Oddly, the first time I heard of Ghostbusters, it wasn’t the film; it was a Commodore 64 game, and along with Invasion of the Alien Mutant Camels was my favourite computer game until my poor Commodore decided it had had enough and promptly exploded.
Anyway, this was one video I hadn’t seen ... Read review
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Advantages: Tis funny...as a comedy should be. Disadvantages: Some dated effects
...given that it contains Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and, rather strangely I think, an episode of black and white Batman in between. I’m not sure what the aim here was; maybe they were trying to re-create the good ol’ days of cinema when for a shilling piece you got a double feature with the news and a serial episode between them, either that or they’re trying to annoy the consumer, cause no matter how many times you watch the video, you’re never ... ...like it.
Ghostbusters was the biggest comedy hit of the year (1984...great year...) and managed to confine some amazing special effects (that still look great) with the comedy talents of Saturday Night Live’s Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.
Ramis and Aykroyd may have written it, but this is Murray’s film, as he refuses in his typical laidback manner to take any of the ensuing chaos seriously, being far more concerned about ... more
Oddly, the first time I heard of Ghostbusters, it wasn’t the film; it was a Commodore 64 game, and along with Invasion of the Alien Mutant Camels was my favourite computer game until my poor Commodore decided it had had enough and promptly exploded.
Anyway, this was one video I hadn’t seen in quite a while (given that it’s been superseded by my shiny new DVD, with its very nice animated menu), but I’m sure it was a great buy back in the nineties given that it contains Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 and, rather strangely I think, an episode of black and white Batman in between. I’m not sure what the aim here was; maybe they were trying to re-create the good ol’ days of cinema when for a shilling piece you got a double feature with the news and a serial episode between them, either that or they’re trying to annoy the consumer, cause no matter how many times you watch the video, you’re never going to find out how Batman saves the day.
Three parapsychologists (Bill Murray, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd) have just been chucked out of their university and had their funding cut. They need money, and so decide that there only option is to become professional ghost catchers. They discover an unusually high level of paranormal activity in the apartment of their first client, Dana Barret (Sigourney Weaver) and find themselves fighting to save New York from an ancient Sumerian god who wants to destroy the world.
Sounds good, doesn’t it?
Of course it does. I hope. I certainly like it.
Ghostbusters was the biggest comedy hit of the year (1984...great year...) and managed to confine some amazing special effects (that still look great) with the comedy talents of Saturday Night Live’s Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd.
Ramis and Aykroyd may have written it, but this is Murray’s film, as he refuses in his typical laidback manner to take any of the ensuing chaos seriously, being far more concerned about getting the girl rather than saving the world. Rick Moranis gets his first major picture, and Weaver proves she can do comedy more that a decade before the sublime Galaxy Quest, but Ackroyd and Ramis (despite writing the screenplay) are strangely quiet, leaving Murray with all the best lines.
Murray, having perfected his stony-faced one-liners, provides many of the highlights of the film, including the immortal line “He slimed me!” and Ghostbusters is still his best use of this particular on-screen persona, as he dead-pans his way through the film (though admittedly, Groundhog Day comes a close second.)
The special effects were impressive then, and are still looking great today (well, mostly, anyway...the demon dogs aren’t doing so well). The scene in the library, (complete with ingenious plan to ‘get’ the ghost) is still pretty scary. But it’s at the film’s high-point, with the arrival of Gozer, the annoyed Sumerian god, when you really see how great these effects are: stampeding through New York with a malicious grin on his face is the destroyer of the world – the twelve storey high marshmallow man (there, if you haven’t see the film, I’ve just spoiled cinema’s greatest visual gag for you.)
The beauty of this movie is that no matter how many times you watch it, it’s still funny and though I no longer scream when the library ghost appears, I still laugh at the jokes. The humour is present throughout the script ranging from the not very subtle visual gags to the sparkling and witty dialogue between characters. Witness their first ghost-busting job:
Ray I think we better split up. Egon: Good idea. Venkman: Yeah... we can do more damage that way.
