A life-defining movie

Rating: 9/10 (10 June 2001)

There are two movies I have seen more than any other, literally dozens and dozens, perhaps even a hundred times. One is Spaceballs, the other is Ghostbusters. As a child, I would watch them over and over, reciting line for line. It's probably responsible for some of my mental problems (And obsessions with memorization), but the movie still stands up today as one of my favorites to watch.
It seems silly to tell you the plot, not knowing what Ghostbusters is about is like being unfamiliar with the story of creation with Adam and Eve. At least amongst my generation it stands as a rite of passage practically; when my friends learned that another friend had never seen it, he was practically shunned. The omission was called a good deal of things, my favorite adjective was "outrageous!"
Anyway, Ghostbusters is of course, the tale of three parapsychologists, Doctors Peter Venkman, Ray Stanz, and Egon Spengler (Great character names, I can never forget them) who are kicked out of their professorships at Columbia University, and decide to go into business for themselves as a sort of exterminator service for people with ghost problems. The film is mix of comedy, action, and scares, that somehow manages to hit just the right notes on all three, you scream and laugh at the same time. It's a mix that few have been able to achieve since (The recent Evolution by Ghostbusters director Ivan Reitman has limited success in this same area).
Everything about this movie clicks. The cast, led by Bill Murray, seem so perfect in their roles. Harold Ramis, for all his success elsewhere, shall always be Egon (Love the line when facing the Marshmellow Man, "Sorry Venkman. I'm terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought.") The song by Ray Parker Jr. is of course famous, but Elmer Bernstein's excellent score has sadly been overlooked. The effects, fairly cutting edge for the time, (mostly) hold up well, those that don't only make the ghostbusting scenes all the more humorous.
Really, if you haven't seen this movie, you should be arrested. It's on television more than Die Hard. Watch it!