By Spencer Short

Written and directed by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman, based on their stage play

Readers Note: This essay contains plot details

Ghost Stories is a rich, layered character study and ethical examination of professor and professional paranormal debunker Philip Goodman. In the film, he examines three impossible-to-explain supernatural case studies, three “ghost stories” that are far more than they first appear. The film opens with an ambiguous collection of symbols – the sounds of dripping water, then labored breathing. After the title, we see random chalk numbers, then an upside-down window, as Philip Goodman narrates, “it was my father’s religious beliefs that destroyed our family.” Wings flutter, and we are at Philip Goodman’s bar mitzvah, an event featuring smiling family members, but depicted with an atmosphere of melancholic detachment. The bar mitzvah is the first clue that this film is concerned with studying transitional life stages, something beyond simple stories designed to scare the audience.

In a few brief segments of home movies after the bar mitzvah scene, we see what Philip is referencing. His father violently disapproves of Philip’s sister’s relationship with a man of another race and religion. In a quick series of cuts, we see young Goodman filming his father, who sees Philip and becomes angry. His father’s suspenders are undone, implying that they have been used for punishment. A young, smiling Goodman dissolves to an older, weary Goodman, who warns, “we have to be so very careful what we believe in.”

Goodman hosts a television show that aims to debunk paranormal phenomena and expose manipulative false psychics. The blunt title of his show, Psychic Cheats, is simple reality TV branding, aimed at a broad audience. From the brief segments of the show that we do see, it is not necessarily a profound intellectual voyage, as Goodman imagines. The primary goal is to expose, and humiliate, false psychics and other manipulators. Indeed, these false psychics are taking advantage of people, and exploiting tragedy; but Goodman doesn’t seem to be involved in a sober search for truth, instead he plays up the base appeal. It is a simple reality show, after all – audiences tune in for the drama and conflict.

Charles Cameron

Shortly after we meet Goodman, we see that he is planning to meet with a man named Charles Cameron. Decades prior, Cameron did the sort of paranormal debunking work that Goodman models his TV show and, by extension, his life’s work on. Philip Goodman sees Charles Cameron as his mentor, even though the two have never met before. Goodman speaks about Cameron’s inspiration, ironically, in religious terminology. He says that watching Cameron was like being hit by a bolt of lightning, and he realized that’s what and who he wanted to be – a professional debunker of the supernatural, using psychological and scientific explanations to counter paranormal experiences.

Shortly after they meet, Cameron immediately rebukes Goodman, and says that he looks back on his past with shame. Cameron does not mince words in response to Goodman’s work, “it’s shit”; he has learned from his past and moved on, while Philip Goodman has entrenched himself further into his arrogance.

Cameron also mocks Goodman’s marital status, he’s “not surprised” that Goodman isn’t married. This isn’t a jab at his courtship skills or lack thereof, but rather a comment on Goodman’s philosophical worldview. His character epitomizes the most extreme form of philosophical materialism and as such, long-term relationships and marriage represent a mysterious risk that transcends matter, something too dangerous to engage in.

Cameron gives Goodman three supernatural case studies – experiences that he can’t explain away – hoping that Goodman can make sense of them. Still, Cameron has changed his beliefs based on these case studies, and warns Goodman that “it’s all real.” Cameron’s dire warnings to Goodman are delivered with a firm, maxim-like quality. Goodman doesn’t give these warnings the slightest bit of attention, he is immediately dismissive.

Tony Matthews

Goodman’s first inexplicable case is Tony Matthews, a former night watchman who lost his wife to cancer 23 years prior. Goodman “looks like a teacher”, according to Matthews; Goodman corrects him, “professor.” Matthews says he’s seen the show – “it’s shit” (same line as Cameron) – only a joke, but then elaborates that he hasn’t actually seen it. Matthews slyly mentions that professor is the official title for the puppeteer in a Punch and Judy, a traditional English slapstick puppet show. “The professor just learned something from the humble night watchmen.” Is Psychic Cheats a puppet show? Goodman exposes manipulators, but he manipulates participants for his own ego, as Ghost Stories eventually shows. Certainly, few would defend false psychics, but Goodman’s overall approach and style is worth noting – he doesn’t shy away from the sensationalism of what he does.

