Casper is the cutest ghost you’re ever likely to see on film. Based on the old American cartoon and comic book Casper the Friendly Ghost, the movie is a terrific mix of live action and the superb wizardry of Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic.
Casper is a ghost who haunts Whipstaff Manor with his three odious uncles, Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso. All Casper wants is a friend, and his wish is granted when Kat (Ricci) and her ‘ghost therapist’ father Dr Harvey (Pullman) move into the manor. There are some wonderful comic moments as the spectral uncles try to get rid of the ‘fleshies’, and the comedy is successfully mixed with the impressive ghostly effects that will enchant both adults and children alike.
An animated TV series followed in 1996, and three so-so video/DVD follow-ups, the prequel Casper: A Spirited Beginning (1997), Casper Meets Wendy, starring a young Hilary Duff (1998), and the animated Casper’s Haunted Christmas (2000), aimed at very junior viewers.
Is Casper suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Very little ones may find Casper’s ghostly uncles scary.
Cathy Moriarty’s character becomes more scary as the movie goes on.
Children may also be upset by the idea of Kat’s mother being dead.
If you like this, why not try: