One of the first films from Roger Corman's new distribution company, Concorde, can in hindsight be seen to give a clear indication that the great days were gone. It makes Screwballs look like a masterpiece - it's shockingly badly constructed, awfully unfunny and has this horrible rapey vibe.
It should be a simple idea - a Lothario is killed and comes back as a ghost. But it's hopelessly confused - the guy is a ghost yet he can walk around, talk and touch people... just occasionally turn back into a ghost. Or be invisible. I think.
The first 30 minutes is devoted to Lothario trying to get this girl into bed (she's toity toity but kind of into him, she just insists on a condom). We meet the Lothario's friends - he's got two housemates, the girl has a yen for the guy... There's also a stuffy guy who is the Lothario's rival and the Lothario has a dead old uncle who is meant to be his nephew's guide in his new life.
Then 30 mins in these characters are basically dumped and we go off on a plot where we spend all this time with a businessman (played by Larry Linville from MASH), and his nubile daughter and this French woman, who the Lothario falls for. Everyone is reunited at a finale involving this party. It's a mess.
It's also very rapey. The lead dude is constantly molesting women... sometimes they go with it, other times they seem genuinely annoyed. One time he undresses a woman while she's asleep. I get it's an 80s sex comedy but even by those low standards this is full on.
It's shot on film at least. And the acting is quite good, it has to be said. At times I liked some of the characters. The dodgy lead becomes nice when he romances the French girl - but he's such a turd during those first 30 minutes he never wins you back.
Roberta Collins pops up as Linville's wife but it's real blink and you miss it stuff.
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