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7.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. The Live Ghost remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have twenty minutes and need a laugh that doesn't require thinking, sure, put on The Live Ghost. If you hate old-school slapstick or get annoyed by characters who make the same mistake four times in a row, you’ll probably want to skip this one.
Honestly, watching Laurel and Hardy is like visiting an old, dusty attic. You know exactly what’s in the boxes, but it’s still comforting to poke around for a bit. They really are the masters of the slow-burn disaster.
The whole thing kicks off in a fish market, which is pretty much the worst place to put these two. Watching them try to handle actual work is like watching a toddler try to perform surgery. It’s doomed from the start.
They get talked into shanghaiing a crew by this salty sea captain. Why they agree for a measly dollar a head is beyond me, but I guess that’s the point. It’s just an excuse to get them to a bar and watch the physical comedy ensue.
The transition from the fish market to the docks feels a bit hurried, like the director was worried the audience might lose interest if they spent too long on the actual plot. Fair enough. The plot is basically just a thin string holding the gags together.
There’s a moment in the ship's hold that lasts way too long. The silence is supposed to be tense, I think, but it just feels like the actors were waiting for a cue that never came. It’s awkward, but in a way that actually makes me like the movie more.
It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in
The ending isn't some big, satisfying conclusion. It just sort of stops. Poof. No grand lesson learned, no character growth. Just the boys being the boys, heading into another mess.
