Ghostbusters (1984)

Director: Ivan Reitman
Starring: Billy Murray, Dan Akroyd, Sigourney Weaver

Synopsis:
A trio of paranormal researchers go into business for themselves to tackle a growing wave of supernatural activity in New York City.

Impressions:
Thanks to the release of Frozen Empire, the original Ghostbusters was handy in the listings of in-flight movies and revisiting it for its 40th anniversary. Particularly in light of the vandalism that was the 2016 version, a lot of commentators have revisited the original to hash out what made this film work and and that one not, so I feel like I don't have much to add, but for those who haven't followed any of that commentary, let's cover the basics. The biggest charm of this movie is the strength of the character dynamics. You have two true believers in the form of the analytical Egon and the more childlike Ray contrasted with the cynical conman Peter, who are later joined by the everyman Winston to round out the quartet. There's something fun about treating ghost hunting like an extermination service, and we get a lot of memorable set pieces, culminating in a great finale. And of course we can't forget Ray Parker Jr.'s iconic song for the film. This is one of the great classics of the 80s and definitely belongs in your collection.

Rating:
Own It