Matthews doesn’t want to talk about his supernatural experience, but the two agree on payment. Matthews remains standoffish, especially when Goodman asks if he has any children. Goodman increases the payment, and Matthews proceeds. He notes that his 30-year old daughter has been hospitalized for five years, with locked-in syndrome (a form of full-body paralysis), and then recalls his experience.

The building Matthews guarded used to be “a nuthouse for women” hundreds of years prior. As Matthews listens to a radio show, the power shuts down, right in the middle of callers discussing the meaning of married life, specifically finding simple satisfaction in food and television. After restoring the power, Matthews returns to hear a woman describing her dedication to her bedridden husband who suffered a stroke. Matthews mocks her as he listens, “Well like that makes you a saint, you silly old bitch.” Again, the power shuts down.

Matthew’s Russian work partner says they have a word for this atmosphere back home, zloslivy. Interestingly, złośliwy (which is used in Ghost Stories, the stage play) is a Polish word akin to “malicious”, and guz złośliwy refers to a tumor. This establishes a connection between Matthew’s wife and the building he guards.        

After Matthews restores power to the building, it is cut off yet again. He has seen some disturbing things – a dead bird upon entering a basement area, a figure in the distance, and far-off objects that appear to be a person. Eventually he enters a room with mannequins lining the walls. A girl holding a dead bird hugs Matthews and pries at his mouth with a finger. We cut to the present, see an upside-down window, then Goodman talking to Matthews’ priest – Matthews’ experience brought him back to the church. Goodman asks what the priest’s responsibility is when a “grown man” wants to discuss a supernatural experience. The priest says that these experiences are signs encouraging belief.

Goodman is dismissive of the priest, and keeps trying to lead to a further point. He tries to get the priest to assume for the sake of argument that what happened was real. The priest says Matthews “testifies that he saw a spirit, and he changed his ways accordingly…in what way is that not real?” Goodman wants to lead to the point that Matthews had hallucinations caused by grief. The priest responds, “I’m so tired of this modern disregard for the spiritual life. How unfashionable it’s become to believe in anything other than our own personal gains.” Is this all that Goodman believes in? Is this what his Psychic Cheats show is really about? Goodman does fashion himself a minor celebrity; he hopes that Matthews has recognized him from TV when the two first meet.

Matthews went to see his daughter the day after his experience, and when she heard his voice, the doctors say her heart skipped a beat. The priest uses this to counter Goodman’s claims that there is no physical evidence to corroborate Matthews’ experience. The connection between Matthews and his daughter transcends physical reality, as shown by her heart’s response.

Matthews’ priest tells Goodman he should consider this phenomenon in relation to his own family. Goodman actually takes this advice and visits his father, who is suffering from a similar illness as Matthews’ daughter. His body is not totally paralyzed – one shot lingers on small finger movements and his wedding ring, but Goodman’s father cannot speak or react to Goodman, and it is unclear if he understands that he is there.

Matthews has a habit of calling other people “sunbeam”, which has multiple potential meanings. “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” – St. Francis of Assisi. It may indicate Matthews’ connection to humanity – people as beams of light, connecting at the speed of light, or it may be a down-to-earth, but partially dismissive way of addressing others. After all, he does call Goodman and his co-worker Sunbeam, similar to addressing other people as sunshine, which can vary in tone and implication.

Simon Rifkind

Goodman’s second case study involves Simon Rifkind, a troubled young man who is immediately suspicious of Goodman. When Goodman arrives, Rifkind keeps the bright red door chained upon opening, “you might not be the man that I spoke to” – a strange opportunity to impersonate someone for malicious ends, but Rifkind requires physical proof – the letter he sent to Cameron. Rifkind’s parents are in the kitchen, motionless and staring directly at a wall. The door slams shut right before Goodman goes upstairs to reconvene with Rifkind.

