Movie Talk - The Ghostbusters Franchise

Hmm... Now that's one way to end a movie! Bravo!

Well, the Olympics are finally over. I can now stop laughing at Ashley Wagner’s expressions... On second thought, never mind. We also lost Harold Ramis this week and that was pretty shocking. While he’s known for things like Groundhog Day, Stripes, and Caddyshack, I’ll always remember him for Ghostbusters. I thought this would be a nice time to finally look at those movies. I was going to look at them one day anyway, so I might as well do it now before the blockbuster season starts. I’ll also talk about the 2009 video game since it is probably the closest thing we’ll ever get to a Ghostbusters 3.

I don’t remember what introduced me to the Ghostbusters. It was either the animated TV show or Ghostbusters 2 which were around at the time. I didn’t see the first movie until I was in 4th grade. Now that was something. Let’s just say that I try to see it whenever I can. I eventually added the two movies to my collection a few years ago. As for the game, I got it when I got my first PS3. I didn’t even bother playing the PS2 version. It took a while, but I eventually beat it.

Ghostbusters 
This mixture of comedy and the supernatural was released in 1984. The story starts off when three out-of luck professors decide to go into the ghost-catching business in New York. Meanwhile, a woman named Dana Barrett starts to experience strange stuff in her high-rise apartment. As more and more happens, it’s revealed that her apartment building is actually a focal point linked to the Sumerian (or Babylonian) god Gozer. This threatens to bring on the end of the world and the Ghostbusters are the only ones who can stop it from happening.

Two things we rarely see in PG-13 movies now: smoking and Twinkies. The 80's ruled.

If you haven’t guessed by now, this is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s definitely one of my favorite comedies. Pretty much everything about the movie is good. I like all of the Ghostbusters. Egon’s the smarts, Ray’s the heart, Winston’s the common sense, and Peter’s the mouth… and I mean that he tends to talk out of his butt a lot. I also like characters like Janine, Dana, and Louis. I love the banter in the movie. This is also one of the most quotable movies I’ve seen. Just about everything said is funny. “I have seen s*** that will make you white” is probably the best example.

The story is pretty well told. The comedy’s there but it isn’t forced or really slapsticky. I liked the villain even though he (or she) doesn’t really show up till the ending. The whole movie has that horror feel to it. The special effects definitely help add that horror feel. The music was also pretty good. There really isn’t nothing really bad about the film overall. If you haven’t seen it, then what are you waiting for? You better go do it before cats and dogs start living together!

Favorite Quotes:
Peter: We came, we saw, we kicked its ***!
……
Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, "Biblical"?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave!
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!
Mayor: All right, all right! I get the point!
 ……
Winston: I have seen s### that will make you white!
……
Peter: It’s true, sir; this man has no ****… Well, that’s what I heard!
…..
Egon: Don’t cross the streams.
…...
Winston: Ray, if someone asks if you are a god, you say Yes!
……
Peter: Let’s show this prehistoric ***** how we do things downtown!


Ghostbusters 2 
The movie was released in 1989. It takes places five years later after the events of the first movie and it doesn’t take the animated series into consideration. At this time, the Ghostbusters are down on their luck since they were sued for damages from their fight with Gozer. They get brought back together when Dana’s son, Oscar, is getting bothered by paranormal activity. The team gets back into action when ghosts start to pop up again and they find a river of slime under New York City. It’s all linked to a painting in an art museum which holds Vigo, The Carpathian. He wants to use Oscar to enter into their world to rule and the Ghostbusters are the only ones who stop him.

Vigo: I Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia, the Sorrow of Moldavia, commands you to get the hell away from my soon-to-be mother!!!

While this movie isn’t as good as the original, I do think it’s a pretty decent sequel. Everybody (except for ‘ole Wally Wick) is back for the sequel. The comedy and banter is still pretty good. It’s toned down, but it is still pretty funny for the most part. There are also some pretty scary scenes here and they’re pretty well done. A big example would be where Dana and Oscar are attacked by their own bathtub. I thought Vigo the Carpathian (awesome name) served as a nice villain and I thought his henchman, Janosz Poha, was funny. The effects are still on par with the last movie and the music is still good. This movie may have one of the only Bobby Brown songs I actually like.

