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Ghostbusters

  • 19841984
  • PGPG
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
405K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
308
35
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Advance, 1 Sheet
Watch the 30th Anniversary Trailer for Ghostbusters.
Play trailer1:35
32 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Comedy
  • Fantasy

Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.Three parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.

IMDb RATING
7.8/10
405K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
308
35
  • Director
    • Ivan Reitman
  • Writers
    • Dan Aykroyd
    • Harold Ramis
    • Rick Moranis(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Bill Murray
    • Dan Aykroyd
    • Sigourney Weaver
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ivan Reitman
  • Writers
    • Dan Aykroyd
    • Harold Ramis
    • Rick Moranis(uncredited)
  • Stars
    • Bill Murray
    • Dan Aykroyd
    • Sigourney Weaver
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 674User reviews
    • 275Critic reviews
    • 71Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 7 wins & 8 nominations total

    Videos32

    30th Anniversary Trailer
    Trailer 1:35
    30th Anniversary Trailer
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 1:05
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 1:22
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 1:22
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters
    Ghostbusters
    Trailer 2:13
    Ghostbusters

    Photos432

    Bill Murray in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Billy Bryan in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Billy Bryan in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters (1984)
    Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bill Murray
    Bill Murray
    • Dr. Peter Venkmanas Dr. Peter Venkman
    Dan Aykroyd
    Dan Aykroyd
    • Dr. Raymond Stantzas Dr. Raymond Stantz
    Sigourney Weaver
    Sigourney Weaver
    • Dana Barrettas Dana Barrett
    Harold Ramis
    Harold Ramis
    • Dr. Egon Spengleras Dr. Egon Spengler
    Rick Moranis
    Rick Moranis
    • Louis Tullyas Louis Tully
    Annie Potts
    Annie Potts
    • Janine Melnitzas Janine Melnitz
    William Atherton
    William Atherton
    • Walter Peckas Walter Peck
    Ernie Hudson
    Ernie Hudson
    • Winston Zeddemoreas Winston Zeddemore
    David Margulies
    David Margulies
    • Mayoras Mayor
    Steven Tash
    Steven Tash
    • Male Studentas Male Student
    Jennifer Runyon
    Jennifer Runyon
    • Female Studentas Female Student
    Slavitza Jovan
    • Gozeras Gozer
    Michael Ensign
    Michael Ensign
    • Hotel Manageras Hotel Manager
    Alice Drummond
    Alice Drummond
    • Librarianas Librarian
    Jordan Charney
    Jordan Charney
    • Dean Yeageras Dean Yeager
    Timothy Carhart
    Timothy Carhart
    • Violinistas Violinist
    John Rothman
    John Rothman
    • Library Administratoras Library Administrator
    Tom McDermott
    Tom McDermott
    • Archbishopas Archbishop
    • Director
      • Ivan Reitman
    • Writers
      • Dan Aykroyd
      • Harold Ramis
      • Rick Moranis(uncredited)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler work at Columbia University. where they delve into the paranormal and fiddle with many unethical experiments on their students. As they are kicked out of the University, they really understand the paranormal and go into business for themselves. Under the new snazzy business name of 'Ghostbusters', and living in the old firehouse building they work out of, they are called to rid New York City of paranormal phenomenon at everyone's whim. - for a price. They make national press as the media reports the Ghostbusters are the cause of it all. Thrown in jail by the EPA, the mayor takes a chance and calls on them to help save the city. Unbeknownst to all, a long dead Gozer worshiper (Evo Shandor) erected a downtown apartment building which is the cause of all the paranormal activity. They find out the building could resurrect the ancient Hittite god, Gozer, and bring an end to all of humanity. Who are you gonna call to stop this terrible world-ending menace? —Chad Grill
    • ghost
    • ghostbuster
    • scientist
    • paranormal investigation team
    • supernatural being
    • 245 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Here to save the world again. [re-release]
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Comedy
      • Fantasy
      • Sci-Fi
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When Louis Tully mingles with his party guests (commenting on the price of the salmon, and so on), the scene is one continuous shot, and almost entirely improvised.
    • Goofs
      Ray declares the phenomena they are witnessing may be as important as "the Tunguska blast of 1909." It occurred June 30, 1908.
    • Quotes

      Dr. Raymond Stantz: Everything was fine with our system until the power grid was shut off by dickless here.

      Walter Peck: They caused an explosion!

      Mayor: Is this true?

      Dr. Peter Venkman: Yes it's true.

      [pause]

      Dr. Peter Venkman: This man has no dick.

      Walter Peck: Jeez!

      [Charges at Venkman]

      Mayor: Break it up! Hey, break this up! Break it up!

      Walter Peck: All right, all right, all right!

      Dr. Peter Venkman: Well, that's what I heard!

    • Crazy credits
      During the end credits, as the Ghostbusters are leaving in Ecto-1, three priests can be seen giving the last rites to a chunk of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man
    • Alternate versions
      All German TV versions omit the line by Peter Venkman: "He's a sailor, he's in New York, we get this guy laid, we won't have any trouble." The video and DVD versions are uncut.
    • Connections
      Edited into Muppet Babies: Good, Clean Fun (1984)
    • Soundtracks
      Ghostbusters
      Written and Performed by Ray Parker Jr.

