Lee Allen Howard
Nav Menu
Nav
  • Home
  • Books
  • Newsletter
  • Bio
  • Blog
  • Dark Fiction Editing
  • Contact

Tag: Ghostbusters

April 21, 2022
Ghostbusters Improved from 1984 to 2016

Ghostbusters 1984In both Ghostbusters (1984) and Ghostbusters: Answer the Call (2016), four wacky characters find themselves out of jobs and band together to form a supernatural pest-removal business, where paranormal investigation meets high-tech extermination. They’re called “ghostbusters.”

I can say little of depth about either of the films—especially the first one. The four male characters are sophomoric, and the comedy—characteristic of Saturday Night Live of that era—is bad and stupid. (Director Ivan Reitman, who died in February, also directed such gems as Meatballs and Stripes. Blech.) The special effects are so terrible they’re laughable.

Despite its coarse execution, Ghostbusters managed to tell a decent story that starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, and Rick Moranis.

In fact, the story was decent enough that it grossed almost $300 million worldwide and earned two Oscar nominations. (I still find that hard to believe.)

Ghostbusters 2016Yet, the story got way better when it was reinterpreted and recast with four women: Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones. (And I didn’t mind screen time with the big, dumb receptionist, played by Chris Hemsworth.)

The 2016 version basically tells the original story with some freshening. The ladies are still sophomoric, but they are way funnier, the writing is better, and the special effects are much improved.

The remake contained lots of fun references to the 1984 version: the Ecto-1 mobile, the slime, the gluttonous ghosts, the Stay Puft marshmallow man, Hook & Ladder #8, and cameos my Murray, Aykroyd, Potts, Hudson, and Weaver.

The National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York, where I live, was dedicated a few years back, and I saw (and touched—don’t tell anyone) the original Ecto-1 mobile. Maybe someday it will visit your town too.

 Ecto-1aEcto-1bEcto-1c

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • Email
  • Print
Like Loading...
Comments to this post

Recent Posts

  • Sign Up for an Advance Review Copy of The Covenant Sacrifice
  • The Covenant Sacrifice Available for Pre-order Now
  • Excerpt: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard
  • Cover Reveal: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard
  • How Story Coaching Can Help You Write a Better Story

Recent Comments

  • Interview with Lee Allen Howard, Author of The Covenant Sacrifice – Kay Hanifen on Contact Lee
  • Lee Allen Howard on Excerpt: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard
  • Bob Pasky on Excerpt: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard
  • ivan cruz on Cover Reveal: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard
  • Christine Rose Elle on Cover Reveal: The Covenant Sacrifice by Lee Allen Howard

Archives

Categories

Copyright ©2023 Lee Allen Howard. All rights reserved.
Disclosures & Privacy Policy
=
%d bloggers like this: