Ghostbusters (1984)

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Looking for a non-Star Wars movie for the 'Pail, rented this and watched it for the first time in years this week.

[smg58]

Very memorable, very quotable, exactly what you want in a classic comedy.

[Frayed Knot]

This is one of those mega-hits that I just never got around to.

[Edgy MD]

[TransMonk]

I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

It's quite possible I've seen this movie more times than any other movie I've ever granted repeated viewings (The Right Stuff and Monty Python and the Holy Grail are other strong candidates).

I'm giving it 4.5 points only because of the rightwing/libertarian indoctrination points (from the so-called liberal Hollywood) keep it from being a perfect movie.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets � Willets Point wrote: I'm giving it 4.5 points only because of the rightwing/libertarian indoctrination points (from the so-called liberal Hollywood) keep it from being a perfect movie.

It's been a long time since I've seen the movie. Can you elaborate?


I recall when I saw Ghostbusters for the first time (about 30 years ago!?!) it reminded me of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein in that they both nicely blend comedy and horror elements.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Loved it as a kid. Love it maybe even more (for some of the same reasons, and some different reasons) as an adult.

What really gets me about this one? The comedic timing is absolutely perfect. Every joke, every reaction shot, everyone*.

*You expect it from Murray and Ramis and Ackroyd and Moranis, maybe. But Hudson and Potts and the character actors... they all serve the material-- the timeless one-liners, the HoF smartassery-- REALLY well.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Loved it as a kid. Love it maybe even more (for some of the same reasons, and some different reasons) as an adult. What really gets me about this one? The comedic timing is absolutely perfect. Every joke, every reaction shot, everyone*. *You expect it from Murray and Ramis and Ackroyd and Moranis, maybe. But Hudson and Potts and the character actors... they all serve the material-- the timeless one-liners, the HoF smartassery-- REALLY well.

So very true. Hudson isn't even in the first half of the movie but ends up with at least three of the best quotable lines.

[Vic Sage]

What, you think they should have listened to that dickless EPA lawyer? (It's true... that man had no dick)
Nah. The EPA is for saps, i tell ya...

This one holds up really well.

It's one of the best movies of its era, and one of the best comedies ever, and certainly one of the handful of best HORROR/Comedies ever
ON a list that includes:
ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEETS FRANKENSTEIN
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS
THEATER OF BLOOD
ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
ROCKY HORROR SHOW
AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
GREMLINS
RE-ANIMATOR
ARMY OF DARKNESS
LOST BOYS
FRIGHT NIGHT
CREEPSHOW
RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD
EVIL DEAD II
TREMORS
DEAD ALIVE
SCREAM
FROM DUSK TIL DAWN
SHAUN OF THE DEAD
BEETLEJUICE
ZOMBIELAND
DARK SHADOWS
CABIN IN THE WOODS

[Vic Sage]

So very true. Hudson isn't even in the first half of the movie but ends up with at least three of the best quotable lines.

* Ah, if there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say.

* This job is definitely *not* worth eleven-five a year!

* That's a big Twinkie.

* Since I joined these men, I've seen shit that'll turn you white.

* Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"!

* I love this town!

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Vic Sage wrote: So very true. Hudson isn't even in the first half of the movie but ends up with at least three of the best quotable lines. * Ah, if there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say. * This job is definitely *not* worth eleven-five a year! * That's a big Twinkie. * Since I joined these men, I've seen shit that'll turn you white. * Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"! * I love this town!

There you go, SIX great Winston Zeddemore quotes and he's not even top-billed.

[Guest Swan Swan H]

Our son watched this on VHS practically every day when he was about five or six. Years went by, and when he re-watched it as a teen he said "I can't believe you let me watch this movie!" He had the action figures, the firehouse, the proton pack, the jumpsuit, and a trap made of a shoebox, caution tape and some plastic hose. It was rarely quiet around our apartment, but we were definitely safe from ghosts. Despite all that, I never got tired of the movie.

My favorite line - "It's a sign, all right - goin' out of business"

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

It was funnier than I remembered.

True story: Robyn Hitchcock's awesome "Balloon Man" was inspired by the climax. Video starts at 3:00:

[youtube:mwkssoqc]3UzmtXKxJnA[/youtube:mwkssoqc]

[Edgy MD]

GB3 delaying filming until Fall 2013 at the earliest.

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Edgy DC wrote: GB3 delaying filming until Fall 2013 at the earliest.

Ghostbusters without Bill Murray would blow chunks. Ghostbusters 2 was bad enough.

[Edgy MD]

Yabbut, maybe a transitional Generations-type film that features the old cast mentoring some new busters for their own film run would be in order.

Know who'd make a fun trio of Ghostbosters? Rob, Dick, and Barry from Hi Fidelity.

How did this do in the 80s movie showdown?

[nymr83]

4.5 one of my all-time favorites.

Would have been a 5.0 if I had read the thread before voting and realized that the movie's "libertarian viewpoint" actually bothered a liberal.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Still looking for an explanation of the "libertarian viewpoint"

[Guest Mets � Willets Point]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Still looking for an explanation of the "libertarian viewpoint"

"I've worked in the private sector� they expect results!" Translation = public money for scientific research is just used by leeches who want gifts and handouts.

And the main villain of the movie is a gummint agent hell-bent on regulating hard-working capitalists out of business. Not just any government agent, mind you, but a bearded hippie from the EPA. He deserves nothing less than a full-body scalding in molten marshmallow.

Really, despite the "liberal Hollywood" myth, movies (especially 1980s movies) are full of depictions of the government as evil or at the very best incompetent with the message being that if they just let a few (mostly white) men who are packing heat (or proton packs) take care of business unimpeded everything would be much better.

[metirish]

It was on recently on cable, watched it with Lorcan, I loved it as I remembered..........he loved the Marshmallow Man payoff....I didn't know until the latest viewing that Akroyd and Raimes were the writers.

Love the song too, so 80's.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, it seemed like from 1980 to 1995, it was really hard to name a successful comedy without some Second City DNA. Many with a lot. Occasional seedy violent comedies like Midnight Run or 48 Hours were the main exceptions.