Rifkind is obsessed with studying demonic and occult imagery as a way to understand what happened to him. He wants to keep these images out so he can see them all the time; his walls are completely covered. If he doesn’t want to see them, he “can look over there” – at a single image of a plush toy bear pulling the ear of a frowning plush toy dog, comically out of place in the midst of his accumulated demonic imagery. Rifkind’s obsession points toward two types of demons – personal demons, and demons as creatures – physical forms of fully realized evil.

Rifkind’s manic energy and defensiveness seem to indicate that he has “stared into the abyss” for too long. He has been driven to the edge by surrounding himself with and absorbing massive amounts of dark information and imagery. He finds these things in books, and “on the internet”, an acknowledgment of the role of technology in pressing us with more information than we can possibly handle, creating dark obsessions for many.

Rifkind’s story begins with driving his father’s car after failing his driver’s license test. In a heated phone conversation with his father, it’s revealed that Rifkind also failed to send in a housing form for college. Suddenly, a creature drops right out of the sky and on top of Rifkind’s car. Rifkind examines the creature, dead, behind his car. We see horns and a goat-like head, then the full body. It is a demon.

Rifkind drives away, but his car eventually stops. He manages to find enough cell phone service to call for roadside assistance, but the demon appears again, entering his car. It sits behind Rifkind, places its hand on his shoulders, and tells him to stay. Rifkind flees, then comes up against a tree-like creature, who growls and grabs his head.

After hearing this story, Goodman arrives in the woods at the scene of Rifkind’s experience. As he stares at a pile of earth and roots at the bottom of a fallen tree (possibly the same tree that attacked Rifkind), he narrates into his recorder, still not convinced, “It feels quite simple to me, really. The brain sees what it wants to see. They’re your words, Charles [Cameron]. Tony Matthews is an alcoholic who’s wrestling with unresolved grief. And Simon is a fragile young man and from a deeply dysfunctional family who’s on the edge of psychosis.”

Mike Priddle

In his third case study, Goodman meets Mike Priddle – on a long pathway, outdoors in a field. Priddle is a confident, boisterous businessman. We learn that Priddle wanted to have a child, but his wife sought more financial security through partnership at her law firm first. Priddle is presented as a down-to-earth, practical person, in contrast to Goodman. “Someone’s got to earn the money so you brainy poofters can sit around stroking your chins and pulling onion out of your arses all day long.” Like with Tony Matthews, Goodman is pressing and rushing Priddle to get to the incident. Goodman doesn’t like to chat, he wants to quickly hear each person’s story so he can start poking holes.

As Priddle looks for the key to his gun safe – located far away from any other building, he continues on with the story. When Priddle’s wife got her partnership, they began trying for a child, but ran into complications. “A splash of IVF get the old baby machine working again…30 grand later, bull’s eye”, but Priddle’s wife ran into further complications seven months into the pregnancy.

As Priddle continues his story, we first see him at his lavish house, in winter. He has heard a few eerie noises and disturbances during the night. After walking through his house, he settles in the room set up for his new child. As he reaches for the empty baby crib (Maria is still in the hospital), something bursts on the other side of the room, sending diapers flying from the changing table. As Priddle picks up, multiple items at the table spontaneously assemble and stack on top of each other. Priddle sees this as a poltergeist – “an evil spirit or an angry spirit”. Goodman is unconvinced, “there’s absolutely no evidence to support that”, he states with a small chuckle.

 The doctors scanned Priddle’s wife Maria, but didn’t want to show them, as there were “distortions on the screen or something.” The film shifts back to Goodman, who sees a figure in the distance at a higher point of the road, then it suddenly appears and disappears in front of him. As Priddle continues the story, the figure follows them from a distance.

Priddle sees the mobile moving itself at the crib. A sheet rises from the crib, the temperature drops, and flowers wilt. Priddle sees his wife, who flatly tells him “we are dead.” When the hospital called, “I knew what they were going to tell me. The Prophet.” Maria died in childbirth, and Priddle says he’s glad she didn’t live to see what baby Barty looked like. After finishing his story, and telling Goodman that life finds a way and goes on, Priddle kills himself with his shotgun.

