Ghostbusters (1984)
by Robbo
Posted on 15 May 2021
Rating -
Ghostbusters is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. It stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler, a trio of eccentric parapsychologists who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. The film also stars Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis, and features Annie Potts, William Atherton, and Ernie Hudson in supporting roles.
Based on his own fascination with spirituality, Aykroyd conceived Ghostbusters as a project for himself and John Belushi. The protagonists would travel through time and space to combat a host of demonic and supernatural threats. Following Belushi’s death, and with Aykroyd’s concept deemed financially impractical, he was paired with Ramis to rewrite the script to set it in New York City and make it more realistic.
Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler are parapsychology professors at Columbia University investigating the paranormal. Following their first encounter with a ghost manifesting at the New York Public Library, the university dean fires them and dismisses the credibility of their research.
In response, they create “Ghostbusters”, a paranormal investigation and elimination service operating out of a disused firehouse. They develop high-tech nuclear-powered equipment to capture and contain ghosts.
Although business is initially slow they find themselves overwhelmed by customers, one of them being Dana Barett (Weaver) who contacts them after experiencing strange phenomenon in her apartment.
The Ghostbusters are so overwhelmed with work that they hire Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson).
After researching Dana’s building and observing the increase in supernatural activity, Ray and Egon speculate that this is all related and is escalating to a huge cataclysmic event.
When the world is in danger of being destroyed, the Ghostbusters have to step in to save it.
On the face of it Ghostbusters shouldn’t really work but it does.
The plot is fairly simple but the script by Aykroyd and Ramis is joke laden yet tight, not a line is wasted which keeps the film moving at a good pace.
This is of course Bill Murray’s film with him given room to ad-lib and improvise and the other actors generously allow him to do this.
The special effects, dated by today’s standards enhance the film rather than overwhelm or drive it.
Ghostbusters was an instant favourite when I first saw it and one of those films I could watch over an over again.
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