A bona fide Eighties classic

Rating: Null/10 (5 August 2002)

A wonderfully good movie, brilliantly reminiscent of the era in which it was made, "Ghostbusters" is a bona fide Eighties classic. Whilst it never quite succeeds as a comedy (it is only mildly funny at best) it possesses enough monstrous spooks and ghouls to scare and thrill, combined with some memorable characterisations and a really hip soundtrack.
The plot centres in on three parapsychologists who study and investigate the supernatural at a New York University. The trio consists of wisecracking womanizer Peter Venkman(Bill Murray), overexcitable engineer Raymond Stantz(Dan Ayckroyd), and the studious intellectual Egon Spengler(Harold Ramis).
The trio are thrown off campus for their apparently wasteful research, and then decide to start a business investigating and eliminating the paranormal: "Ghostbusters". Armed with proton packs and ghost traps, they battle the ghoulish and the demonic, setting the scene for a climatic show-down at the top of a haunted up-town apartment building.

There is some superb characterisation for a comedy film. The three strong leads are ably supported by (among many others) Sigourney Weaver, who plays Venkman's reluctant love interest, Annie Potts as their no-nonsense secretary, Ernie Hudson as a down-to-earth black man who becomes the fourth Ghostbuster, Rick Moranis as Weaver's nerdy neighbour and David Margulies as the bemused Mayor. Whilst none of these characters are explored in any depth, they provide a colourful balance of personalities that is the core of the picture.
The colourful and delightfully messy special-effects perfectly suit the picture and one feels they wouldn't be quite so effective if the film was made today with CGI. They are complement with some excellent set-design ranging from the Ghostbusters' dilapidated fire-station headquarters, to the eerie and foreboding high-rise.
The music of the movie is excellent as well. Bernie Brillstein's soundtrack ranges from the casually jazzy, to the scarily operatic, with some of good use of disco music in some scenes. It perfectly complements the picture. And few would deny Ray Parker Jr's theme tune is an infectiously catchy hit.
The film was followed by an equally impressive sequel in 1989. As it stands on its own, "Ghostbusters" is one of the definitive American movies of the 1980s. A exciting, and enjoyable fantasy picture.