The Most Relentlessly Awesome Films Ever: Ghostbusters

I had hoped to write another of these articles back in August, but unfortunately I was just too busy; but this series is BACK - and the choice is a timely one given a) it certainly fits the time of year with Halloween impending; b) the sad passing of one of the lead actors earlier this year; c) it's getting a well deserved re-release to mark its 30th anniversary in the UK this month; and d) the recent announcements about a reboot/sequel.  All I'll say on that regard is that Paul Feig has a lot to live up to with his film...

THE MOST RELENTLESSLY AWESOME FILMS EVER - PART SIX:

GHOSTBUSTERS (1984)

I don't think my childhood interest in ghosts and the paranormal started with 'Ghostbusters', but it certainly helped fuel it.  Prior to the release of this film, the only other movie that had influenced my career aspirations was when I saw 'Star Wars' at the age of 5, and decided I wanted to become an X-Wing Pilot(!); well, after seeing Ghostbusters I wanted to be a scientist - a 'parapsychologist', at that.  This continued for years afterwards, helped no doubt by cartoon shows and a sequel - but for a while I wanted to set up 'traps' around our house and see if it was haunted.  So straight away I have to acknowledge that this is a film that had a significant impact on my childhood.

It wasn't until I was in my 20's that I truly appreciated what a sophisticated film Ghostbusters truly is.  Well, if you'll excuse the fact that my realisation stems from a joke referencing male bodily fluids!  But it truly demonstrates what a tremendous piece of work this film is, that it could beguile kids with its world building, characters and special effects, and be appreciated by adults for knowing humour and at least one truly iconic comedic acting performance.

"...like the floor of a Taxi cab..."  Eeewwwwww!!!

My deeper appreciation at the many levels upon which Ghostbusters works actually followed a viewing of 'Taxi Driver' when I was 21; there's a scene where Robert DeNiro's iconic anti-hero Travis Bickle describes cleaning his taxi after a night shift in detail that, well, doesn't leave much to the imagination.  A few years later I got hold of a copy of Ghostbusters on DVD, and I can remember watching the scene where, having defeated the attempts of Gozer the Gozerian to open the gates to Her alternate dimension, the Ghostbusters are covered in the residue of the exploded Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.  Egon's comment that he "feels like the floor of a taxi cab" immediately brought to mind the aforementioned scene from Taxi Driver, and suddenly I had a whole new understanding of that joke..!

It might seem like a crude place from which to base a new-found appreciation of a film, but I'd been a fan of it since I was 7, and my love for Ghostbusters had not diminished since then.  It was one of those films that is the archetypal '80's event movie - a blockbuster smash that was accompanied by a hit record, and made an indelible impact upon popular culture (c.f. Back to the Future, Top Gun, etc etc etc).  If you were a child during that period you were no doubt exposed to the combined marketing that went along with these films, like books, t-shirts, collectibles given away free in breakfast cereals - at that age, thanks to these, before I'd even seen the film I was sold on the concept of Ghostbusters.

But merchandising does not a classic film make - the elements need to be up on the screen, and Ghostbusters still stands out in this remark because of three things I mentioned above.  Firstly, it establishes a setting which is at once simple, yet with enough depth to ensure that it really draws the viewer in.  Co-screenwriter Dan Ackroyd is well known for his fascination with the supernatural, and this shines through in all sorts of ways.  There's the way the team investigate the paranormal, all the various unexplainable 'events' the characters refer to (some, admittedly, are there for comedic effect more than anything - 'mass sponge vibration', anyone?), references to 'Tobin's Spirit Guide', and the idea that the occult and paranormal are even in the history, design and architecture of the city.  Then, there's the science and tech behind the ghost-busting itself - it's handled in such a way that makes it simple enough to grasp, plausible enough to believe in, but - most importantly - it works in a way that is really, really cool.  Proton Packs, Ghost Traps, the Containment Chamber make complete sense in the world the film establishes, but are also iconic designs that capture the imagination - as a child I was probably one of many who yearned for a set of overalls and a toy Proton Pack to emulate my Ghostbuster heroes!