Like Tony Matthews, who “went back to the church”, Priddle “[didn’t believe in evil] until that night.” Both of these statements are moral proclamations that clash with Goodman’s materialism. Priddle’s work nickname, “The Prophet”, is another religious reference that prods at Goodman’s worldview.

Desmond Callahan

After witnessing Priddle’s suicide, Goodman drives back to see Cameron and confronts him, claiming that all of these cases are part of a hoax. Cameron tells Goodman that he lacks the humility to try to understand that things may not be as they seem. Goodman says, “Everything, everything is exactly as it seems.” The structure of Goodman’s experience begins to collapse in upon itself, as Charles Cameron pulls his face away – a mask – revealing Mike Priddle beneath. Priddle uses his finger to cut through the window, just paper, revealing a black wall and door.

Charles Cameron / Mike Priddle speaks for Goodman’s subconscious – his guilt, his insecurities, and for what he knows to be true despite all his efforts to suppress it. Priddle now addresses Goodman directly, using the voice of a school bully, hurling antisemitic taunts, as the two walk near deserted train tracks.

Goodman and Priddle reach a tunnel. Priddle disappears, leaving Goodman with his bullies, who continue the antisemitic slurs and references as they demand Goodman to approach. Now, we see a young, school age Goodman, letting the audience know that this is a key memory. We are finally directly in Goodman’s mind, after spending the majority of the film with Cameron’s three case studies.

The bullies demand Goodman line up against a wall as they throw rocks at beer bottles, one by his foot, then one by his face. Before they can throw the second rock, another person approaches, derogatorily called “Kojak” by the bullies (and Goodman as well, but not to his face). This is Desmond Callahan – he is mentally disabled and does not understand the harmful intentions of the two other boys. They push him to enter a tunnel and count the numbers inside. If he remembers the tenth number, he can join their gang; but there is no tenth number. One of the bullies threatens Goodman with a broken beer bottle by his neck, so he’ll keep quiet and not try to help Callahan.

Callahan suffers an asthma attack inside the tunnel, in a scene that is stark and disturbing to witness. The bullies flee, and Goodman flees as well; after a short pause moving to the present, adult Goodman sees Priddle again, who confronts him, “You left him to die in there, didn’t you?” Goodman asks, “What could I have done?” Priddle answers quickly, “Told someone when you got home? Brought it up in assembly the next day? How about running into The Echo to see if Desmond needed help?” Goodman says it was a fluke. Priddle rejects that answer, “The only fluke here is the fluke in his DNA that left him vulnerable to people like you.”

Goodman is highly offended by Priddle’s “people like you” comment. Goodman says, “I’ve spent my life trying to help people…trying to help people see the truth in amongst the sea of sentimental lies and crap.” Goodman says he isn’t responsible because he didn’t force Callahan to stay in the tunnel. Priddle says, “That’s right, you did nothing.” Goodman ascribes immorality primarily to beliefs, not actions, so it makes sense that he does not place importance on inaction. To be fair, one of the bullies threatened Goodman with a broken beer bottle to the neck if he didn’t let Callahan in the tunnel, but at no point did Goodman attempt to help, even after both of the bullies fled the scene. It is clear that the film wants us to side with Priddle, and condemn Goodman’s inaction. In the stage play, Goodman’s excuses are described as “pathetic.” After the bullies left, nothing was stopping him from entering the tunnel and contacting Callahan’s parents.

Priddle says that Goodman has spent his life “reducing life’s biggest questions to atoms and molecules.” This is philosophical materialism, the belief that matter is all that exists. “What else is there, for God’s sake?” Goodman asks, ironically invoking more religious language.

Priddle spells it out for Goodman in no uncertain terms, “…what you’ve actually been doing with your life isn’t helping others, it’s running from your greatest fear, which is that there’s more than the here and now, and that every action you’ve ever taken, or didn’t take, has had an effect. It’s left a little trace. A ghost of itself.” This is, of course, the thesis of Ghost Stories. Every character has urged Goodman to look beyond, but Cameron as Priddle is the one who finally forces Goodman to see this using the only thing Goodman can understand – his own experiences.

