Is this only a romantic film?

Rating: 7/10 (29 June 2010)

I watched this movie twenty years ago. It was too long ago. However, thinking of the movie 'Ghost' made by Jerry Zucker, first of all, I hit upon the clay- forming scene with a sweet melody. I can't help thinking of this as the most impressive and romantic scene among a lot of scenes. But is this only a romantic film?
Sam (Patrick Swayze ) and his girlfriend, Molly (Demi Moore) move in an apartment together in New York. They really love each other. However, on the way home after watching the movie, Sam is robbed and murdered by a mugger. He doesn't go to the other side, with him becoming a ghost. He is kept on this world in the form of a ghost because of his love with Molly and the murderer who killed him. Soon he recognizes that a ghost can't communicate with people in this world. But he comes across a psychic, Oda Mae (Whoopi Goldberg) who can hear ghost's voice, contrary to ordinary people. With the help of her, Sam uncovers the truth behind the murder and saves Molly from danger. He finally leaves this world, assuring her that he loves her forever.
I'd like to say this movie is a diverse genre. It shows a mixture of various elements that are difficult to categorize it into only one genre. First of all, it looks like a horror movie. The first scene starts at the dusty and foggy house with faint atmosphere. However, I changed my thought about that. Two lovers' fantastic and romantic clay-forming scene makes me sure that it is rather a romantic movie than a horror one. While most love stories are usually based on their conflicts and problems of their life in this world, it is a unique romantic movie that deals with a love story between a ghost of a dead person and his girl friend who lives in this world. Meanwhile, the murder that Sam was killed breaks out. Complicated plot is developed like a mystery in order to find a murderer and to save his lover. So, again I can think of it as a thriller and a mystery. Last, to solve the murder case, a psychic who plays a critical role in it is so comic and ridiculous that she can help me free my tension and fear. I can conclude it is a mystery and thriller and comedy.
I'm also surprised to see the director, Jerry Zucker create his ghost who feels sorrowful and mournful, even though other directors have used a ghost as a horrible existence, a non-emotional or revengeful one. Exercising his imagination, he makes his movie fantastic and warm-hearted like a variety of gift sets. He also makes use of sweet music and arouses empathy between me and the ghost.
The acting of Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore is very attractive to me. I can't forget their fantastic facial expressions with delicate emotion. They look like a real couple. Whoopi Goldberg won a Supporting Oscar as a psychic. I totally agree that her acting is excellent enough to get it. She shows a lot of comic acting and looks like a real cheesy fraud. She is too talkative but cute and sometimes childlike. She looks strong in personality but in fact, she is tender.
The song, 'Unchained Melody' perfectly looks good on the clay-forming scene. The song is emotional and touching in itself. And then it stirs romantic emotion twice more than any other scenes do.
The plot of it is too predictable, and at the last part it is rather too corny because there is a obvious structure of conflict between the good and the evil. Nevertheless, it gives tension to me until the criminal is found.
Last, this shows too common a message about where the ghost of human beings go after death. The message is that good people go to heaven in the afterlife with mysterious and brilliant lights from the heaven and that on the contrary, bad people go to hell with dark shadowy lights. In spite of too clumsy a message, it still draws my attention.
I watched it again last week. Even though too much time has gone by after my first watching, I still have a same opinion that it is touching and emotive. If you fall in love with someone or you want to love in the future, I strongly recommend you should watch it.