I mean seriously, how cool are the Proton Packs?

And that's a paradox of this film, because as you get older you realise that, really, the Ghostbusters aren't your archetypal heroes - in fact, in a lot of ways, they're the opposite.  You have Ackroyd's Ray Stantz, an enthusiastic man-child; the late, great Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler, a man so entrenched in science he's out of his depth with normal interactions with other human beings; Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, whose wise-cracking is a cover for the fact he has no interest in science or proper scientific ethics whatsoever, and has pretty much based his career on coasting on the work and achievements of Stantz & Spengler.  Finally, you have Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore - whilst the 'token black dude', he's also a grounded, blue-collar voice for the film, motivated not by a desire to protect people from ghosts, but simply for 'a steady pay-check'.

But this brings me to what I think is the second reason this film remains a classic - it is in this characterisation that the depth of Ghostbusters becomes apparent.  It is the fact that each one of them goes against the standard 'heroic' norms that makes them such a unique and memorable team; they fit together almost like parts of a body - Ray is the team's heart, Egon it's head, Zeddemore the common sense, whilst Venkman is undoubtedly the mouth.  And although this makes the film something of an ensemble piece, each character is given some great lines and moments, making them unforgettable.  That even goes to supporting characters such as Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz, Rick Moranis' scene-stealing Louis Tully, and William Atherton's sneering Walter Peck - each make their mark on this film in often funny but indelible ways.  And not forgetting Dana Barrett, played by the legend that is Sigourney Weaver; what could have been a rote 'damsel in distress' role avoids this pitfall by making her intelligent, strong, and independent.  It is a mark of how great the film's script and direction are that, despite how high the gag-rate is, and how quickly the film establishes its world and progresses the plot, it never loses any of the performances or characterisation in the midst of these; the audience is always invested because of the characters and the performances.

"...it sounds like you have two people in there already..."

Which brings me to the third reason I think this film is considered such a classic - while each character gets at least one classic, quotable line or great moment, there is no doubt that one performance stands out above all the other.  Bill Murray's name isn't the top one above the poster, but this film is so closely associated with him because of what an iconic character he makes out of Peter Venkman.  He gets the film's best lines, delivered in that low-key, almost dead pan, slightly sarcastic way that is his trademark. Despite his flaws - we're first introduced to him rigging a test so he can ask an attractive student on a date - his sardonic humour is irresistible; even Dana Barrett eventually falls for his charms (in a fashion).  I think that, as iconic as Bill Murray is in this film, you have to acknowledge Ackroyd for not only writing  another actor's part as the movies' effective lead, but also giving to him the films best lines.  And let's face it, if you're going to quote Ghostbusters, you're going to be quoting a Venkman line:

"Okay, so?  She's a dog."
"It's true, your honour; this man has no dick."
"...aaaaand... the flowers are still standing!"

"No one steps on the church in my town!"

"...dogs and cats living together, pandemonium!"
"Back off, man.  I'm a scientist."
"We came, we saw, we kicked it's ASS!"

"...it slimed me..!"

Although Ghostbusters is a film of its era, its status as a timeless classic is assured because everyone involved brought their A game to it - the script, the direction, each actor, the special effects, the score; if you want to show someone what an entertaining and funny blockbuster movie looks like, then there are few movies that can rival Ghostbusters as a near-perfect example of this.  It retains a special place in the hearts of the 1980's generation that grew up with it, but it is widely esteemed by all because of its humour, characterisation, and a career-defining performance.  I'm looking forward to revisiting it on the big screen later this month - and not least of all because I'm taking my son to see it for the first time.  He's the age I was when I first saw it, so I'm looking forward to seeing what he makes of it...

I might just have to warn my son about this particular scene though, seeing as it did scar my own childhood just a little when I was his age..!