Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Correction: When I originally published this review, I had included, as you will see, this incorrect tidbit stating that Harold Ramis was dead. I was, in fact, misinformed, as a few peeps helpfully pointed out in my comments section. Harold Ramis is alive and kicking, and I have egg on my face, as usual. Thanks for the correct info, gents! I'm losing the ol' brain cells faster than I thought, I guess.

I never get to see my favorite movies anymore. My wife, the slightly jumpy Constant Leigh Kidden won't let me near this one, because, (she claims with a mild lip quiver) I tend to act out my favorite parts, and she doesn't like getting slimed. Me, I say that's preposterous. I've never intentionally slimed her ever....oh...wait...okay, so one bucket full of corn oil and egg whites precariously perched on a doorframe makes me a criminal?

Well, moving right along:

Ghostbusters was released in 1984, when I was a weasely little college snot with too much time on my hands living two blocks away from the theater, hence, I saw it six times my freshman year on dollar nights. Today, Ivan Reitman's great classic comedy still survives, and if anything, is just as funny now as it was then.

Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, and the late great Harold Ramis star as questionable parapsychologists Dr. Peter Venkmann, Dr. Ray Stantz, and Dr. Igon Spengler, respectively, who are tossed out of their "cushy" university offices and set up shop together as "Ghostbusters" out to cleanse New York of all manner of spooks, specters, phantoms, and supernatural creepy-crawlies.

Mid point through the film, Ernie Hudson signs on as a fourth Ghostbuster, Winston Zeddmore. The Ghostbuster's (minus Zeddmore) first case takes place at a posh hotel, where they rid the ballroom of a floating vapor "real nasty one, too" with their snappy proton pack weapons and ecto-containment traps. Unfortunately, they also rid the ballroom of a huge glass chandelier, several tables, dishes, and other furnishings. I suppose that's just another occupational hazard. With that, they're off and running, as New York City as a whole seems to become overrun with ghosts. Maybe they all arrived on the Titanic, about which Cheech Marin, in a brief cameo appearance has the line "Well, better late than never."

Enter the lovely Dana Barret, concert cellist and Peter Venkmann's instant romantic interest, played by (slurp!) Sigourney Weaver. It seems that one morning while preparing breakfast, Dana noticed her eggs breaking open and frying on the kitchen counter, and found a reptilian dog living in her refrigerator. Alas for Dana and her nerdy friend Lewis Tully (well played by Rick Moranis, so well, in fact, that he reprised the character type for the musical version of the movie Little Shop of Horrors as Seymour Krelborn)it only gets worse from there as Dana becomes possessed by an unfriendly green dog with horns named Zuul, Gatekeeper to the realm of Gozer the Gozerian, an ancient Hittite deity that has some SERIOUS issues with the human race. More about Gozer shortly.

Lewis becomes possessed with the Keymaster, and when the the Keymaster and Zuul the Gatekeeper get together, (wink,wink) they open the door to let Gozer upon the world. As Winston Zeddmore observes, "Judgement Day".

So, the intrepid Ghostbusters must head to the hotel and confront Gozer, who appears first as a "nimble little minx" with bloodred eyes, a flattop haircut, and clothed in bubbles, then as a 50-foot-tall man of marshmallow, yes, the infamous "Stay Puft Marshmallow Man....Mr. StayPuft". The ending you will have to see for yourselves, good friends...I haven't the heart to spoil it.

Bill Murray is an atypical scientist character, to say the least. His Peter Venkmann is at one point compared to a "game show host" and there is reference to his being a carney barker before getting into psychology.

Dan Akroyd is almost-not quite- the straight man of the Ghostbusters as kindhearted Ray Stantz. He just wants to research new and exciting mysteries, whereas Peter Venkmann wants to make a buck. Oh well... they are both so comfortable in their roles, as is the late (sniffle) Harold Ramis as the stiff, studious, and bizarre Igon Spengler, that this team purrs along like a freshly-lubed sports car.

The weak link is Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddmore, who is sort of "the fourth Marx brother" of the team He's there, he's okay, but he's not particularly memorable. Ernie Hudson has done much better since in movies such as The Hand that Rocks The Cradle and others. He's a great actor; this just wasn't his venue.

Rick Moranis shows his comic skill as nerdy Lewis Tully, and did it so well I didn't recognize him at all. Maybe it was the fact Lewis bore strong resemblance to what I looked like at point in time, but maybe not.
Sigourney Weaver is smooth and cool as Dana Barret, just a wonderful performance. Like Lewis, I had a nerdy little crush on her for a while...now I've moved on to others.

The special effects were state-of-the art for the time, and the ghoulies and ghosts look appropriately ethereal, spooky,gruesome,and often funny.
The comedy ranged from wry satire to outright slapstick, well pulled off by true masters of the craft. I love this movie. its still so refreshing, nearly twenty years after it's release. Rest in Peace, Harold Ramis,; Ghostbusters 2 was great also, and I'll review it soon, but without you, there can not, will not, must not be a Ghostbusters 3. It just wouldn't be the same.

yours until "Star Wars Episode 27: Artoo blows a gasket"
-Hugh U. Kidden

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for Groups
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older