Ghost in the Machine (1993)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Director:

Rachel Talalay

Writers (WGA):

William Davies (written by) &
William Osborne (written by)

Release Date:

29 December 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Plug in to your worst nightmare

Plot:

Karl, a technician in a computer shop, is also the "Address Book Killer," who obtains the names of his victims from stolen address books...

Plot Keywords:

Address Book | Computer | Hospital | Airline Employee | Magnet

Cast

Karen Allen	...	Terry Monroe
Chris Mulkey	...	Bram
Ted Marcoux	...	Karl
Wil Horneff	...	Josh Monroe
Jessica Walter	...	Elaine
Brandon Quintin Adams	...	Frazer
Rick Ducommun	...	Phil
Nancy Fish	...	Karl's Landlord
Jack Laufer	...	Elliott
Shevonne Durkin	...	Carol
Richard McKenzie	...	Frank Mallory
Mimi Lieber	...	Marta
Mickey Gilbert	...	Mickey the Driver
Ken Thorley	...	Salesman
Carl Gabriel Yorke	...	Safety Technician

Also Known As:

Deadly Terror

Runtime:

104 min | USA:93 min (VHS version) | Argentina:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Sweden:15 | Australia:M | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica, California, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Approximately 40 minutes into the movie, a computer is scrolling through a list of names in a phone book, in search of its next victim. The names listed are mostly Hollywood producers. Going through the list slowly reveals Caryn Mandab(ach), Wink Martindale, Lorne Michaels (SNL), Bill Melendez (Charlie Brown specials), Neal Marlens (Growing Pains), Thomas L. Miller (Full House) and a host of others. The name the computer is searching for is Terry Munroe, which (maybe by coincidence) happens to be the birth name of actor Stepin Fetchit.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first quarter of the movie we see Karen (mother) walk up to her son and say "Can I get you something, maybe a glass of milk", when just seconds before, the son is seen dipping Oreo cookies in a full glass of milk.

Quotes:

Computer Ghost of Karl: You can't run, you can't hide, you can't win.

Movie Connections:

References "The Monkees" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Living with a Stranger

Not bad, not good....

I have to agree with several reviewers who tired of the special effects. By now, we cannot suspend disbelief enough after years of the internet, and the premise is tired and dated.

Karen Allen, a decent actor, elevates the material a bit, as well as Chris Mulkey and a few amusing scenes with Jessica Walter, as the cantankerous mother in law.

Other than that, the only memorable scene is when the dog disappears under the swimming pool tarp. You may want to skip this one unless you are easily led by sci-fi fiction. Recommended if you are completely bored on a rainy day. 4/10.