Ghostkeeper (1981)

During a New Year’s Eve snowmobiling trip, Jenny (Rabid’s Riva Spier), her boyfriend Marty (The Grey Fox’s Murray Ord), and their friend Chrissy (Sheri McFadden) veer off path to explore a patch of private property. Stranded by a heavy snowfall, they stumble upon an abandoned hotel and seek refuge for the night. But before long, they meet a menacing woman (Rad’s Georgie Collins) who shares the building with her knife-wielding son (The High Country’s Bill Grove) and a mysterious creature who feeds on human flesh. As the visiting trio comes under attack, they struggle to make a safe escape – and maintain their grip on reality.

Featuring haunting performances from the entire cast and a typically atmospheric score by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine), Jim Makichuk’s Ghostkeeper is an essential entry in the New Year’s Eve horror canon and a dread-inducing descent into wintery isolation and madness. Long regarded as the Canadian answer to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, this slasher staple is a Canuxploitation classic and one of the enduring highlights of the tax shelter era.

Special Features:

• Newly scanned and restored in 4K from the only known complete 35mm theatrical print by Canadian International Pictures

• New audio commentary featuring stars Riva Spier and Murray Ord, plus co-writer/associate producer Doug MacLeod

• New audio commentary featuring The Hysteria Continues! and author/film historian Amanda Reyes

• New episode of The New World Pictures Podcast on Ghostkeeper

• Ghostsneaker (2025, 16 min.) – New interview with film historian Chris Alexander

• The Window of Opportunity (2025, 16 min.) – New interview with story consultant Dave Makichuk

• I Need It Friday (2025, 10 min.) – New interview with composer Paul Zaza

• Zaza Begins (2025, 16 min.) – Zaza reflects on his early films

• Hollywood Canadians (2025, 14 min.) – Filmmakers Paul Lynch (Prom Night) and David Winning (Storm) reflect on Jim Makichuk

• Calgary Underground Film Festival Q&A (2024, 41 min.) – Post-screening discussion featuring Ord, MacLeod, and Dave Makichuk

• Archival interview with actress Georgie Collins (2011, 14 min.)

• Archival interview with cinematographer John Holbrook (2011, 7 min.)

• Alternate opening (1982, 2 min.)

• Ghostkeeper 2 (2013, 6 min.) – Jim Makichuk’s Kickstarter video pitching a sequel

• Night School (1971, 2 min.) – Early Jim Makichuk short

• Booklet featuring a new essay by film journalist/programmer Yasmina Ketita, an essay on the film’s production history by Eric Volmers, and an interview with Jim Makichuk

• Reversible cover artwork

• English SDH subtitles

• New slip art by Tony Stella