Ghostbusters (PG)

Upon hitting the theaters on June 7, 1984, few could have envisioned the lasting imprint that the film “Ghostbusters” would have, not only on cinema, but on our entire culture.

With its star packed cast, “Ghostbusters’” legacy would go on to spawn cartoons and video games in abundance. It would conjure a 1989 sequel (that’s decent though I could live without), and an iconic and highly recognizable hit song by Ray Parker Jr. “Ghostbusters” would serve as a blueprint for today’s bevy of paranormal and ghost hunting television shows that plague the cable airwaves. It also produced numerous catch phrases – “he slimed me,” “who ya gonna call,” “don’t cross the streams” – to name a few, that are still remembered and recited now thirty years later.

Probably the least known member of the crew upon its release was the man who had the most success behind the scenes of anyone else from this generation. While Harold Ramis’ career as an actor was limited at best (his role as scientist nerd Egon Spengler in “Ghostbusters” would be his most famous on screen performance) he would be the creative force as a writer/director behind blockbuster films “Animal House,” “Caddyshack,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Groundhog Day,” “Analyze This,” and both “Ghostbuster” movies.

The original concept for “Ghostbusters” was born from the comedic mind of “Saturday Night Live” star Dan Aykroyd, whose original premise was created for him and fellow SNL alum John Belushi. The proposed cast of characters that would have joined Aykroyd and Belushi also included John Candy and Eddie Murphy. With Belushi’s untimely death, and Candy and Murphy unable to commit, Aykroyd teamed up with Ramis to overhaul the script, with the result being one of the best movies to emerge from the decade.

“Ghostbusters” follows the story of three friends and paranormal scientists; Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd) and Egon Spengler (Ramis) as they research a shared obsession with ghosts and the supernatural. After a frightening encounter with a spirit at the New York Public Library, the three decide to open a business together as ghostbusters, in effort to rid the city of New York from mischievous spirits.

“Ghostbusters” holds a rare style, in that to pinpoint it into one specific genre is nearly impossible. “Ghostbusters” could be correctly referred to as a comedy, with its trough of comedic actors, though the laughs are never to the point of drawn out hysteria. Drawing on their roles from SNL, many of the scenes are improvisational style and the humor tends to be dry and witty. Rick Moranis adds a blend of goofiness as only he can. The concept of these three idiots battling supernatural entities is priceless in terms of flat out funny.

“Ghostbusters” could be called a horror film, as there are several scary scenes – though none so rampant that the squeamish couldn’t handle. It’s setting of a brooding New York City in a pre-’90s happy-go-lucky-coffee-shop way adds a formidable amount of uneasiness. Whether it’s the quality of the film from back in the day or just the concept itself, “Ghostbusters” has a feeling of eeriness draped throughout (similar to its 1984 counterpart “Gremlins”) – from its downright terrifying opening sequence to the dramatic and well known conclusion.

There is also a bit of romance in the movie between Venkman and client Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver), though the relationship is thankfully secondary to the ghostbusting and barely developed at all. Barrett is a sophisticated sort who is clearly upper-echelon in comparison to the crass Venkman, and comes to the Ghostbusters’ office when her apartment in a sinister New York high-rise comes under attack from malevolent spirits.

With limited special effects back in 1984, “Ghostbusters” still does a plausible job of making the scenes believable. Several of the ghosts are puppet-like (in the days before CGI) and as a result actually look better than they would if done today. Additionally, the energy blasting weapons used by the ghostbusters are quite realistic and prove to be more than capable. I actually think “Ghostbusters” is better off having been done thirty years ago as opposed to today.

I was planning on reviewing “Ghostbusters” for The Movie Buff’s 2014 annual “31 Days of Halloween” event, but with the death of Harold Ramis on February 24, 2014, thought it more fitting to post now.

A legend behind the camera often gets overlooked for the glam and stardom of the faces we see on screen. Ramis was a brilliant director and a terrific writer. His mind had the range to create a spectrum of tales from a comical golf course showdown to chasing ghosts throughout the boroughs of New York. Despite his mastery behind the scenes, he will always be vividly remembered as the lanky and awkward Dr. Egon Spengler. When Ramis co-wrote “Ghostbusters” he didn’t just create a movie, he created a forever lasting phenomena.

by – Matt Christopher