The Hospital

After the confrontation, Priddle leaves with his son Barty; Callahan reappears, rotting and with green skin. He pulls away Goodman’s clothes to reveal a hospital gown and, like Priddle, pulls back further scenery to reveal a hospital bed behind a curtain in a white brick hallway. As Goodman lies in the hospital bed, Callahan lies next to him, forever.

Now in the hospital, two doctors go over Goodman’s state – he has attempted suicide via self-asphyxiation in his car. He is “here for keeps”, a “probable lock-in.” In a twisted Wizard of Oz moment, it is revealed that Goodman’s three case study subjects are actually hospital employees caring for him. Priddle and Rifkind are doctors, and Matthews is a custodian. Beyond the Wizard of Oz reveal, even shades of A Christmas Carol can be read in Ghost Stories, with three people (or ghosts) urging Goodman to change, but it’s been too late the entire time. What would Philip Goodman say about his own medical state, if he had the chance? Would he place any value on the life and experience of someone in a locked-in state, or would he reduce that person to “atoms and molecules?”

Dr. Priddle, who wore the face of Cameron in Goodman’s mind, references Cameron as his old professor, who used to say, “let’s just hope his dreams are as sweet.” A radio interview can be heard when custodian Matthews enters to clean up, echoing the radio interviews heard by night watchman Matthews, “love has a way of conquering…” and “it sounds silly, but we like doing everything together, whatever it is.” Goodman doesn’t seem to have any friends or family left to give him consideration, and his medical condition is just another part of the job to the hospital employees; Dr. Priddle especially, who jokes that Goodman should’ve used a shotgun if he really wanted to die. Custodian Matthews tells “sunbeam” Goodman to “be good”, and moves a mirror so he can see the window, for a “change of scenery.” We see the inverted window from the beginning of the film, and a bird suddenly thuds into it. Then, in a noticeable tonal shift, the popular 1960s song “Monster Mash” plays.

Goodman’s reality has been trying to break through continuously – in his mind, there have been scenes of Callahan and the bullies, shots of hospital scrubs, the upside-down window; Goodman even sees himself at some points, but now, it is fully revealed. In the stage play, Goodman’s case studies are part of an academic lecture, which he restarts after the hospital reveal. He is locked in an infinite loop, forever.

The Last Key

Earlier in the film, searching for the key to his gun safe, Priddle asked Goodman, “why is it always the last key unlocks everything?” The last key is the central ethical reveal of the film – young Philip’s decision to abandon Desmond Callahan in the tunnel – which invites comparisons to coming-of-age stories that deal with life-changing events in adolescence. Ghost Stories walks a dark path that is not usually explored in traditional coming-of-age storytelling. In most coming-of-age dramas dealing with adult themes, the characters ultimately find some way to grow and move on from their experiences. But what if the characters didn’t move on, and instead permanently corrupted themselves? What if they didn’t simply encounter and deal with death, but were in some way responsible for it? This is the dark branching path of Philip Goodman in Ghost Stories. What makes everything worse is that he has never attempted to process the guilt of his part in the events. It seems safe to assume that Goodman’s suicide attempt is connected to that day, and that he hasn’t thought about Callahan in years, maybe even decades. Of course, Goodman is a victim of abuse as well. It is important to remember that when Priddle confronts Goodman about his responsibility, this is Goodman speaking to himself. Goodman knows that he did something wrong, but he has avoided confronting what happened in any capacity. He hasn’t tried to learn a lesson and change, like the three subjects of his case studies.

The events of the fateful day in Goodman’s memory are the roots of his identity, a fallen tree with no foundation, just like the tree in the woods of Rifkind’s encounter. This monstrous tree creature struck at Rifkind’s head, his mind, just like Goodman’s belief-hating belief system struck at his. The very first line of the film is about beliefs – Goodman says his father’s religious beliefs destroyed the family, implying that the beliefs were more instrumental than the violent actions themselves. As Priddle spelled out, Goodman’s worldview is just a way to avoid dealing with the day he abandoned Callahan. One of the film’s major lines, “the brain sees what it wants to see”, has a double meaning. Cameron used to use it as a way to dismiss people’s experiences, which Goodman adopted, but it also refers to the human capacity for self-deception. The excuses Goodman gives to Priddle are “psychic cheats” against himself. Goodman’s three case studies have all accepted moral lessons from their experiences, or at least accepted that these experiences forever changed them, unlike Goodman.

