The best ghostly comedies

1BLITHE SPIRIT (1945)

THIS Noel Coward comedy sees Rex Harrison as a man haunted by the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, when he marries again. Sadly, only he can see his mischievous former spouse.

2GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

THE original ghostbusting team saw Bill Murray ad-libbing most of his lines as scientist Peter Venkman and he also coined the phrase “You’re toast” in the film.

3BEETLEJUICE (1988)

MICHAEL KEATON also ad-libbed a lot of his lines as the ghoulish bio-exorcist with a talent for causing undead trouble and mayhem for the living. Say his name three times and he appears.

4HIGH SPIRITS (1988)

PETER O’ TOOLE found himself with a castle full of ghosts after advertising haunted holidays to attract guests to try to make money for the upkeep of his crumbling Irish home. Liam Neeson is one of the ghosts.

5SCROOGED (1988)

BILL MURRAY found himself facing ghosts again in this modern take on the Dickens novel A Christmas Carol. Murray’s three brothers all appeared in the film.

6CASPER (1995)

FRIENDLY ghost Casper befriends the daughter of a paranormal investigator (Christina Ricci), when they move into a spooky house and also discovers more about his own past.

7THE FRIGHTENERS (1996)

MICHAEL J FOX uses his ability to see the dead to earn a living as a ghost pest controller .... but then a demon turns up and starts killing people.