      Courtesy of Arista Records, Inc.

    User reviews674

    Review
    Top review
    "We got one!"
    The first thing that needs to be said is that Ghostbusters (1984) is possibly the funniest film ever. That's quite the bold statement to make but with good cause. This film holds up probably 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 (Being that I am a horror buff) never realizing what it truly was. I hadn't yet caught on to a lot of the humor. About eight years later, I noticed that I hadn't seen the film for forever and a day. I popped it in and oh my God...I just about died with laughter.

    This movie has something for everyone. Director Ivan Reitman said that he found a comedic formula for films...it works as follows: There's the brain, the heart, and the mouth. Ghostbusters scored with all of them. As the brain of the bunch, Egon Spengler's (Harold Ramis also co-wrote it) use of witty humor is hilarious. If you have the right mind set, almost everything Spengler says is laugh out loud funny. At the heart of the Ghostbusters is Dan Aykroyd's (Who created the idea for the film) lovable fool, Ray Stantz. Ray has a tenacity for saying simple minded things and using very little logic and yet somehow the man got a P.H.D. (Probably through studying habits, despite ignorance.) There's a line that he says involving a smell in the beginning of the movie that I am chuckling at just thinking about it. This of course leaves Bill Murray (He was nominated for a Gloden Globe) as the sarcastic Peter Venkman (The mouth of the beast.) Peter is likely the one that gets the most laughs because he, being the mouth that he is, never stops making fun of everything. It's like Rodney Dangerfield in the party scene in Caddyshack but a whole lot funnier and continues the rest of the movie. The film also produces some laughter out of the minor characters as well. The scatological humor toward the end of the film between Rick Moranis (In a role intended for John Candy) and Sigourney Weaver is quite laughter inducing. Ernie Hudson in one of his first big roles has a few good lines as the other Ghostbuster, Winston Zeddmore (The only one who's not a doctor) and William Atherton of Die Hard fame plays the ultimate annoyance as Walter Peck. Not to be forgotten in the mix is Annie Potts as Janine who has some rather memorable humorous lines, for instance the one I've written to summarize the movie. Numerous other well known faces are seen on screen too, which includes John Belushi (Or rather his continuation of the character Bluto, from Animal House) as the principal image used for the now famous 'Disgusting Blob,' Slimer. Like any good comic will tell you, good comedy is generally about setting up the other guys around you. Well, it just so happens that the characters all work well with each other to set the great comedic moments staged in this film.

    Not to be forgotten however in all the funny one liners and set ups is the overall film. Ghostbusters was nominated for numerous awards including Oscars for best song (Courtesy of Ray Parker Jr.) and special effects, which are now slightly dated but possibly work even better with the wacky style being consistent with the rest of the movie. Along with Parker, there are numerous other great songs including a song by The Bus Boys that climbed charts and a rather creepy seeming song (But works well) by Mick Smiley. Another thing that should not be forgotten is the horror elements of the film. Though purposely outrageous, the effects do serve as some potential scare moments. Among the most frightening involve stop motion animated puppets called Terror Dogs. Though the scares are few, they do work fairly well (They had me convinced as a youngster) bringing enough threat to the ghosts that haunt New York City. The story itself is interesting as well, involving some intriguing mythology of Sommeria among other countries.

    Where some films tend to only work a few times, Ghostbusters is consistent. Although, I've found movies such as CLUE, Dr. Strangelove or Airplane to be funnier at different times in my life, this one still makes me laugh even after seeing it hundreds of times. From the opening scares to the ending credits, it will almost surely reel you in. I've laughed harder at some moments in other films but it's rare that I find one that's funnier throughout. Even those films lose their edge after you see them a few times...this one just doesn't. If you haven't seen it, do so. You will almost certainly be glad you did. If you have seen it and didn't like it, try watching it again in a few years. It's almost sure to grow on you eventually. I dare anyone to sit through this movie and not laugh once, no matter how many times they've seen it. If you don't laugh, you're either trying really hard to hold back, have a very odd sense of humor or are dead! It's just that funny. Although I don't rate films, I would easily rate this one a five out of five, placed among the classics. Believe it or not, I think that it belongs alongside Citizen Kane and Lawrence of Arabia. It also spawned an entertaining sequel in 1989. Enjoy!
    helpful•107
    34
    • Somebody_Has_Stolen_My_Name
    • Apr 14, 2005

    FAQ16

    • Why did Zuul and Vinz Clortho possess Dana and Louis's bodies?
    • Why did none of the dining guests appear to see Gozer's minion as it "got" Louis outside the restaurant?
    • What did the ghost of a woman do to Ray in the fort detmerring?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 8, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Facebook
      • ghostbusters.com
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ghost Busters
    • Filming locations
      • Fire Station 23 - 225 E. 5th Street, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Columbia Pictures
      • Delphi Films
      • Black Rhino Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $30,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $243,578,797
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,578,151
      • Jun 10, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $296,578,797
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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