The Frighteners (1996) Horror Drama Mystery Fantasy Comedy Romance
The Frighteners (1996) Movie Release Dates / Movie Details

- Our Score: ☆ 7/10
Read our The Frighteners Movie Review - Overall Score: ☆ 6.55/10
IMDB: ☆ 7.1/10
Metascore: ☆ 5.2/10
Tomatometer: ☆ 6.6/10 - Related: Discover more movies like The Frighteners
The Frighteners Plot Synopsis:
After a car accident in which his wife, Debra, was killed and he was injured, Frank Bannister develops psychic abilities allowing him to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts. After losing his wife, he then gave up his job as an architect, letting his unfinished "dream house" sit incomplete for years, and put these skills to use by befriending a few ghosts and getting them to haunt houses in the area to drum up work for his ghostbusting business; Then Frank proceeds to "exorcise" the houses for a fee. But when he discovers that an entity resembling the Grim Reaper is killing people, marking numbers on their forehead beforehand, Frank tries to help the people whom the Reaper is after!
Synopsis / Plot Summary: After a tragic car accident that kills his wife, a man discovers he can communicate with the dead to con people. However, when a demonic spirit appears, he may be the only one who can stop it from killing the living and the dead.
Tagline: Something has put the fear of death in the living and sent the dead running for their lives.
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The Frighteners Movie Information:
Type: MovieYear: 1996 (more 1996 movies)
Box Office: $16,759,216
Awards: 3
Nominations: 17
Recommended: HellHorror.com Recommends The Frighteners
What is The Frighteners Streaming On?
The Frighteners is Streaming on Peacock, TubiLanguage: English
Country: New Zealand, United States
Release Dates: Movie Release Dates / The Frighteners Release Dates In Theaters: Jul 19, 1996, Tubi: Oct 01, 2023
Writers: Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Producers: Peter Jackson, Tim Sanders, Jamie Selkirk, Fran Walsh, Robert Zemeckis
Musicians: Danny Elfman
Cinematographers: John Blick, Alun Bollinger
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Similar Movies to The Frighteners (1996)(Click to Expand)
- Dead Alive (1992) / (read Dead Alive (1992) review)
- Fright Night (1985) / (read Fright Night (1985) review)
- Re-Animator (1985) / (read Re-Animator (1985) review)
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The Frighteners (1996) Cast (Click to Expand)
The Frighteners Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | Character(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| Michael J. Fox | ... | Frank Bannister |
| Trini Alvarado | ... | Lucy Lynskey |
| Peter Dobson | ... | Ray Lynskey |
| John Astin | ... | The Judge |
| Jeffrey Combs | ... | Milton Dammers |
| Dee Wallace | ... | Patricia Bradley (as Dee Wallace Stone) |
| Jake Busey | ... | Johnny Bartlett |
| Chi McBride | ... | Cyrus |
| Jim Fyfe | ... | Stuart |
| Troy Evans | ... | Sheriff Perry |
| Julianna McCarthy | ... | Old Lady Bradley |
| R. Lee Ermey | ... | Hiles |
| Elizabeth Hawthorne | ... | Magda Rees-Jones |
| Angela Bloomfield | ... | Debra Bannister |
| Desmond Kelly | ... | Harry Sinclair |
| Jonathan Blick | ... | Steve Bayliss |
| Todd Rippon | ... | Deputy |
| John Sumner | ... | Deputy |
| Michael Robinson | ... | Deputy |
| Jim McLarty | ... | Deputy |
Fun Facts: 15 Real AGES of Cast
- Michael J. Fox (b. June 9, 1961) – Frank Bannister
Sign: Gemini, Height: 5' 4¼" (1.63 m)
Also known as: Michael Fox | Mike Fox - Trini Alvarado (b. January 10, 1967) – Lucy Lynskey
Sign: Capricorn, Height: 5' 7" (1.7 m) - Peter Dobson (b. July 19, 1964) – Ray Lynskey
Sign: Cancer, Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Also known as: Derek Hoyle - John Astin (b. March 30, 1930) – The Judge
Sign: Aries, Height: 5' 11" (1.8 m)
Also known as: John & Patty | John & Suzanne - Jeffrey Combs (b. September 9, 1954) – Milton Dammers
Sign: Virgo, Height: 5' 7" (1.7 m)
Also known as: Jeffery Combs | Jeff Combs - Dee Wallace (b. December 14, 1948) – Patricia Bradley (as Dee Wallace Stone)
Sign: Sagittarius, Height: 5' 4" (1.63 m)
Also known as: Dee Wallace Stone | Dee Wallac Stone | Dee Wallace-Stone - Jake Busey (b. June 15, 1971) – Johnny Bartlett
Sign: Gemini, Height: 6' 3" (1.91 m)
Also known as: Jacob Busey | William Busey | Jake - Chi McBride (b. September 23, 1961) – Cyrus
Sign: Libra, Height: 6' 4¾" (1.95 m)
Also known as: Chi | Chi Mcbride - Jim Fyfe – Stuart
- Troy Evans (b. February 16, 1948) – Sheriff Perry
Sign: Aquarius, Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m) - Julianna McCarthy (b. August 17, 1929) – Old Lady Bradley
Sign: Leo
Also known as: Juliana McCarthy - R. Lee Ermey, as Hiles, passed away at age 74 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Sign: Aries, Height: 6' (1.83 m)
Also known as: Lee Emery | R. Lee Emrey | Lee Ermey | Ronald Lee Ermey | R. Lee Ermy - Elizabeth Hawthorne (b. April 30, 1947) – Magda Rees-Jones
Sign: Taurus
Also known as: Elizabeth Hawthorn - Angela Bloomfield – Debra Bannister
- Desmond Kelly (b. January 1, 1936) – Harry Sinclair
Sign: Capricorn
Also known as: Des Kelly
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