 Everything that happens after the introduction of Goodman’s character seems to be in his head – it is noted that Cameron mysteriously disappeared, abandoning his car near his home. After this, we see the second upside-down window shot after a fluttering of wings, indicating that Goodman is in the hospital. This is when Goodman receives a personal invitation from Cameron in the mail. Goodman thinks so highly of himself that a disappeared man he has never even met would send him a personal invitation. Goodman’s inflated ego is emphasized in small ways throughout the film – he pushes for acknowledgment and recognition, he pushes his interviews forward, only interested in getting to the debunking stage as quickly as possible, and he is always dismissive of his subjects.

Before the invitation, Goodman says he wishes he could have met Cameron, so that is what his mind begins to do. Again, “the brain sees…” Right before Goodman’s first case, he sits at a bench and sees the two bullies from his memory playing with a dead bird. Another figure, who seems to be young Goodman, stands motionless, facing away from the camera, just like Rifkind’s parents. This is confirmation that Goodman never really received an invitation from Cameron, because Goodman experiences these scenes as if they are unfolding before him, but we know they are actually his memories trying to break through. Furthermore, a Fine Fare grocery store bag lands at Goodman’s feet as he sits on the bench, the same bag from his memory. Fine Fare was consolidated in the late 1980s, so this is a clue that two different time periods are merging in Goodman’s mind.

Goodman attempted suicide at an ambiguous narrative point – the only “real” events of the film are his introduction as a TV personality and his hospital stay. We know that he attempted suicide in April, but there is no context for this in the rest of the film. During the introduction, there are no signs of reality breaking, besides the introductory water drip, fluttering wings, and upside-down window. Goodman’s interview and first clip of Psychic Cheats are presented in a documentary style, so we can take them at face value, although it’s certainly possible that he never had a TV show to begin with. After the introduction, Goodman’s reality is periodically interrupted by memories of the bullies, Callahan, and his younger self, indicating that this is when he’s in the hospital. Similarly, in the stage play, a seemingly lucid Goodman momentarily loses consciousness a few times during his lecture.

Where did the stories of Goodman’s three case studies come from? Are they actually parts of Goodman’s life? The film does not explicitly indicate, but there are some connections to be made. We know that details from the hospital employee’s conversations found their way into Goodman’s visions – the radio interviews, the shotgun, “sunbeam”, Rifkind’s phone conversation with his mother, Priddle checking his texts, and so on, but what about the full storylines?

Rifkind’s tumultuous relationship with his disappointed father mirrors Goodman’s relationship with his father. At multiple points, it is emphasized that Goodman is unmarried and has no children. Perhaps Goodman has suffered the death of a spouse and/or child, and prefers not to talk about it (as he probes for personal details in his three case studies). Indeed, all three men are reluctant to describe what happened to them – Matthews is direct and abrasive, Rifkind suspicious and paranoid, and Priddle goes off on brief conversational tangents. Matthews’ wife died of cancer, and his daughter is in the hospital with locked-in syndrome, just like Goodman. Priddle’s wife died in childbirth, and his son struggles to survive on the edge of life and death. Paralysis ties together Goodman, his father, Rifkind’s parents, and Matthews’ daughter. Though this is Goodman’s own diagnosis influencing the stories in his mind, it has an important deeper meaning – he has spent his life mocking the possibility that there is anything beyond physical reality, and now his agency in that very physical reality is limited to the utmost extreme. Even if he manages to recover and leave his mental loop, he will only be able to communicate using eye movements.

