Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		2.5

Blackbeard's Ghost Blu-ray Movie Review

Don't try to figure out a movie by its title.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 22, 2017

With a title like Blackbeard's Ghost, audiences can be forgiven for believing that the movie might be about a spirited pirate swashbuckling his way through adventure on the high seas with some reanimated skeletons or something, Pirates of the Caribbean-style. But, nope. In Blackbeard's Ghost, good old Edward Teach is more like a member of the spirit squad as his invisible body helps propel a lowly college track and field team to success. Based on the novel of the sane name by Ben Stahl, the movie is certainly unique, not at all what one might expect from the title, and a vintage breath of fresh air for its levity and charm.

Steve Walker (Dean Jones) has been reluctantly hired to coach track at Godolphin College. That normally wouldn't be a bad job, but the team itself is bad. Like, laughably bad. There's no speed and no muscle on the team, but there is a lot of go-get-'em heart. But that hasn't been enough, and even Walker's coaching won't be able to drastically push the team beyond its physical limitations. He arrives in town with instructions to board at the famous Blackbeard's Inn, an old place purportedly made of old ship's decks and run by a handful of little old ladies who are said to be descendants of pirates, including Blackbeard himself. But the ladies are in trouble. If they don't come up with a large sum of cash, and fast, they're going to lose the inn. They've organized an auction to help pay the bills, an operation run by the lovely Jo Anne Baker (Suzanne Pleshette), a woman who immediately catches Walker's interest.

At the auction, he winds up spending $200 on an old "bed warmer" but inadvertently breaks it later that night in his room. But it's not a lost cause. Inside he finds valuable handwritten spells that appear to have been penned by one of Blackbeard's many wives. And no sooner does he read the spells aloud is he visited by Blackbeard (Peter Ustinov) himself, whose appearance, and his sword, are very real, but who only Walker can see and hear. The two don't exactly hit it off. Blackbeard's antics land Walker in jail, but when the long-departed pirate learns that the inn might be lost, he goes to work, clandestinely manipulating people and money behind-the-scenes, rolling a small sum of cash into a bet that the Godolphin track team will win a big track meet against three bitter, and much bigger, rival schools. Of course the team stands no chance unless an invisible helper stands up for them.

Blackbeard's Ghost is vintage live-action Disney. A college program on the outs and a bit of unexpected and unusual help to get it going are amongst the central storylines. Audiences might remember such slot dynamics from films like The Absent-Minded Professor and The Strongest Man in the World. There's a supernatural bend to this one, but it's just as funny, and its unusual pairing -- the pirate Blackbeard helping out a then-contemporary track team -- makes it all the more appealing and entertaining. It's slow out of the gate, but once Walker and Blackbeard take that first joyride in his car, it's all fun, all the time thereafter, particularly as Blackbeard works his magic on the track, where Walker tries to stop him but appears as if a crazy man trying to run down a ghost that nobody else can see...which he is!

Blackbeard's Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Blackbeard's Ghost looks magnificent on Blu-ray. It's a shame some of these vintage Disney films are somewhat "hidden" as online exclusives, because they tend to be some of the better catalogue releases on the market. Old Yeller, Treasure Island, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids...all of them impress, as does Blackbeard's Ghost. The image is pleasantly filmic. Grain is regular but accentuating and laying the foundation for a wonderful film-quality presentation. Details are sharp and clean, whether Walker's car, the wood-heavy inn interiors, or Blackbeard's coat and all its straps, buttons, and embellishments, not to mention the fabric itself. Overall image clarity is fantastic. Colors are rich and lively, particularly the diversely colored apparel the innkeepers wear at the beginning. Blacks are prone to lightening around the edges, one of the only real drawbacks. Flesh tones appear balanced and accurate.

Blackbeard's Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Blackbeard's Ghost serves up a simple Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack. Things do not begin promisingly. The track seems hopelessly crunchy and unkempt, barely cobbling together a basic sonic structure. Some of the less intensive musical and effects cues to follow do reveal a little more stability and definition. Crackling thunder at the 22-minute mark is satisfyingly sharp. Most effects produce serviceable presence and clarity, but some of the track and field meet cheers do go a little muffled. Dialogue images well enough to the center and plays with adequate definition.

Blackbeard's Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Disney Movie Club exclusive Blu-ray release of Blackbeard's Ghost contains no supplemental content.

Blackbeard's Ghost Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Blackbeard's Ghost is an enjoyable little movie that's clever, funny, and different. Disney has done well by this vintage catalogue release. While the Blu-ray is featureless and audio is meek, the 1080p transfer is spectacular. It's currently exclusive to Disney's online movie club, and it comes highly recommended.