(1984)****1/2
Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Peter Venkmann are a bunch of post-grads doing research at Columbia University on ESP, paranormal, etc. When they figure out the science of capturing and storing a ghost, they make a business out of it and comedy with small amounts of horror ensue once the ghosts get harder to catch. Add in to this mix a still vibrant Sigourney Weaver whose ghosts hang out in her refrigerator, and you have one of the seminal works of '80s films.
Okay, my review is biased by my 5-year-old brain who absolutely fell in love with this movie. It came out in the summer of '84, and by Christmas, my mom was flouting the FBI's warnings by using two VCRs to pirate copy after copy to give to everyone as a present. I begged her for a shirt that said "Don't mess with me man, I'm a Ghostbuster", but she told me that the shirt had too much attitude or some such parental nonsense. Hard to believe my mother was 32 at the time. Hm.
Anyway, if by some probabilistic anomoly anyone hasn't seen Ghostbusters, then you absolutely must see it now. It's like Star Wars or ET, Everyone must see this film. The jokes aren't as funny today as they probably were in 1984, but the characters are all so distinct yet complementary that in an hour and 40 minutes, the viewer is really able to build affection for the characters while getting a sense of who they are.
I gave it 4 1/2 rather than 5 stars for one reason - the smoking. Everyone is smoking all the time in this film - I get it now when they talk about how the tobacco industry inserted its product into films. Seriously, there is so much smoking in here it's ridiulous. It adds nothing to the scenes or characters. By Ghostbusters 2, none of the characters smoke anymore. Funny.
Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Peter Venkmann are a bunch of post-grads doing research at Columbia University on ESP, paranormal, etc. When they figure out the science of capturing and storing a ghost, they make a business out of it and comedy with small amounts of horror ensue once the ghosts get harder to catch. Add in to this mix a still vibrant Sigourney Weaver whose ghosts hang out in her refrigerator, and you have one of the seminal works of '80s films.
Okay, my review is biased by my 5-year-old brain who absolutely fell in love with this movie. It came out in the summer of '84, and by Christmas, my mom was flouting the FBI's warnings by using two VCRs to pirate copy after copy to give to everyone as a present. I begged her for a shirt that said "Don't mess with me man, I'm a Ghostbuster", but she told me that the shirt had too much attitude or some such parental nonsense. Hard to believe my mother was 32 at the time. Hm.
Anyway, if by some probabilistic anomoly anyone hasn't seen Ghostbusters, then you absolutely must see it now. It's like Star Wars or ET, Everyone must see this film. The jokes aren't as funny today as they probably were in 1984, but the characters are all so distinct yet complementary that in an hour and 40 minutes, the viewer is really able to build affection for the characters while getting a sense of who they are.I gave it 4 1/2 rather than 5 stars for one reason - the smoking. Everyone is smoking all the time in this film - I get it now when they talk about how the tobacco industry inserted its product into films. Seriously, there is so much smoking in here it's ridiulous. It adds nothing to the scenes or characters. By Ghostbusters 2, none of the characters smoke anymore. Funny.
7 comments:
What a great choice! Ghostbusters rules. My favorite line (among many, many) is Annie Potts saying to the irate client who will have to wait for ghostbusting "Well just don't go in there!"
Octo, that's line's from Ghostbusters II.
(If I were some internet jerk I would go "EPIC FAIL")
My favorite line (which is actually from Ghostbusters) is when Egon snaps and yells "Your mother!" while leaping on Walter Peck.
"...until our containment unit was shut down by Dickless here."
"Is this true?"
"Yes it is true, Your Honor. This man has no dick."
Handsome Stan, I love that line too... Here's how it was edited on AMC...
"...until our containment unit was shut down by Wally Wick here."
"Is this true?
"Yes your honor, it's true. This man is some kind of rodent."
Oh, snap! That was an epic fail.
Well, that's probably the best line from Ghostbusters II.
Wrote that before I saw T(TF)'s comment. That's two epic fails.
Awesome choice! (I say in my best 80's way). I love this movie to pieces.
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