Cultural and class differences separate Goodman and his cases, but this doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of connection. Matthews’ working class and Priddle’s wealthy class identities may represent aspects of how Goodman wishes he could see himself, just like how Cameron is Goodman’s model of a morally righteous person. In between Matthews and Priddle is Rifkind, the most directly similar to Goodman, but with an inversion. Rifkind is obsessed with the occult and demonic, the dark and evil side of the supernatural, whereas Goodman is obsessed with purging his world of anything even remotely supernatural, whether positive or negative. Rifkind’s temperament is more disconnected and manic than Goodman, but the two share a sense of obsession, anxiety, and strained parental relationships.

It does seem that Charles Cameron is a real person, and his identity as a former professional paranormal debunker can be taken at face value. After all, Priddle references him in the “true” reality of the hospital.

Symbolism

The sounds of dripping water occur both at the beginning and end of the film. Priddle fixes a dripping faucet in his story, and Goodman is connected to an IV drip at the hospital. Dripping water is a minor annoyance, but one that represents insistence. It usually continues indefinitely until it is dealt with. It is also an emotionally ambiguous sound, but one that can become ominous with context. Finally, dripping water is of course a reminder of what happened to Callahan that day. It is one incessant reminder among many that symbolizes Philip’s inaction with the memory of the lonely, empty tunnel where Callahan died.

Dead birds are also featured prominently throughout the film. A dead bird is one step down from a living bird with broken wings; it cannot return to experience, but a bird with broken wings still has experience and life, however faint. Dead birds connotate lost potential, something which ties together Goodman and Callahan. The bullies also lost potential through their treatment of Callahan, something Goodman is complicit in.

Interpreting Philip Goodman’s last name in a literal sense may seem inappropriate in a search for symbolism, but the film’s ethical concerns certainly invite it. Custodian Matthews also tells Goodman to “be good”, a major hint about the name. Philip Goodman believes that his work is a moral good – objectively so. Above all, Goodman believes that he is doing his part to fight a moral crusade, perhaps the moral crusade of our time.

Goodman’s three cases all contain religious references – Matthew, Simon, and Michael. Goodman was raised under Judaism, and these names have (mostly) New Testament connotations, but it is worth noting. Mike Priddle refers to himself as “The Prophet” twice. Goodman looks down on religious beliefs, even though he can’t help but utilize religious language and references to express himself. He was inspired by Cameron like a bolt of lightning (the proverbial “strike me down”), and he asks of Priddle, “what else is there, for God’s sake?” Goodman even hears the disembodied voice of Cameron in the forest site of Rifkind’s incident, echoing Matthews’ priest – supernatural experiences are signs. 

A major line in the film, and Cameron’s old catchphrase, “the brain sees what it wants to see”, ties into the credits song. These three cases are ultimately constructed in Goodman’s mind. Goodman’s conscience is trying to teach him something, but of course his personality still influences the style of these lessons. He sees some of the people involved as creatures (or corpses/“zombies”). Mike Priddle’s wife and son are depicted as creatures, as well as the girl that Tony Matthews’ has seen, a stand-in for his daughter. Simon Rifkind meets a demonic creature, and ultimately, Goodman sees Callahan as a creature, which is the most revealing part. Goodman’s worldview is portrayed as arrogance at best, and a total denial of humanity at worst, so the depiction of these characters as creatures is a natural extension of this.

Conclusion

The three case studies tasked to Goodman initially present themselves as traditional scary stories, hence the film’s title, but they are really meditations on life and tragedy; they are allegories about the permanence of human connections beyond physical reality. A ghost is a non-living being who haunts. To be haunted is to be reminded. The last thing Goodman wants is a reminder of his inaction. In the wake of his suicide attempt, this is exactly what he has received.

Do ghosts “really exist”? In Ghost Stories, a simple yes or no is beside the point. Though Cameron says “all of it” is real, and Goodman is urged to believe what people say in a literal sense, this is more about mutual respect and acknowledging possibilities than anything else. Like Priddle says, ghosts are traces of action and inaction, and as Matthews’ priest asked Goodman, what could be more real than changing one’s ways after a powerful experience? People don’t need supernatural experiences to know that there’s something beyond the physical world, because our daily lives continually involve human connection. Goodman’s all-or-nothing approach removes humanity from the equation.