Review of Ghostbusters (1984) by Art S — 27 Oct 2014

My favorite movie in high school -- how would it look 30 years later? Actually, it is surprisingly loose and funny -- full of deadpan and sarcastic reaction shots, apparently many improvised on the spot by Bill Murray and the team.

Sadly we lost Harold Ramis this year but together with Ivan Reitman and Dan Aykroyd, he helped to create a comedy that is actually funny and enjoyable, no small feat. Probably part of the success is due to the way that the ghost business is played entirely straight and the rest is due to the acting chops (and spontaneous humorousness) of the cast (including Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis).

Sure, it has its slick elements (musical montages that speed the plot) but it is ramshackle enough to keep it fresh and this was perhaps the first time for some stock comedy film elements to be trotted out.

A good dose of absurdity (the final form of Gozer the Destructor) is always welcome. Enough said, I still enjoyed it decades later, despite the '80s fashion and hair.