I’ve noticed that this movie gets a lot of hate and I don’t really know why it does. I like it though that could be nostalgia talking. It was what introduced me to the Ghostbusters. Maybe it’s not well liked because it feels like the first movie all over again. This is something I’ve really noticed when actually thinking about it. I mean, the team is down on their luck again, Peter is trying to woo Dana again, and Rick Moranis is attempting to be funny again. There are not a lot of new things being done and that does bring the movie down a bit. I also noticed that Winston doesn’t get much to do in the early parts of the movie and that kind of sucks.

It could have also been the fact that it was more family-friendly this time. I’m not bothered by that, but it’s possible some were. I understand why it was more family friendly. The animated TV show was still on at this time. I know it’s not a perfect film, but I do think it’s still an entertaining one. I say check it out and make up your own mind.

Favorite Quotes:
Louis Tully: Your Honor, ladies and gentleman of the audience, I don't think it's fair to call my clients frauds. Sure, the blackout was a big problem for everybody. I was trapped in an elevator for two hours and I had to make the whole time. But I don't blame them. Because one time, I turned into a dog and they helped me. Thank you.
.......
Vigo: I, Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia, the Sorrow of Moldavia, command you!
.......
Egon: Vigo the Carpathian. Also known as Vigo the Cruel, Vigo the Torturer, Vigo the Despised, and Vigo the Unholy.
Peter: Wasn't he also Vigo the Butch?
.......
The Mayor: Being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker's god-given right. Your 2 minutes are up, good night gentlemen.
......
Peter: Hi, Egon. How's school? I bet those science chicks really dig that large cranium of yours, huh?
Egon: I think they're more interested in my epididymis.
......
Peter: Doh!
Ray: Re!
Egon: Egon!


Ghostbusters: The Video Game 
The video game came out on all current consoles in 2009. I didn’t end up getting it until 2011, but let’s ignore that. It takes place two years after Ghostbusters 2 ended. You get to play a new recruit instead of the other Ghostbusters. They also have to deal with Walter Peck again. This time, the Ghostbusters go up against the ghost of Ivo Shandor, the man who designed the apartment building and the museum from the movies. Ivo basically wants to bring on the end of the world (again) and only the Ghostbusters can stop it. 

So this is why print is dead! The Ghostbusters killed it!

This is a pretty good game all around. One of the biggest things about the game is that all of the Ghostbusters (even Janine) are back to voice their characters. The guy who played Walter Peck even comes back to voice his character. The story also feels like the movies and it makes sense because Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis wrote the script to the game. I like how they tried to connect the villains of the movies together in a way that makes sense. A lot of references to the movies get thrown in. The graphics are also pretty top-notch. The only thing I thought was weird was Peter being all flirtatious with the love interest. I’m guessing he and Dana broke up again… oh well.

The gameplay is pretty awesome. You really get the Ghostbuster experience. You have all of the gadgets as well as the proton pack from the movies at your disposal. You chase all sorts of ghosts. You even get to go up against the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man again. I will say that the gameplay can get a little repetitive and difficult at times. Still, bustin’ makes me feel good. Overall, it’s a pretty good game. It’s not perfect, but there is enough heart in it to make it worth playing. It’s definitely the best Ghostbusters game I’ve played.

…………………………………….. 

 Well, that’s all I got. I won’t touch any of the animated series but I might do them one day. I don’t know if another Ghostbusters movie will come since Ramis has passed away. It is a pity that they won’t be able to reunite in a movie or video game. If they don’t do a movie, they could do another Ghostbusters video game since the 2009 game was pretty good. Whatever happens, I know I’ll either be seeing it or playing it. Peace, God Bless, and “don’t cross the streams.” It’s just not a good idea… unless there’s some moldy Sumerian god threatening to rule the world.