Lady in White (1988)

On FILM 88 legendary British film critic Barry Norman reviewed two " horror " movies. One was HELLBOUND:HELLRAISER 2 and the other was LADY IN WHITE . Barry hated HELLBOUND which is unsurprising since he is notoriouslyintolerant of gore and violence but he did praise THE LADY IN WHITE but after finally seeing it I have to admit it's a very patchy movie

Much of the problem lies in the film trying to say a little too much . It's set in Willowpoint Falls in 1962 and of course the civil rights campaign is just getting in to flow which means there's a subplot that isn't actually needed . If it'd been set in 1988 you'd have a much more streamlined story . Considering the title of the movie the title character doesn't make an appearance until well into the second half of the running time and up till then GIRL IN PINK would have been a more appropriate title

In fact nothing much at all happens until a subplot featuring a ring comes to the fore and when it does the story becomes compelling and exciting and a little bit disturbing . Unfortunately this doesn't happen until something like 15 minutes before the credits start rolling which gives you an idea of how much potential is wasted and that's a great shame

Fmovies: I get the sense that this is a Frank LaLoggia vanity project. As writer and director, it's clear that this movie is his creative vision. The story idea is quite good, but this fails on multiple fronts.

The acting is good by the young actors, particularly Lukas Haas. He is most likely best known for his role in "Witness." He is a fine young actor, who is hampered by poor direction. In fact, all in this movie are hampered by poor direction. Even the timing of the dialog is off in places.

For starters, this movies tries to be a comedy and a horror flick, perhaps with a little coming-of-age thrown in, but accomplishes none of them well. Technically, the filming and editing are pretty bush league. It looks like those after-school specials from the 1960's. There are numerous obvious continuity errors.

If you are looking for an entertaining horror flick, this isn't it.

I suppose _Lady in White_ can be viewed as a horror film. It is a supernaturalistic ghost story that relies on mood and suspense to generate its scares, rather than gratuitous and explicit gore. And while some of the special effects seem dated by today's standards, that didn't really detract from my interest in the film. Creative camera work and moody score on a couple of scenes actually gave me chills. I also think that this is a film that fans of good mystery should also find to their liking. Overall, this is a good film from a relatively unknown director, Frank LaLo

Lady in White fmovies. Picture a sleepy rural community by the sea where children play in fields, family members work together and a ghost appears to a young boy to receive aid in finding peace. These are some of the story lines of Lady in White. the picture was directed by Frank LaLoggia and he gives it a picturesque Ray Bradbury kind of tone, mood, and setting. It was as if I were transported back into some aspects of my childhood as the film centers on the point of view of a young boy named Frankie Scarlatti. The story is not grandiose by any means: you will know the identity of the killer fairly quickly just by instincts. The real power of the film for me was the presentation of the film - the creepy moments with the Lady in White, Katherine Helmond as a crazed woman obsessed with candles, and the claustrophobic atmosphere of a little school room. The rural setting is wonderfully portrayed and the resolution to the story has heart and scares. I was impressed with the acting all around from Lukas Haas as Frankie, to Alex Rocco as his father giving a great performance and certainly one not his general type, Len Cariou as a family friend, and Helmond as well. This is at its core a ghost story and one of the better ones I have seen of late. It is family-friendly yet eerily frightening. This is one of those perfect films to watch on a cold, winter evening.

Frank LaLoggia has done something remarkable here: he has created an effective and atmospheric, Supernatural-Mystery that has become an annual "Must-Watch" on Halloween. I am not alone in this obsession. To be even more honest, I have watched the opening sequence of the film so many times that I have lost count. Why? Storytelling, Mystery, and Nostalgia. Those are just three among many reasons that I could go on and on about. Storytelling is so important mainly because many film makers today lack that essential aspect. LaLoggia wins here and wins big. We are so immersed in the world of Willow-Point Falls, the Scarlatti family and "little" Frankie. With his narrative point of view, we are guided seamlessly through the story and with style, might I add. There is so much style and, most importantly, Nostalgia in this film. The reason i can watch the film over and over again, is that LaLoggia shows us the world of Willow Point Falls in such a way that it is so familiar, and yet so specific that you feel you've known this fictional place your entire life. The locale, musical score and writing remind you of a much 'safer time' of childhood and that is what propels us into a frightening and engaging Horror/Mystery. As with the best of Horror films, the objective isn't to scare. That's a by-product. It's to remind us of our humanity. He achieves that by conjuring experiences of adolescence and curiosity which allows the film to become more unsettling because of it.

This film combines elements from many other genres, and makes itself unique. It is a ghost story, a murder mystery, a nostalgia film, and a family drama.

The story is centered on Frankie, a successful novelist of horror stories. He returns to his home town in the Northeastern United States, during autumn, and the basic film is a flashback.

Within the film are hints that make it more intriguing. Frankie sells greeting cards, and from them gets a typewriter, presaging his career as an author. His schoolwork reflects this, as he writes a frightening short story to spook his schoolmates -- and his teacher. A couple of his classmates trick him into going into the coat closet as the school is closing, and lock him in.

After trying to get out, he eventually falls asleep, and wakens to the sight of the ghost of a young girl, who is condemned to relive, as it were, her murder. Later, the murderer comes into the closet and nearly strangles Frankie to death.

Frankie has a near-death experience, but is revived. He then experiences a number of unusual events, such as seeing The Lady In White, a ghost of a woman seeking her missing daughter. Much of the story is seen in the context of an Italo-American family, with mild comedic incidents.

Major spoiler: The identity of the murderer is a bit easy to figure out, particularly with him whistling an early Bing Crosby song that Frankie (and the audience) knows is connected to the little girl's ghost.

The film delivers on all its fronts, and is perfect to watch after the Trick-Or-Treaters have finished.