Casper

Name: Casper
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Family
Released: May 26, 1995
Duration: 100 min
Rating: 49
Cast: Ben Stein, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty, Chauncey Leopardi, Christina Ricci

1995

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 22 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

See All

7.2

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.2	Your Score
7.2	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Casper

Now Playing: Casper

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 26, 1995 | PG

Starring: Ben Stein, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty, Chauncey Leopardi, Christina Ricci, Don Novello, Eric Idle, Fred Rogers, Malachi Pearson, Spencer Vrooman

Summary: "Ghost therapist" Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) arrive at drafty, old Whipstaff Manner. Its greedy owner, Carrigan Crittendon (Cathy Moriarty), has hired Dr. Harvey to exorcise the house's apparitions: a friendly but lonely young ghost named Casper, who's just looking for a friend, and his outrageous"Ghost therapist" Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci) arrive at drafty, old Whipstaff Manner. Its greedy owner, Carrigan Crittendon (Cathy Moriarty), has hired Dr. Harvey to exorcise the house's apparitions: a friendly but lonely young ghost named Casper, who's just looking for a friend, and his outrageous uncles Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso. If the plan works, she and Dibs (Eric Idle), her partner-in-slime, can get their hands on the manor's fabled treasure. Meanwhile, Casper has found a kindred spirit in Kat but the Ghostly Trio will not tolerate "fleshies" in their house.… Expand

Director: Brad Silberling

Genre(s): Fantasy, Comedy, Family

Rating: PG

Runtime: 100 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert

Like The Flintstones and The Addams Family, Casper is an attempt to bring cartoons to life while incorporating them with real actors and sets. As a technical achievement, it's impressive, and entertaining. Read full review

Steve Persall

Casper often resembles a blueprint for the next Universal theme park ride, but it serves well as the summer's first family treat. This movie should make children happy, at least for another month, until Disney unleashes its Pocahontas punch. [26 May 1995, p.10]

Jeff Shannon

Casper is more an elaborate mechanism than a fully realized movie, and the silly plot is merely an excuse to indulge the amazing special effects. But first-time director Brad Silberling never lets the magic overwhelm his characters. Best known as Wednesday in the Addams family movies, Ricci has grown into an appealing young star who nicely complements Pullman's trademark sensitivity, and together they add the necessary touch of special to the visual effects. [26 May 1995, p.G3]

Barbara Shulgasser

Although most of the stars of this movie are real, live actors, Casper is mostly just a big cartoon in which those live actors must interact with some devilishly clever spectral animation. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

What’s depressing about the current Hollywood mania to literalize old cartoon series isn’t that a show like Casper is such bad source material. It’s that the movie version is like the cartoon without innocence — a fairy tale with the soul of a rerun. Read full review

Joey O'Bryan

At its best, which is when it's exploiting both its eye-popping special effects and delicious production design (the interior of the haunted mansion is truly awe-inspiring), Casper proves itself to be passable, if mindless, kiddie fare. At its worst, Casper continually resorts to desperate star cameos to get a rise out of the audience, lame and phony heart-tugging to get them emotionally involved (and there is more of this nonsense than you might expect), and ridiculous, coincidental plotting to make sure this thing runs at least 90 minutes. Read full review

Liam Lacey

The movie is pallid, bloated and light enough to evaporate from the mind 10 minutes after you leave the theatre. [26 May 1995]

SEE ALL 22 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

FilipeNeto

Jul 23, 2021

Certain films earn our affection for the quality they have, others for the visual beauty and the grandeur of the technical means used… others, like this film, conquer their place by the way they touch us. I may not be the only one who saw this movie as a child and now feels some nostalgiaCertain films earn our affection for the quality they have, others for the visual beauty and the grandeur of the technical means used… others, like this film, conquer their place by the way they touch us. I may not be the only one who saw this movie as a child and now feels some nostalgia and affection to see it again.

The film hardly needs any introduction, telling us the story of Casper, a ghost who settled in the land after dying very young, and haunts his old house in the company of three uncles, who are the real terror of the region. The house's fate seems sealed when it ends up in the hands of an ambitious heiress, eager to demolish it and get hold of a treasure she thinks is hidden there. Unable to make it thanks to the ghosts' efforts, she decides to call an expert, Dr. Harvey, to get them out of there. It's precisely what Casper wanted most, as the academic travels with a teenage daughter he fell in love with when he saw her on television.

The film isn't brilliant, it's not meant to be. It is not an award winner, nor will it give us the dramatic life performance of any of the actors involved. It is simply a family film, aimed at younger people, but which also knows how to please adults, and which, despite its age, remains fresh and current today. For me, who saw it as a child, it will always have a corner in my video library.

The film was the first to make live actors act opposite characters entirely made by computer graphics, and from that point of view it was a pioneering film. However, Casper, Stretch, Stinkie and Fatso are characters in their own right and their voices were lent by a group of good actors: Joe Nipote, Joe Alaskey, Brad Garrett and Malachi Pearson. They are the soul of the film and steal our attention whenever they are present. The young Christina Ricci, in one of the early career jobs, also shows unmistakable signs of talent. Bill Pullman is effective, convincing and entertaining in his role, Eric Idle is very funny, and Cathy Moriarty is very good as a villain.

