Ghostbusters (1984)
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Three eccentric parapsychologists start a ghost-catching business in New York City after being fired from their university positions.
The story
After being fired from their university positions following a paranormal encounter at the New York Public Library, parapsychologists Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler establish 'Ghostbusters', a professional ghost-catching service. Operating out of a disused firehouse, they utilize high-tech nuclear-powered equipment to capture and contain spirits. While the business starts slowly, they soon encounter a mysterious case involving a cellist named Dana Barrett. As supernatural activity begins to surge across New York City, the team must navigate the growing demand for their services while dealing with the escalating threat of a powerful entity known as Zuul.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After being fired from their university positions, Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, and Egon Spengler form 'Ghostbusters' to capture and contain ghosts using high-tech equipment. They are hired by cellist Dana Barrett, who witnessed a demonic entity called Zuul. While investigating, they also capture a gluttonous ghost at the Sedgewick Hotel. As supernatural activity spikes across New York, they hire Winston Zeddemore to help manage the demand. The situation escalifies when an EPA inspector, Walter Peck, accidentally deactivates their containment unit, releasing the captured ghosts. Simultaneously, Dana and her neighbor Louis Tully are possessed by entities linked to a gate for a god of destruction, Gozer the Gozerian. The Ghostbusters must travel to a hidden temple to stop Gozer from manifesting. Gozer appears as a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. The team successfully destroys Gozer's avatar by crossing their proton energy streams, banishing the entity and becoming local heroes.
- First release year
- 1984
- Runtime (minutes)
- 105
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ivan Reitman
- Writers
- Dan Aykroyd · writer; Harold Ramis · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bill Murray · Peter Venkman; Dan Aykroyd · Ray Stantz; Sigourney Weaver · Dana Barrett; Harold Ramis · Egon Spengler; Rick Moranis · Louis Tully; Annie Potts · Janine Melnitz; William Atherton · Walter Peck; Ernie Hudson · Winston Zeddemore
- Genres
- supernatural; comedy
- Themes
- science vs. superstition; urban fantasy
- Tone and mood
- comedy; action; horror
- Premise and plot tags
- paranormal investigation; ghost hunting
- Awards and nominations
- Saturn Award · Best Fantasy Film · Won
- Production trivia
- The film was the first comedy to use expensive special effects.; The theme song by Ray Parker Jr. was a number-one hit.; It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2015.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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