THEY’RE HERE TO SAVE THE WORLD.
Parapsychologists Pete Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis) start a business where they hunt ghosts in New York City, but a particularly dangerous demon is about to present itself.
One of the biggest hits of the 1980s has become a much-loved classic with a perfect cast, including perennial Ivan Reitman collaborator Murray’s irreverent ghostbuster and Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis in amusing supporting turns as the demon’s victims. The visual effects show their age but are very creative, with a giant marshmallow man as a highlight.
Moves along briskly, with New York City a character all its own, and scored by Ray Parker, Jr.:s title song, which is used to great effect in the opening sequence.
1984-U.S. 107 min. Color. Widescreen. Produced and directed by Ivan Reitman. Screenplay: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis. Music: Elmer Bernstein. Song: ”Ghostbusters” (Ray Parker, Jr.). Visual Effects: Richard Edlund. Cast: Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler), Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson.
Trivia: Reitman also did several ghost voices. Chevy Chase, Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton were considered for roles; Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts auditioned for Weaver’s part. Followed by three sequels, starting with Ghostbusters II (1989), and an animated TV series, The Real Ghostbusters (1986-1991). Remade as Ghostbusters (2016).
BAFTA: Best Original Song.
Last word: “I had a meeting with Frank Price, who was running Columbia Pictures. He said, ‘I hear you guys have a movie you want to make.’ I said, ‘Bill and Danny both want to do it. We want to bring Harold Ramis into it. They’re writing a script.’ I gave him a description of the script, even though it didn’t exist. Stripes had cost $10 million; Ghostbusters was going to be way more elaborate, so I thought, let’s make it three times as expensive: $30 million. I was really just pulling a figure from the air. He said, ‘You’ve got a deal.’ This was May, 1983; about six weeks later, Aykroyd, Ramis, and I all went to Martha’s Vineyard, where Dan has a house, and spent two or two-and-a-half weeks in Aykroyd’s basement, every day. [We] basically created the movie as it exists now on film.” (Reitman, Rolling Stone)