Technically, it's an effective movie. As I said before, it excels in its pioneering use of fully CGI characters, and the visual, special and sound effects used are really good, and they seem convincing even after twenty years. Cinematography doesn't surprise us, but it doesn't disappoint either. The pace of the film is regular, fast and fun, as it should be, and all the sets and costumes are very good, in particular the magnificent Whipstaff mansion, which would become iconic thanks to its Art Nouveau design, worthy of the best ideas of Antoni Gaudí. The film's music is ensured by the ever-reliable James Horner.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

meydianarizki21

Apr 28, 2023

Great Movie With Various Perspectives
After reading the comments, I see most people enjoy this movie with a few picking it over nothing (e.g. Not an accurate portrait of ghost?). I first saw the movie in my preteen. It was a fun & 'cute' movie, highly entertaining with the trio & treasureGreat Movie With Various Perspectives
After reading the comments, I see most people enjoy this movie with a few picking it over nothing (e.g. Not an accurate portrait of ghost?). I first saw the movie in my preteen. It was a fun & 'cute' movie, highly entertaining with the trio & treasure hunting & stuff.

As I grew older & revisit this movie, I see more 'layers' of the movie other than a 'kiddie ghost story'. Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman, excellent as usual) is having a hard time dealing with the death of his wife, & Kat (Ricci, a great break from the cool-headed Wednesday Adams) is having a hard time adjusting her father's constant move as well as grieving her mother on her own. Then, there is Casper grieving his own death as well as his father's death. And then there is Carrigan's mourning her father... not leaving her all the riches. Then there is Casper's heroic act (go see the movie, it's one of the most touching moment), Dr. Harvey's reunion, etc. Etc.

From a child's point of view, it's pure entertainment. From an art lover's point of view, you have to awe at the special effect & sets. From an audience seeking emotional outlet, well, bring in an extra box of kleenex. It's a very touching, warm-hearted, humorous, sweet little movie about a friendly ghost named Casper.

Just a side note, it is quite interesting to watch Addams' Family & Casper & Sleepy Hollow & see Christina Ricci grow from the eccentric Wednesday Addams to a regular teenager Kat Harvey to a beautiful young lady Katrina Van Tessel.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Panchogul

Feb 16, 2019

Casper marcó mi infancia por completo, simplemente adoro esta película desde y para siempre.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

sebastianali

Apr 14, 2021

Casper salio en 1995 y fue de las primeras películas en tener CGI, y si bien se nota que los años le pasan factura, para su tiempo diría que estuvo mas que acertado. Ahora bien, si hablamos de la historia en general y de los personajes... esta bastante bien! Aunque debo decir que solo CasperCasper salio en 1995 y fue de las primeras películas en tener CGI, y si bien se nota que los años le pasan factura, para su tiempo diría que estuvo mas que acertado. Ahora bien, si hablamos de la historia en general y de los personajes... esta bastante bien! Aunque debo decir que solo Casper y Kat fueron realmente carismáticos, el resto de personajes si que son bastante genericos, en especial Carrigan que puedo decir que es practicamente igual a todos los personajes malvados que llevan de nombre "Medusa", incluso muriendo de una forma super forzada. Y hablando de cosas forzadas o poco explicadas, la película no hace ningún intento a la hora de contar un poco sobre los "deberes" que debe de hacer un fantasma antes de poder ir a "la otra vida", y así varias cosas que no quedan tan claras, aun así, es una película que recomiendo bastante y que entiendo porque para algunos es un clásico.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

r96sk

Jan 24, 2022

I remembered so much of this, and yet absolutely nothing of the plot.

’Casper’ is a film I must’ve watched so much as a young kid on video, the opening few scenes are very nostalgic. As noted though, I didn’t recall anything serious from this 1995 flick though. It’s a little deeper than II remembered so much of this, and yet absolutely nothing of the plot.

’Casper’ is a film I must’ve watched so much as a young kid on video, the opening few scenes are very nostalgic. As noted though, I didn’t recall anything serious from this 1995 flick though. It’s a little deeper than I remember, with some adult themes touched on - the concluding scenes stand out in that regard.

I did remember the cast, however. Malachi Pearson is perfect as the voice of the titular character, while Christina Ricci is good in the lead live-action role. Bill Pullman spearheads the rest of the onscreen talent well. One casting note: A young Devon Sawa has a part, I recently watched him in television’s 'Chucky' - which I’d recommend, fwiw. Another: Clint Eastwood makes a small cameo, as does a certain ghost hunter.

Just the *checks notes* four follow-ups have spawned from this release. Off we go...… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ComandanteCobra

Jul 26, 2021

I've watched this a little late...in 2021 on Netflix.,,,and i liked it.
Enjoyable movie 4 teens and adults alike, very 90's in style, humorous and a little gothic.
You don't have to be at home with Casper Franchise (like the old Casper Cartoon Show ) to enjoy or understand this.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

omotestGump

Apr 2, 2023

It shouldn't be too bad, but something is missing." Something that would be a strength to reach "very interesting.

One of the drawbacks would be that the characterization is too blatant: the three ghosts are depressing and Carrigan is a jerk. There are jerks in the school. The charactersIt shouldn't be too bad, but something is missing." Something that would be a strength to reach "very interesting.

One of the drawbacks would be that the characterization is too blatant: the three ghosts are depressing and Carrigan is a jerk. There are jerks in the school. The characters are depressingly obvious. Too much so. It's a good thing they didn't add any more nasty villains. These characters do some interesting things, but frankly, they are a pain in the ass.

The one flaw I can say is the storyline as well. I thought it was a good theme, a good story, but it takes Casper's inspiring story in a different direction. Despite the great theme of friendship between Kat and Casper, the story is taken in a more sci-fi direction. It's for kids, so it's packed with a lot of elements to keep them interested. It's not bad, but it won't make the movie any more interesting.
In the end, the movie is enjoyable all the way through, but you can't shake the impression that there are a lot of unnecessary elements.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

91	#91 Best Movie of 1995
46	#46 Most Discussed Movie of 1995
59	#59 Most Shared Movie of 1995