shot, perhaps played a handful of theaters and was then rushed to film the shelves of video stores with a quick release and great box art. Most of those films were long forgotten but several companies, MVD being one of them, have rediscovered these films and are giving them new life on disc.
It’s painfully obvious that the film was made with nearly no budget to speak of. And yet those involved seemed to give it their all. Most never went on to great acclaim with the exception of producer/cinematographer Thomas L. Callaway who went on to shoot movies like CRITTERS 3 and 4, NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW, FEAST and more with over 127 credits to his name as a cinematographer. The gang of cowboys who are featured as Clemens’ gang and the actor who plays Clemens were actual cowboys…sort of. They worked at a recreated western town where they put on shows daily and were hired by the producers to play the parts.
The movie doesn’t focus on effects or blood but instead tries to tell a story. The acting ranges from terrible to quite good. The film looks good and as a whole it can be an enjoyable movie knowing what it is and where it came from. It’s a movie you won’t watch repeatedly but can enjoy with a single viewing and making sure it continues to exist is a good thing.
MVD is releasing the film on Blu-ray and including some
decent extras as well. Those include a new audio commentary track with
Callaway, writer/producer James Desmarais and moderator Steve Latshaw,
“Bringing Out the Ghosts: The Making of Ghost Riders” a new documentary on the
film, “Low Budget Films: On the Set of Ghost Riders” a vintage documentary on
the making of the film, the original trailer, a trailer made for this release
and a collection of movie stills and behind the scenes photos.
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