Ghostkeeper (Blu-ray)

Who next becomes the keeper of the beast that lives on human flesh?    

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 its entire cast and a typically atmospheric score by Paul Zaza (My Bloody Valentine), James 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.

• Region A Blu-ray
• 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, 15 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.) – A conversation moderated by Ord and edited by Jim Makichuk
• 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 and an essay on the film’s production history by Eric Volmers
• Reversible cover artwork
• English SDH subtitles