Fresh off of the success of Meatballs and Stripes, Bill Murray (check him out also in Lost in Translation) was beginning to cement himself as one of the top comics in Hollywood. It wasn’t just that he was funny, he was a fantastic actor who had the acting chops to pull off even the most emotional of moments.
Not to mention, his work was immensely popular, not just in the world of stand-up comedy but in the world of film too. Eventually, Ivan Reitman and Columbia Pictures decided to make a comedy film that would be centered around Bill Murray and three other hooligans and went on to create one of the most iconic and memorable pieces of film to ever be released in the history of pop culture.
How to Stream or Download Ghostbusters (1984)
You can stream it or you can download the film from a digital store. Click on the Download button at the end of the review. Check out also other films from the series – Ghostbusters II (1989), Ghostbusters (2016), and Ghostbusters Afterlife (2021).
The Movie Review
You see, ghosts have long-lived among us humans and found themselves to be untouched by everything physical. They hide in the shadows because the regular and naked eye cannot see them. However, when these spirits get too much freedom, they start to act out like spoiled little brats. Though, if you see something strange happening in your neighborhood, you know who to call, it’s the Ghostbusters!
Three scientists named Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler end up losing their jobs for some logical reasons naturally the next step that they think is best for them, is to start an organization called Ghostbusters to fight the evil ghosts that lurk within the darkened roots of New York City.
I’m a huge fan of Ivan Reitman’s work in the world of comedy. This man has mastered not just slapstick comedy, but also verbal dialogue that is truly funny. It’s really hard to do that, especially when you’re making a film that revolves around fictional threats on an epic blockbuster scale. So, making this film work was one of the biggest challenges for the director and the actors. Thankfully though, the director decided to go with a medium approach, giving us both slapstick and some of the funniest dialogues ever. Perhaps the biggest reason why this works is due to the actors and the chemistry between them!
We have to talk about Bill Murray in this film, he is absolutely fantastic. He is so good in this film as a comic and an actor, that it is abysmal to know that he wasn’t as popular before this film. Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz is an absolute standout, bringing the charm and goofy character of Ray to life. Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler is another character that you fall in love with, he’s the brains behind the Ghostbusters’ technology and is the smartest of them all. Together, this trio brings some of the funniest content to life.
Now when it comes to the special effects and the visual effects of this film, they were so far past their time that it was Immaculate watching this on the big screen in the 80s. This film felt like a dream come true for many nerds, and it felt like an out-of-world experience for regular moviegoers. The final sequence of this film is so spectacular in scale and scope, that people were in actual awe at the sheer brilliance of this film. It uses a great combination of visual effects, camera tricks, and practical effects to create an immersive version of this ghost-ridden New York City.
There’s also some fantastic camera work here, along with the wonderful theme that everybody has come to know and love over the years. The camera work, in particular, is so good, it mixes a bunch of neo-noir elements, combining them with classic Hollywood blockbuster camera angles and lighting, as well as some unique takes from horror films. It is just an all-around package, condensed into one film. The soundtrack itself is so wonderfully done, people listen to it even now, years after the film’s release.
The Bottom Line
To summarize everything, Ghostbusters is perhaps one of the most influential films to ever be released. This is a film that has a little bit of everything, for everybody. It is enjoyable to those looking for comedy, it is scary to those looking for some horror, it is emotional for those looking for characters with complex journeys and personalities, and it has a lot of adventure in action for those of you who just want to have a good time.
This is a film that lacks any sort of problems, and if there were any flaws, I would have pointed them out already. Simply put, Ghostbusters is an absolute masterpiece, and there is a reason why it is known as one of the most important films to ever come out.
