By Lisa Nault
Staff Writer
Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS! This sci-fi comedy came out in 1984 and is still regarded as a must-see movie. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, “Ghostbusters” is back for a limited time in theaters. For those who haven’t seen the film, it follows a group of “scientists” who form a ghost-catching service and business starts to get very busy.
On its anniversary, I went to answer the question: why do we love this movie? Well, it’s still hilarious. There are so many great lines in the film that have left an impression on audiences everywhere.
Here’s a trivia fact for you: a good portion of the film is ad-libbed and there is no scene that follows the script exactly. Apparently, the film was going to be much darker then it was. I’m glad it was more lighthearted because it would not have done as well if it was darker. That same year, “The Terminator,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” and “Friday the 13th: Final Chapter” came out. If “Ghostbusters” had been more serious, it would have not been strong enough to contend with its competitors.
The film also has one of the catchiest themes ever. Once the first few notes begin, nobody can resist. If you hear the song, it will be stuck in your head for about a week. That is powerful. There are several famous movie themes that are as identifiable but none quite like it. Ray Parker Jr.’s song certainly deserved its nomination for Best Original Song in the 1985 Academy Awards.
The special effects are dated, which makes sense, but some still hold up. The ghosts still look creepy and strange. There is a scene where a woman floats above a bed and rotates in the air and that still looks good. It is mostly a comedic movie but it still has scary scenes.
People still gasp at the right moments. Despite being referred to as a “family-friendly film” it has pretty adult scenes and makes some adult jokes.
Ghostbusters will be leaving theaters soon and I would highly recommend seeing it. The big-screen experience is so different from that of sitting at home and watching it.
I went with a few friends who had never seen the film before and we all had a blast. There are so many little things throughout the film that add to it.
If you want to find out things you never knew about Ghostbusters, I would recommend watching Doug Walker’s TV series “The Nostalgia Critic,” which has an episode called “Top 11 Things You Never Noticed About Ghostbusters.” It has more trivia than I can put in this article. Time is running out to see it on the big screen. You won’t regret it.
