Ghostbusters
| Ghostbusters | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ivan Reitman |
| Produced by | Ivan Reitman |
| Written by | Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis |
| Starring | Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis |
| Music by | Elmer Bernstein |
| Cinematography | László Kovács |
| Editing by | David E. Blewitt and Sheldon Kahn |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 8, 1984 |
| Running time | 107 min. |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30,000,000 |
| Gross revenue | $ 238,632,124 |
| Followed by | Ghostbusters 2 |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
Ghostbusters is a 1984 comedy movie directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, and Sigourney Weaver. It is widely regarded as one of the best comedies ever made, and made "Who you gonna call? Ghostbusters!" a joking universal response to the phrase "Who are you going to call?"
Synopsis
The film centers on Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), three retired university paranormal professors who set up a professional ghost removal service in Manhattan. In the film, the Ghostbusters discover that the refrigerator in the apartment room of one Dana Barrett has become a portal to hell. After that incident, they discover the fictional Sumerian god Gozer is planning on destroying the world, similar to a passage in the Book of Revelation, Chapter 7, Verse 16. With the help of a new recruit, Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) the Ghostbusters work to save New York City and the world from an apocalypse.
Conservative Aspects
Ghostbusters is about hard-working men who start their own business, and its main human villains (not the supernatural creatures) are mostly high-ranking government offcails, such as the EPA inspector, the mayor, the mayor's assistant, and the judge. The film promotes the idea of smaller government. In the sequel the Ghostbusters right along the statue of liberty, a great representation of American patriotism.
Appropriateness
Though the film is rated PG, it is not advisable for younger viewers. Though a comedy, the film contains references to the fictional occult, and includes many frightening images, some harsh language, and the role of the Catholic church (when the mayor kisses the hand of the city bishop). The film also has several scenes including scanty clothing and sexual innuendo implied in the "summoning" process. The film would only be appropriate for adults able to understand the film's mockery of the 1980s-era interest in the occult.
Legacy
The film was followed by a sequel, Ghostbusters II, in 1989, and had two cartoon series called The Real Ghostbusters, and The Extreme Ghostbusters. A new Ghostbusters video game was released for multiple game systems, such as the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS in late 2008. In 2014, it was announced that Paul Feig will helm a Ghostbusters reboot, featuring a female cast. On January 27, 2015, it was announced that Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones will be the new Ghostbusters. The movie was released on July 15, 2016. Prior to the film's release, it garnered controversy, as some see the female cast as a way to promote the feminist movement.
In 2021, Ghostbusters: Afterlife was released. Directed by Jason Reitman, the son of Ivan Reitman, it serves as the third movie, completely ignoring the 2016 film.
