In Ghoulies (1985), college student Jonathan Graves (Peter Liapis) summons demonic forces while exploring his late father's occult artifacts, unleashing mischievous Ghoulies that terrorize his family's mansion. The film stars Lisa Pelikan and Mariska Hargitay in her debut.

Ghoulies II (1987) follows the Ghoulies as they hitch a ride to a carnival and cause chaos in a funhouse attraction, leading to deadly consequences for the visitors. This sequel, directed by Albert Band, features a new cast and was the last film produced under Charles Band's Empire Pictures before rights were sold.