Central Park West, and Tavern on the Green, and the horses in the park, and the doorman saying, 'Someone brought a cougar to a party'—that's so New York. It is a compact version of the Wii and PlayStation 2 versions. In 1981, he read an article on quantum physics and parapsychology in The Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, which gave him the idea of trapping ghosts. [9][7][11] Columbia paid $500,000 plus 1% of the film's profits for its use. [14], Randy Cook was responsible for creating the quarter-scale stop-motion puppets of Gozer's minions Zuul and Vinz, the Terror Dogs, when in motion. Interior firehouse shots were taken instead at the decommissioned Fire House No. [14] The strict filming schedule meant most of the effects shots were done in one take. [31] Bernstein used the ondes Martenot (effectively a keyboard equivalent of a theremin) to produce the "eerie" effect. [76] Detailed box office figures are not available for territories outside North America, but it is estimated to have earned approximately $53 million, bringing Ghostbusters' worldwide total to $282.2 million. The 35th-anniversary version came in a limited edition steel book cover and contained unseen footage including the deleted "Fort Detmerring" scene. The actors made sure their features were still circa 1991 and they were given cartoon big bellies nor old looking. PlayStation Portable version was released on November 3, 2009, much later than all of the other versions of the game, both stylized and realistic. [62] Including the budget and marketing costs, it was estimated that the film would have to make at least $80 million to turn a profit. [11] They also appeared in a video for ShoWest, a theater-owner convention, to promote the film. In panel 3, to the right of Egon is a still, from stylized versions, of Ray with the Aura Video Analyzer colander on in the cinematic after the player finds the team on the second floor at the beginning of gameplay. The protagonists would travel through time and space to combat a host of demonic and supernatural threats. [154], In 2001, the American Film Institute ranked Ghostbusters number 28 on its 100 Years...100 Laughs list recognizing the best comedy films. [24] Sound designer Richard Beggs created the distinctive siren from a recording of a leopard snarl, cut and played backward. "[49], Following Reitman's tweaks to the design, on-screen models were made from a fiberglass shell with an aluminum backplate bolted to a United States Army backpack frame. "[34], Early on Reitman and Bernstein discussed the idea that Ghostbusters would feature popular music at specific points as well as Bernstein's original score. Story Writer(s): [185] The unexpected success of Ghostbusters meant that Columbia did not have a comprehensive merchandising plan in place to fully capitalize on the film at the peak of its popularity. On an approximate $25–30 million budget, filming took place between October 1983 to January 1984, on location in New York City and Los Angeles, and on sets at Burbank Studios, Los Angeles. By watching Ghostbusters, there’s a sense that you can control this, that you can mitigate it somehow and it doesn’t have to be that frightening. [200] The film was initially followed by the 1986 animated television series The Real Ghostbusters (later renamed Slimer! You asked for it, you got it. [4] "Making Ghostbusters", an annotated script by Ramis, was released in 1985. Bill MurrayDan AykroydHarold RamisErnie HudsonAnnie PottsWilliam Atherton 1 List of Releases 1.1 CLV Laserdisc (Blue Label) 1.2 CAV Laserdisc (Red Label) 1.3 Japan 2 Gallery One disc version which contains the film in widescreen. According to box office tracker Box Office Mojo's own calculations, based on estimated admissions and average ticket prices in 2019, Ghostbusters has sold the equivalent of $641.2 million worth of tickets, making it one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Reitman responded: "It’s an honor to know that a movie that begins with a ghost in a library now has a spot on the shelves of the Library of Congress. There are unlockables which change gameplay. [53] Because of its size, the roof rack was shipped to Manhattan on an airplane, while the car was transported to the East Coast by train. On page 43 of Ghostbusters: Get Real Trade Paperback, the Rookies appear in one of the portals. [13][8][7] When Murray later flew to New York after the filming of The Razor's Edge (1984) to meet Aykroyd and Ramis, he offered little input on the script or his character. Audiences reacted with fear, laughs, and applause as the Librarian Ghost transformed from a lady into a monster. [64][65] The gross increased to $23.1 million during its first week, proving a hit for the studio, which had not had one since 1982's Tootsie (in which Murray also appeared). However, when Dana returns home, she is supernaturally assaulted and possessed by Zuul. "[39], The day before his deadline, Johnson learned