by Liam McMillen
Ghostbusters is possibly the funniest film ever. There, I've said it. It's quite a bold statement to make, but with good cause. This film is the epitome of the 80s, but unlike most of the films around it, this film holds up. In fact, it probably holds up more than any other comedy in existence. You know how there are those movies that you see that are hysterical the first few times you see them? This one just keeps on coming. I remember when I was a kid, I wore our copy of Ghostbusters out. At the time, I thought it was a horror movie (I wasn't the brightest bulb) so I watched it constantly never realizing what it truly was. I hadn't yet caught on to a lot of the humour. A few years later in my early teenage years, I popped it in and, oh my God, I just about died with laughter. Revisiting it for its thirty-year anniversary and it's still just as funny and just as revolutionary.
Ghostbusters is possibly the funniest film ever. There, I've said it. It's quite a bold statement to make, but with good cause. This film is the epitome of the 80s, but unlike most of the films around it, this film holds up. In fact, it probably holds up more than any other comedy in existence. You know how there are those movies that you see that are hysterical the first few times you see them? This one just keeps on coming. I remember when I was a kid, I wore our copy of Ghostbusters out. At the time, I thought it was a horror movie (I wasn't the brightest bulb) so I watched it constantly never realizing what it truly was. I hadn't yet caught on to a lot of the humour. A few years later in my early teenage years, I popped it in and, oh my God, I just about died with laughter. Revisiting it for its thirty-year anniversary and it's still just as funny and just as revolutionary.
It's a bit difficult to review this film in a conventional way. Normally, I'd be disappointed with a movie that has as many tonal inconsistencies as this does, and also has such a convoluted plot. These are valid concerns, and are enough to make a lot of movies just plain suck. But in the summer of 1984, convention was thrown out the window and an unsurpassed American classic was born. Ghostbusters is enormously entertaining and one of the funniest movies ever, containing some of film's most iconic moments of all time. With vintage special effects, great characters, and large doses of Bill Murray, Ghostbusters is a movie that everyone can, and probably will, deeply enjoy.
The film opens in a mood typical of a horror movie, with an innocent, elderly librarian being terrorized by some sort of ghost. Then suddenly, some great 80s music kicks in and in the next scene, we are introduced to the least scary or serious thing ever: Bill Murray. This man makes Ghostbusters his own, and completely steals the show. His dry, sarcastic humor is so perfect and unique, and he can conjure up laughs with just a look. Nothing fazes him, everything amuses him, and nothing is allowed to be taken too seriously in his presence. Without him, this movie would be vastly different, and probably quite a bit less fun. Interestingly, he has great chemistry with Sigourney Weaver, and it's a joy to watch their characters interact. Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis complement each other (and contrast with Murray) magnificently, playing socially awkward geeks with hilarious results. Ernie Hudson, portraying the last-minute fourth ghost buster, also gets in a few great lines. William Atherton from Die Hard also appears late in the game, playing just as great an antagonist as in said film. Adding more to the spectacle is the inclusion of Rick Moranis, playing one of his best characters ever. Add it all together and you get a brilliant comedy that is completely outrageous, yet at times quietly subtle in its humour. It's also one of the few of its kind that actually gets better with age and repeated viewings.
The film opens in a mood typical of a horror movie, with an innocent, elderly librarian being terrorized by some sort of ghost. Then suddenly, some great 80s music kicks in and in the next scene, we are introduced to the least scary or serious thing ever: Bill Murray. This man makes Ghostbusters his own, and completely steals the show. His dry, sarcastic humor is so perfect and unique, and he can conjure up laughs with just a look. Nothing fazes him, everything amuses him, and nothing is allowed to be taken too seriously in his presence. Without him, this movie would be vastly different, and probably quite a bit less fun. Interestingly, he has great chemistry with Sigourney Weaver, and it's a joy to watch their characters interact. Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis complement each other (and contrast with Murray) magnificently, playing socially awkward geeks with hilarious results. Ernie Hudson, portraying the last-minute fourth ghost buster, also gets in a few great lines. William Atherton from Die Hard also appears late in the game, playing just as great an antagonist as in said film. Adding more to the spectacle is the inclusion of Rick Moranis, playing one of his best characters ever. Add it all together and you get a brilliant comedy that is completely outrageous, yet at times quietly subtle in its humour. It's also one of the few of its kind that actually gets better with age and repeated viewings.
However, there's still the matter of the utterly inane story to consider. By the climax, any remaining semblance of plot is basically thrown out the window. But the film's rather ridiculous premise actually serves to better the film. Some of the movie's most strikingly memorable moments come from the silliest concepts, such as "crossing the streams," the Slimer ghost, or the colossal Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (all of which still look fantastic, even by today's CGI standards). And it's examples like these that tell us how much fun the filmmakers were having with the whole concept from the get-go. All the ridiculous backstory with Zuul, Gozer the Gozerian, the Gatekeeper, and the Keymaster doesn't mean much. It's all about being entertaining, and Ghostbusters does this perfectly.
With such a strange foundation for a film - that is, being big-budget, special effects-laden horror-comedy - there were countless things that could have gone wrong. Against all odds, Ghostbusters got everything absolutely right. It's a blast for people of all ages, and an absolute laugh riot. It has an immensely talented cast backing the superb Bill Murray, just doing what he does best, and a plethora of noteworthy scenes and one-liners. It's a must-own.
With such a strange foundation for a film - that is, being big-budget, special effects-laden horror-comedy - there were countless things that could have gone wrong. Against all odds, Ghostbusters got everything absolutely right. It's a blast for people of all ages, and an absolute laugh riot. It has an immensely talented cast backing the superb Bill Murray, just doing what he does best, and a plethora of noteworthy scenes and one-liners. It's a must-own.
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