When it comes to a laughable mess, The Demons of Ludlow can certainly be called one but it is, if nothing else, entertaining as well. Yes it is cheesy and corny and quite silly at times, but director Bill Rebane known for classics like The Giant Spider Invasion and The Capture of Bigfoot, manages to craft a fairly decent little ghost story even if it feels like one has seen it all before.

To sum it up, the film is about a small coastal town, by the name of Ludlow as it were and a haunted piano. Said piano which belonged to the town’s founder makes a comeback and when it does, some of the locals end up getting killed by various ghosts and things. With a pair of reporters in town on assignment and a local priest who is more than curious about what is going on, together they may just get to the bottom of it.

Though Rebane tries, the film is not scary in the slightest, though it can be a little creepy and there is some good suspense present which continues to build throughout, grabbing the audience’s attention despite the special effects which can look amateurish at times. The ghosts are ridiculous and some of those who star within cannot help but overact their parts, whether living or dead. A bit of the dialogue is hokey as well, which one almost expects given how cheap the film looks, but putting all of that aside, one cannot help but be drawn in to see just where this mystery piano leads.

While it might have been unintentional, there was a bit of hilarity involved due to some of the shoddy production, such as during the first third of the picture when the old lady is playing the piano, which is a piano and not an organ but plays like an organ somehow. It is ludicrous to say the least and sets the stage for what is to come throughout the remainder of the movie.

The Demons of Ludlow might be a little obscure and most would probably have never heard about it, but given a chance, there is a bit of fun to be had amidst all the haunting and death that takes place within.

2.5 out of 5