Aykroyd and Ramis had wanted Slimer to be an homage to John Belushi's likeness. Business is slow until they are hired to remove a ghost from the Sedgewick Hotel. On Page 18, in panel 1, on the table are equipment from stylized versions: a Slime Mine, Proton Pack with Boson Dart, and a Stasis Stream. June 16, 2009November 3, 2009 (PSP) The events of the game occur during Thanksgiving Day 1991, two years after the events in Ghostbusters II. At the same time, special effects cinematographer Richard Edlund planned to leave ILM and start his own business. She noted many of the characters had little to do, leaving their stories unresolved as the plot began to give way to servicing the special effects instead. Given Hollywood's accounting practices, however, the film technically never made a profit for Universal to be owed a payment. The Redfly Studios version does keep track of the amount of collateral damage, however, the player is not accountable for paying it (Actually, it seems that indirectly encourages damaging the environment). Stressed beyond capacity, the shutdown causes an explosion that releases the captured ghosts, and the Ghostbusters are detained. In Ghostbusters (2016), the filmmakers utilized the art of modern technology and effects to create iconic ghosts that were unique in their own right and managed to pay tribute to the source material in a very respectful, often humorous way. [67][74] Ghostbusters had quickly become a hit, surpassing Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom as the top-grossing film of that summer. "[36][9] Parker, Jr. later sued Lewis for breaching the confidentiality agreement in a 2001 episode of VH1's Behind the Music, where he reasserted that Parker, Jr. stole the song. There was often time for only a few takes. [109][110] Murray was paid $6 million to star in it; his multi-year absence had increased his audience draw and his fee. You ain't afraid of … This is thought to be the first historical usage of "toast" as a slang term. [19][9], William Atherton was chosen for the role of Walter Peck after appearing in the Broadway play Broadway alongside SNL alumna Gilda Radner. Egon eventually built a successor, the Boson Pack which could only generate Boson Darts. For example, in the Terminal Reality versions, the player gets to face ghosts based on jobs like. [33][34] Bernstein had previously scored several of Reitman's films including Animal House and Meatballs. [12][99], That same year, the film was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (losing to Romancing the Stone),[100] Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Murray (losing to Dudley Moore in Micki & Maude),[101] and Best Original Song for Parker Jr., (losing again to "I Just Called to Say I Love You"). The Nintendo DS version is different from the stylized version, therefore it has been given its own page here. He did not want the music to tell the audience when something was funny. "[98], Ghostbusters was nominated for two Academy Awards in 1985: Best Original Song for "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. (losing to Stevie Wonder's "I Just Called to Say I Love You" from The Woman in Red), and Best Visual Effects for John Bruno, Richard Edlund, Chuck Gaspar and Mark Vargo (losing to Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom). [206][133], Following Ramis's death in 2014, Reitman chose to no longer serve as director for a potential third film. [75] A restored and remastered version of the film was released to celebrate Ghostbusters' 30th anniversary, playing for three weeks beginning in August 2014, at 700 cinemas across North America. He found the latter parts of the film easier to score, aiming to make it sound "awesome and mystical. Ghostbusters was the first comedy film to employ expensive special effects. It contained the Ghostbusters' logo and elements such as the Marshmallow Man that were in the finished script. [9] The Marshmallow Man was fabricated and portrayed by actor and special effects artist Bill Bryan, who modeled his walk on Godzilla. The architect, Ivo Shandor, a genius and leader of a Gozer-worshipping cult, designed it to channel ghosts for the purpose of ending the world. "[36] In 1984, the filmmakers were also sued by the makers of Casper the Friendly Ghost for $50 million and the destruction of the film. He also cited Ghostbusters as a rare mainstream film with many quotable lines. [51] According to Akyroyd, the actual vehicle was "an ambulance that we converted to a hearse and then converted to an ambulance. Everyone knows that video games based on popular licenses are usually lackluster and best forgotten, but the NES port of Ghostbusters cleverly avoids sinking into that trap – no, it bravely charts a course towards its disastrous new low thanks to a triple threat of mind-numbing repetition, frequently nonexistent controls, and abysmal level design!
