1986 saw the release of a lot of unusual horror films, including Chopping Mall, Wes Craven’s Deadly Friend, House, Maximum Overdrive, Night of the Creeps, Rawhead Rex (based on a Clive Barker story), TerrorVision, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and Troll. But when it comes to sheer oddness, Spookies really stands out. There are several reasons why, and even if the filmmakers had gotten their way and released the film they originally planned (titled Twisted Souls), it still would have been quite strange. However, the finished movie isn’t what they envisioned; while some of their footage made the cut, much of it didn’t.
The making of Spookies is a surprisingly complicated story. It’s so unusual that you wouldn’t guess how difficult the production was just by watching the film. But knowing the behind-the-scenes struggles actually explains why the movie feels so chaotic and jumpy.
What Was Spookies Supposed to Be?
Faulkner and Doran originally planned this story as a film called Twisted Souls, with help from writer and producer Frank Farel. The movie would have centered on a group of teenagers and adults – though how they knew each other wasn’t really explained – who stumble upon a creepy, abandoned mansion. Naturally, the young people decide to throw a party there.
Inside the house, the group finds a Ouija board that unleashes a series of monsters, leading to a terrifying, one-by-one killing spree. To make things worse, one of the teenagers becomes possessed by a spirit and remains that way for the entire film.
A large part of Spookies is dedicated to its impressive practical effects, and it’s easily the most enjoyable section. The creatures – little snake demons, the “muck men,” the spider woman, and even the animated Grim Reaper statue – look genuinely great, particularly considering the film’s limited budget.
The film’s investor, Michael Lee, who ran a company called Vipco that distributed low-budget movies, wasn’t happy with the direction of the film. He brought in Eugenie Joseph to essentially take control of the project. The final movie, Spookies, was created by combining Joseph’s footage with what remained of the original film, Twisted Souls.
What Did the New Footage Add?
The new footage added a lot of content, but it completely disrupted the story’s flow and consistency.
The update introduced a couple of new monsters, like an octopus creature and a skeleton witch. However, the special effects weren’t as impressive because a different team handled them this time around.
The story was enhanced with an overarching narrative. The mansion belongs to Kreon, a warlock who narrates the events and explains why the guests are experiencing these strange occurrences. He’s accompanied by a werecat, introduced at the very beginning when it tragically kills a young boy.
Okay, so there’s this guy, Kreon, who’s somehow kept his bride in perfect condition for seventy years – honestly, the movie never explains how, so we just assume it’s some kind of magic. Then, in the third act, she finally wakes up, immediately tells him she’s not interested, and has to run from a horde of zombies. But honestly? The whole zombie chase scene was a letdown. They just sort of… reached for her without actually trying to catch her. It went on forever and wasn’t very thrilling at all.
A man, who isn’t connected to either the group of people who died or the rest of the story, saves her from the zombies, and they escape. It’s then revealed, unexpectedly, that he’s actually a werecat.
The film Spookies constantly jumps between footage from Faulkner and Doran’s original work and the scenes Joseph added, meaning we rarely see two complete scenes from Twisted Souls in a row. Understandably, Faulkner and Doran were unhappy with these changes and didn’t hide their dislike of director Michael Lee for many years after the film came out. Despite its many flaws, Spookies remains a silly and enjoyable late-night watch – it’s surprising it works as well as it does.
Stream Spookies for free with ads on Tubi.
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2025-11-19 03:10