Who next becomes the keeper of the beast that lives on human flesh?
During a New Year’s Eve snowmobiling trip, Jenny (Rabid’s Riva Spier), her boyfriend Marty (The Grey Fox’s Murray Ord), and their friend Chrissy (Sheri McFadden) veer off path to explore a patch of private property. Stranded by a heavy snowfall, they stumble upon an abandoned hotel and seek refuge for the night. But before long, they meet a menacing woman (Rad’s Georgie Collins) who shares the building with her knife-wielding son (The High Country’s Bill Grove) and a mysterious creature who feeds on human flesh. As the visiting trio comes under attack, they struggle to make a safe escape – and maintain their grip on reality.
Featuring haunting performances from its entire cast and a typically atmospheric score by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine), James Makichuk’s Ghostkeeper is an essential entry in the New Year’s Eve horror canon and a dread-inducing descent into wintery isolation and madness. Long regarded as the Canadian answer to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, this slasher staple is a Canuxploitation classic and one of the enduring highlights of the tax shelter era.
directed by: James Makichuk
starring: Riva Spier, Murray Ord, Sheri McFadden, Georgie Collins
1981 / 87 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
- Region A Blu-ray
- Newly scanned and restored in 4K from the only known complete 35mm theatrical print by Canadian International Pictures
- New audio commentary featuring stars Riva Spier and Murray Ord, plus co-writer/associate producer Doug MacLeod
- New audio commentary featuring The Hysteria Continues! and author/film historian Amanda Reyes
- New episode of The New World Pictures Podcast on Ghostkeeper
- Ghostsneaker (2025, 16 min.) – New interview with film historian Chris Alexander
- The Window of Opportunity (2025, 15 min.) – New interview with story consultant Dave Makichuk
- I Need It Friday (2025, 10 min.) – New interview with composer Paul Zaza
- Zaza Begins (2025, 16 min.) – Zaza reflects on his early films
- Hollywood Canadians (2025, 14 min.) – Filmmakers Paul Lynch (Prom Night) and David Winning (Storm) reflect on Jim Makichuk
- Calgary Underground Film Festival Q&A (2024, 41 min.) – Post-screening discussion featuring Ord, MacLeod, and Dave Makichuk
- Archival interview with actress Georgie Collins (2011, 14 min.) – A conversation moderated by Ord and edited by Jim Makichuk
- Archival interview with cinematographer John Holbrook (2011, 7 min.)
- Alternate opening (1982, 2 min.)
- Ghostkeeper 2 (2013, 6 min.) – Jim Makichuk’s Kickstarter video pitching a sequel
- Night School (1971, 2 min.) – Early Jim Makichuk short
- Booklet featuring a new essay by film journalist/programmer Yasmina Ketita and an essay on the film’s production history by Eric Volmers
- Reversible cover artwork
- English SDH subtitles
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