Atherton said, "It can’t be funny, and I don’t find [the Ghostbusters] in the least bit charming. [123], Blu-ray disc editions were released to celebrate the film's 25th, 30th, and 35th anniversaries in 2009, 2014, and 2019 respectively. [8][7] Reitman later admitted he made up the figure, basing it on three times the budget for Stripes, which seemed "reasonable. Tickets can be purchased at the main box office or online at www.thelvballpark.com. With Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones. [12][48] Dane said that he "went home and got foam pieces and just threw a bunch of stuff together to get the look. In a nearby apartment, a nearly identical entity manifests, then chases and possesses her neighbor, Louis Tully. [66] It broke the studio's own record at the time set by Tootsie. When angry citizens asked Medjuck what was being filmed, he blamed Francis Ford Coppola filming The Cotton Club. [130], Entertainment industry observers credit Ghostbusters and Saturday Night Live with reversing the industry's negative perception of New York City in the early 1980s. [16] Aykroyd has said he wanted Eddie Murphy for the role, having worked with him on Trading Places (1983), although Reitman refuted this. During its opening weekend in North America, the film earned $13.6 million—an average of $10,040 per theater. [7] Apart from the three main stars, Joe Medjuck was largely responsible for casting the other roles. Following a ghost invasion of Manhattan, paranormal enthusiasts Erin Gilbert and Abby Yates, nuclear engineer Jillian Holtzmann, and subway worker Patty Tolan band together to stop the otherworldly threat. Aykroyd had a home there, and they worked day and night for about two weeks in his basement. [199], The film's success spawned the Ghostbusters franchise, comprising animated television shows, film sequels, reboots, video games, music, and a wide variety of merchandise. Ghostbusters is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed 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 features astrologist Ruth Hale Oliver as the Library Ghost,[2] Alice Drummond as the Librarian,[3] Jennifer Runyon and Steven Tash as Venkman's psychological test subjects,[4][5] Playboy Playmate Kymberly Herrin as a Dream Ghost,[2] Timothy Carhart as a violinist,[5] and Reginald VelJohnson as a police officer. [13], Filming on location in New York lasted for about six weeks, finishing just before Christmas. He also used three Yamaha DX7 synthesizers. The cream acted as a skin irritant after hours of filming, giving some of the cast rashes. "[164], In 1984, the Ghostbusters phenomenon was referenced across dozens of advertisements for everything from airlines to dentistry and real estate. A massive mausoleum appears in Central Park and the team fights their way into the central structure. [104], Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on August 11, 1984, two months after the film's release, and remained there for three weeks. He said the film works as a collaborative effort by the three main Ghostbusters, particularly Murray, who dismisses the serious situations to keep them comedic. [183] The celebratory parade at the film's denouement inspired the ending of the 2012 superhero film The Avengers, showing the world celebrating the eponymous team's victory. He said the effects appear somewhat "tacky" and serve as a comic commentary on ghost films. Ghostbusters: The Video Game [130][161][7][60] Its basic premise of a particular genre mixed with comedy, and a team combating an otherworldly threat has been replicated with varying degrees of success in films like Men in Black (1997), Evolution (2001), The Watch (2012), R.I.P.D. Venkman arrives and finds the possessed Dana/Zuul claiming to be "the Gatekeeper." According to Parker, Jr. there were several lawsuits at the time, because "when you sell that many records, I think everybody wants to say that they wrote the song. They featured remastered 4K resolution video quality, deleted scenes, alternate takes, fan interviews and commentaries by crewmembers and actors including Aykroyd, Ramis, Reitman, and Medjuck. The film also features appearances by porn star Ron Jeremy, and a young Debbie Gibson. There, Egon warns the group never to cross the energy streams of their proton pack weapons, as this could cause a catastrophic explosion. [34][33] In a 1985 interview Bernstein described Ghostbusters as the most difficult score he had written. Weaver revealed her comedic background, developed at the Yale School of Drama, and began walking on all fours and howling like a dog. Meter. I’m very thankful that fans appreciate the Winston character. The approval process was a little more difficult overall. Bernstein's main theme for the Ghostbusters was later replaced by Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters. [1][7] This was inherited from his father (who wrote the book A History of Ghosts),[8] his mother (who claimed she had seen ghosts), a grandfather (who experimented with using radios to