Admittedly, that works better on screen, but it’s the sort of deadpan humour that I love and that Ghostbusters excels in.
Then, of course, there’s the soundtrack complete with Ray Parker Jr’s unforgettable theme tune titled, in a fit of originality: Ghostbusters.
Ghostbusters is a sci-fi comedy classic, and with such a great success as this, who could resist making an awful sequel.
And in an effort to ruin a perfectly neat conclusion, I did mention the DVD version.
The nice people who decided what went on the DVD were obviously feeling generous, and filled it with a dozen or so extras. It also makes a refreshing change to listen to a film commentary where the people talking (that would be Ivan Reitman, Harold Ramis and Joe Medjuck) about the film can remember something interesting about what they’re watching. Plus, there are three people commentating and a mixture of in front of and behind the camera sorts, my favourite combination.
The menus themselves are worth mentioning, with their cartoon like 3-D appearance and the Ghostbusters theme playing in the background, they’re terribly atmospheric. Whilst the special effects featurette reminds you just how far movie effects have advanced in the past seventeen years.
There’s also a stack of deleted scenes, which were interesting, though you can see why they were cut, but the storyboards and concept drawings will probably appeal only to the truly obsessed.
And if you wish to expand your linguistic knowledge, you can watch the film in German.
Advantages: dolby 5.1, tonnes of extras, excellent cast, classic nostalgic film, stay puff man hahaha, good clean fun! Disadvantages: dolby 5.1 not utilised fully, letterbox widescreen
...Sorry, not this time. Ghostbusters is just a hilarious film, and rightly holds an esteemed place in my DVD collection. Originally based on an idea by Dan Akroyd and to be titled Ghost Smashers, this 1984 film hasn’t lost any of its charm over the years!!
This film revolves around the comic stylings of Dan Akroyd, Bill Murray and Rick Moranis. It also stars Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver and Harold Ramis (the screenplay writer) – and ... ...not the case with the Ghostbusters DVD – there are more extras than you can poke a stick at here!!
There is a trailer for the original Ghostbusters, and also Ghostbusters II. There is a commentary with the director (Ivan Reitman) and the screen writer (Harold Ramis – who also plays a part in the movie!) which is hilarious in itself. There are mini featurettes, one to meet SFX the team and a before and after of the best SFX scenes (this ...
kano 29.07.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghostbusters (15th Anniversary Edition) (Wide Screen) (DVD)
Advantages: Bill Murray in his prime Disadvantages: Special Effects look a bit dated (The dogs - Wallace and Gromit anyone?)
Ghostbusters is the perfect example of the 80s blockbuster: the underdog(s) succeeding against great odds - you can see similar themes in everything from Beverly Hills Cop through to Rambo. Where this movie hits the spot is that it is consistanty engaging and funny throughout. Often 'fun for all the family' is a label which makes me run for the door, but in this case I would be happy to watch this with my little nephew and know we would both love ... ...- Case study for the 'can do 80s'. Loveable losers Venkman, Spengler and Stanz(Murray, Ramis, Ackroyd) get chucked out of college lecturing positions and cast out onto the street to fend for themselves. The reason is unclear - there is an hilarious early scene where Murray's character engineers an esp experiment in order to go out on a date with the pretty female participant but the other two's shortcomings arent explained. The paranormal is their ...
chunlex 28.03.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghostbusters (15th Anniversary Edition) (Wide Screen) (DVD)
Advantages: Great fun from beginning to end. Disadvantages: Special effects look a little dated.
...She panics and calls the Ghostbusters in.
The rest of the plot involves something to do with an evil spirit attempting to enter the world, causing the massive spate of supernatural incidents. Not that the plot really matters in a movie like this...can you think off hand what the plot of 'Men in Black' is?
