The best film of the eighties about the eighties

Rating: 9/10 (12 August 1999)

I've seen a lot of films from the eighties about the eighties, and this one is, for me, a clear winner. It never drops off, which is the only reason it beats Ferris Bueller's Day Off. While both are fast-paced comedies, there is a satirical wit and a strong self-critical overtone to both that is often overlooked.
Ghostbusters sums up so much of the get-rich-quick mentality which prevailed back then, and it puts us in the picture by making reference to all the little things which made the eighties the eighties. And it does it all in an even, witty way, that is funny to this day.
The eighties songs featured are not the popular ones, except perhaps Ray's ripoff of Huey Lewis And The News (he's probably still paying for that one), but they are classic tunes nonetheless. The score is brilliant, and I must admit I always watch the credits right through just to have an encore of it- and the pop tunes.
The effects are good enough, and the backstories offered on the DVD release give an entertaining insight into this and other aspects of the film's creation. In my view, the story behind Ghostbusters is the key to its proper appreciation, because I don't think there has ever been a more talented group of people involved in writing, directing, acting and creating a comedy movie. To hear them speak and comment on a movie they are so proud of, even to this day, is an experience I would recommend to anyone with the slightest interest in the genre.