contact the dead), and a great-grandfather (a renowned spiritualist). Children ages two and younger will get in for free. Ghostbusters came ninety-fifth. The Ghostbusters agree they need to regroup but keep the pair separated. Aykroyd encountered science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov, a man he admired, who complained: "You guys are inconveniencing this building, it's just awful; I don't know how they got away with this! To cope with demand, they hire a fourth member, Winston Zeddemore. "[15], Edlund previously worked on the supernatural horror film Poltergeist (1982). [50] The technology was designed not to be overly fancy or sleek, emphasizing the characters' scientific backgrounds combined with the homemade nature of their equipment. By February 1986, it was estimated to have sold 400,000 copies and earned $32 million in revenue, making it the third best-selling VHS of 1985, after Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (425,000 units, $12.7 million) and Beverly Hills Cop (1.4 million units sold, $41.9 million). [186] Indeed, merchandise based directly on the film did not initially sell well until The Real Ghostbusters, which on its own helped generate up to $200 million in revenue in 1988, the same year the Ghostbusters proton pack was the most popular toy in the United Kingdom. [7], In the years since its release, Ghostbusters merchandise has included: soundtrack albums, action figures, books, Halloween costumes, various LEGO and Playmobil sets including the Ecto-mobile and Firehouse,[133][189] board games,[190][191] slot machines,[192] pinball machines,[193] bobbleheads, statues, prop replicas, neon signs, ice cube trays, Minimates, coin banks,[186] Funko Pop figures,[194] footwear,[195] lunch boxes, and breakfast cereals. There were a few great scenes in it, but it wasn't the same movie. [6], The film was first screened for test audiences on February 3, 1984, with unfinished effects shots to determine if the comedy worked. The weight knocked a stuntman down, and they ended up using only 75 pounds (34 kg). "[7], The building at 55 Central Park West served as the home of Weaver's character and the setting of the Ghostbusters' climactic battle with Gozer. [9], Johnson also sculpted the Zombie Cab Driver puppet. [61] Columbia spent approximately $10 million on marketing, including $2.25 million on prints, $1 million on promotional materials, and $7 million on advertising and miscellaneous costs including a $150,000 premiere for a hospital and the hotel costs for the press. [103] It won Best Fantasy Film at the 12th Saturn Awards. The Ghostbusters reboot, when it finally came out on July 11, 2016, was kind of a funny movie, but it didn’t seem destined for the cult status of the original. [200][201] A film sequel, Ghostbusters II, was released in 1989. It became the second highest-grossing film of the year behind Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. [4] The Library catalog scene was accomplished live in three takes, with the crew blowing air through copper pipes to blow the cards into the air. In a 1999 interview for the first DVD release of the film, Reitman admitted that he had not been involved in the LaserDisc version and had been embarrassed by the visual changes that "pumped up the light level so much you saw all the matte lines", highlighting flaws in the special effects. Titled Ghostbusters: Afterlife and written by Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan, the sequel is scheduled for a June 11, 2021 release. [13] The fictional rooftop of 55 Central Park West was constructed at Stage 12 on the Burbank Studios lot. [114] As Vox notes, the mayor, a government representative, is motivated to release the Ghostbusters to defeat the godly threat after being reminded that their success will save the lives of "millions of registered voters", a cynical view of an official who is motivated mainly by what will allow him to retain his position. [9], The most difficult part of the writing was determining the story's goal, who the villain was and their goal, why ghosts were manifesting, and how a towering Marshmallow Man appeared. [48][14] The fiberglass props were created by special effects supervisor Chuck Gaspar, based on Dane's design. [149] Rotten Tomatoes also listed the film number 71 on its list of 200 essential movies to watch. [159] The film also has a score of 71 out of 100 on Metacritic based on eight critical reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews. [93] Deseret News' Christopher Hicks praised Reitman's improved directing skills, and the crew for avoiding the vulgarity found in their previous films, Caddyshack and Stripes. Tobin's Spirit Guide has 109 entries listed in the data files on the video game disc, but there are only 93 entries in the actual game itself. The role changed to one inspired by the androgynous looks of Grace Jones and David Bowie. 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