The kids all lapped up the action figures and the lunch boxes, but the script is aimed well above their heads. Full of sly one liners and in-jokes, ... ...movie. All the favourite moments are here - the library ghost, trashing the hotel catching Slimer, the Marshmallow Man...but a lot of the fun is watching the three leads play off each other in the quiet moments.
Egon and Ray are endearingly nerdy, while Peter stands around cracking jokes and cracking onto any female in the vicinity. Their butting heads with pompous officials gets the juices going, and the finale is suitably rousing. Including the ...
Plissken 20.02.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghostbusters (15th Anniversary Edition) (Wide Screen) (DVD)
Advantages: Very funny, great story, a classic. Disadvantages: Special effects a little dated
...solve her problem, as the Ghostbusters are busy busting ghosts, Zuul possesses Barrett and becomes the Gatekeeper. After the bumbling town officials have shut down the ghost storage facility, releasing all of the captured ghosts, chaos results. Louis Tully (A superb Rick Moranis), who has also become possessed by a helldog, ahem...“joins” with the Keymaster and this opens the doors to hell and releases Gozer.
Can the day be saved? Who Ya Gonna Call?! ... ...and even the trailer for Ghostbusters 2! Overall, a generous assortment of extra features that is clearly above average.
The film was originally scripted by Dan Aykroyd who managed to convince Ivan Reitman to direct it even though the script was only half written. It broke Columbia box office records for the highest grossing film in its opening weekend. For its time the special effects were cutting edge but now they, obviously, look a little dated.
...
Proffles 10.06.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghostbusters (15th Anniversary Edition) (Wide Screen) (DVD)
Advantages: So many extras, Great Film, An absolute classic Disadvantages: The video can be bought for only a couple of quid
...business for themselves and the Ghostbusters are born
‘no job too big, no fee to large’
following TV advertising, an apostle of evil in a refrigerator and numerous sightings all over town and the guys are celebrities. This leads to then hiring a fourth member for the team to handle all the extra work; Winston Zedman (Ernie Hudson).
Unfortunately this increased activity is a prelude to all hell breaking loose in NY and just to help ... ...shut down, releases all the ghosts and throws them in prison for good measure.
I won’t spoil the film for you but you get the general idea, weird goings on and *who* are you going to call?
Acting “It’s miller time”
Murray as the sleazy Venkman is hilarious. King of the one-liners in this film he consistently had me in stitches. A wonderful choice for the role.
“It’s the stay-puff Marshmallow man!”
Dan ...
Boris 06.08.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Ghostbusters (15th Anniversary Edition) (Wide Screen) (DVD)
Three unemployed para-psychologists form a freelance ghostbusting squad to rid New York of a plague of spooks and slimy haunting monsters. In accomplishing their task the 'squad' go from one comical situation to another.
Storyboard Split Screen Comparison, Still Storyboards, The SFX Team, SFX Before And After, Ghostly Photo Gallery, Behind The Scenes Featurette And Interviews, Concept Drawings, Deleted Scenes, Filmographies, Ghostbusters 2 Trailer, Theatrical Trailer
Aspect Ratio
2.35 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, 2.0 Stereo
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround English 2.0 Stereo German
Professional reviews
Review
"...It's Murray's picture, as the popular comedian deadpans, ad libs and does an endearing array of physical schtick....Weaver is deliciously sexy..." (Variety, 06/06/1984)
DVD Description
When Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murrary) and his Columbia University colleagues (Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson) are kicked out of their prestigious academic posts, they start a private practice as professional ghost-catchers. Although the three parascientists are idle for awhile, their television advertisements finally pay off when beautiful Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) contracts them. It seems her apartment has become the entryway for ghastly ghosts and goofy ghouls hellbent on terrorizing New York City. Soon they're going to her rescue, trying to rid the city of the slimy creatures. GHOSTBUSTERS hit US screens in June of 1984 and went on to become one of the most successful comedy films of all time, spawning a sequel and a popular animated series.
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