Hello, film fanatics,
As we descend into Spooky Season, we are on week three of our Spooktacular mission. I cannot name a more iconic, family-friendly Halloween movie than Ghostbusters (1984). A film with one of the catchiest theme songs in cinematic history, this Ray Parker melody continuously plays through our heads during Halloween. However, is this iconic song on par with the movie, or is the movie less than, and the music propels it? Does Ghostbusters (1984) trick us into thinking this movie is iconic? In this week’s film review, we analyze Ghostbusters(1984).
Ghostbusters (1984) is the brainchild of Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. The film was written by this duo and directed by Ivan Reitman. The film follows three scientists who seek to protect New York City from paranormal entities such as ghosts, ghouls, and demons. The three scientists’ names are Peter Venkman, played by Bill Murray, Ray Stantz, played by Dan Aykroyd, and Egon Spengler, played by Harold Ramis. They can build equipment that can fight off paranormal entities through their scientific abilities. They eventually launched a service called Ghostbusters for the citizens of New York. Along their journey, the three scientists befriend Winston Zeddemore, played by Ernie Hudson. The scientists eventually come across their most challenging adventure: protecting New York City from Gozer, a God of destruction.
This was my first time watching Ghostbusters in a few years. I rewatched this movie with my significant other because this was the first time she had ever seen the film. For me, I have a deep connection to Ghostbusters(1984). It was one of the first movies I saw with my grandfather. He laughed at all the jokes and said, ” I was born in the same town where the Ghostbusters defended the world.” That made the movie more special for me, thus resulting in me having a deep nostalgic association with this movie. This memory of my grandfather was one of my fondest memories with him before he passed.
As I continued my childhood, I would also routinely dress up as the characters from the movie, especially as Egon. I have been a Ghostbuster for at least three different Halloween’s.
During our rewatch, I still found myself immensely enjoying this film. The jokes written in Ghostbusters still hold up to this day—the lighthearted humor associated with many of these jokes is a standout aspect of the film. The cast, especially Bill Murray, is highly believable in the portrayed roles. As Venkman, Murray plays an egotistical scientist who is still lovable masterfully. Harold Ramis’ portrayal of Egon is enjoyable and an ode to all the science geeks.
However, there are some flaws associated with this film. By today’s standards, the plot may seem mundane. The special effects take away from the film because they are unrealistic. I understand that this movie was made over 40 years ago; however, movies of this time, such as Empire Strikes Back, had better special effects than this movie.
Though this film may have flaws, it is exceptional and should always be viewed during Halloween. If the Ghostbusters theme song gets stuck in your head, you can expel this demon by playing the tune as many times as possible during Halloween. For that reason, I give Ghostbusters (1984) 8 1/2 film projectors out of 10, making this movie a nostalgic film with some flaws.
Overall, the viewing experience for this film was quite enjoyable. Especially since it was the first time my significant other could engage with this film. She’s genuinely seen the specialness associated with this film and immensely enjoyed it, ultimately creating new memories for me.
-The Nostalgic Film Critic
Ghostbusters Original Film Poster (1984).