Gerry K (FilmWarrior2006)
It's rare when one can combine Beautiful and Horror, without coming off as ironic. But, it's true. Lady in White is one of my favorite horror films of all time, much less the 80's. It was like Peter Straub's Ghost Story and Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird had come together and gave birth to this little gem. Lady in White is at its heart a wonderful coming of age ghost story, about a square peg. It felt like director Frank La Logia wrote this film just for nerds like me, because we quickly identify with Lukas Haus' protagonist, and are drawn in and feeling his peril to our core. Many of my personal favorite horror films involve kids at the center, because most of us remember feeling overwhelmed by the world as kids, and quickly identify with children in peril. There are a handful of kids in peril films on my top list of films, Cat O' Nine Tails, ET, The Goonies and #1 is Lady In White.
ekwasnjuk-111-256333
"Lady in White" holds a special, sentimental space in the hearts of myself and my family. I have had the good fortune of not only enjoying this time tested ghost thriller but also sharing in the joy of the making with cast and crew. Watching my nephews and nieces experience the emotional ride in viewing this classic, heartwarming film brings joy to so many! Frank LaLoggia's inspiring gift of storytelling will always have a place in my high prized mementos of life. All of the elements one could possibly hope for are here on the screen. The magical soundtrack. The characters genuine honesty and appeal as they relate to each other. The arc of the original story and the surprise twists that you never see coming. The setting and cinematography. The successful vision of the film maker. The explosive climax. Frank LaLoggia has always been a force to admire in the film industry.
Sugarbehr1967
Come back with me to 1962. The setting? Willowpoint Falls, NY. Thus begins Frank LaLoggia's beautiful and atmospheric LADY IN WHITE, a ghost story that is so much more. The story begins with a famous author recanting the early days of his childhood in a small New York village. Frankie Scarlatti, played by Lukas Haas, two years after his impressive turn in Peter Weir's WITNESS, is coping with the death of his mother, being raised by his father Angelo (the late, great Alex Rocco) and his grandparents (they provide some wonderful comic relief). His older brother Geno (Jason Presson) is a pain, but they share a mutual affection. All in all, his childhood is mostly normal. But after fellow students lock him in the school cloakroom, he comes across the ghost of a little girl that will change his life forever.LaLoggia helmed 1981's FEAR NO EVIL, but that outing is far and away different that this story, which combines the innocence of childhood and the brutality of adulthood. Haas and Rocco are excellent, as are Len Cariou and Katherine Helmond in supporting roles. Classified as a horror movie by many critics, it takes on a traditional ghost story, and turns it into so much more. A subplot about a black janitor and a connection to the story makes you feel as if you were reading Harper Lee's novel in the way it was presented, but it does tie the story into its ultimate conclusion. Rarely has a movie captured childhood and it's turn into adulthood so beautifully. Scary and heartwarming, it's a movie that you won't soon forget.
sndsrgn-904-945444
This is truly a classic ghost movie. Everything seems very normal and peaceful at the beginning, but slowly, things start to get a little more disturbing as the plot thickens with the discovery of a little girl ghost, by Frankie, and Frankie being discovered as a witness by a serial killer and the little girl ghost talking Frankie into helping her find her mother (who is ALSO a ghost) and through all of this, Frankie is juggling his emotions between helping the girl ghost and trying to evade the serial killer, until it pays off to an edge-of-your-seat ending. In addition, I thought the subplot of the serial killer was a stroke of genius. The story takes you from plot to subplot....plot to subplot....plot to subplot. Sometimes I felt like I was on a roller coaster ride, emotionally. This film really held my attention. I recommend this movie to any and all ghost movie fans.....Additionally, it's a perfect movie to watch at Halloween.
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