Ghoulies

Ghoulies is a 1985 American horror film, directed by Luca Bercovici in his directorial debut. The film was co-written with producer Jefery Levy. It stars Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Michael Des Barres, Jack Nance, Scott Thomson, and Mariska Hargitay in her film debut. The film follows a young man named Jonathan Graves who, after inheriting his satanic father's estate, becomes seduced by its occult secrets. It is the first film in the Ghoulies film series and was followed by three sequels. Plot Malcolm Graves, the leader of a satanic cult, is about to sacrifice his child Jonathan when his mother, Anastasia, places a protective talisman around Jonathan's neck. Malcolm orders a participant named Wolfgang to take the child away, and sacrifices her instead. Twenty-five years later, an adult Jonathan and his girlfriend Rebecca inherit his late father's estate, where they find several books on magic and a basement full of occult paraphernalia. They throw a party. Jonathan recruits his friends to perform a ritual in the basement for fun. When he begins conducting the ritual, Jonathan abruptly becomes short-tempered. Everyone leaves when the ritual fails, but a small creature materializes in the basement. The next day, Jonathan tells Rebecca he is quitting college to work on the estate. She expresses concern, which grows when Jonathan refuses to eat, explaining that he is fasting. He conjures several creatures called Ghoulies, and proclaims himself their master, demanding they hide their existence from everyone but him. One day, Rebecca comes home to find Jonathan in the basement wearing a dripping wet robe. He explains that he was trying to learn about the parents which he never knew, and promises to stop his behavior. He gives her the protective talisman as a gift, urging her to never take it off. While they are having sex, a Ghoulie draws an occult diagram under the bed which prompts Jonathan to chant in another language. Subsequently, a furious Rebecca leaves him. Jonathan summons two dwarfs named Grizzel and Greedigut to his service, who promise to give him everything he desires. They explain that he must perform a dangerous ritual with seven other people to obtain the knowledge and power he seeks. Rebecca returns and asks Jonathan to leave with her, but he refuses and reveals he has green eyes. In a pique of anger she tears off the talisman, unwittingly enabling Jonathan to hypnotize her, forcing her to do his bidding.