It’s hard to imagine that it’s been more than 30 years since the original Ghostbusters film was released – in fact, it’s been since 1984 that the originals (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver) starred and transformed the film theatre into a supernatural action-packed comedy about ghosts and slimy characters. Since then the franchise has blossomed into a sequel (Ghostbusters II) and because Ghostbusters III never came, a new version of the original has since been produced. Great productions in their own right, but to truly understand why the whole Ghostbusters franchise was such a success, it’s important to go back to 1984 (or even before that). Here’s your guide to the original Ghostbusters film – and playing it online.
Yep, it came from SNL
During his time at Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd conceived the idea: he envisioned a sketch for him and his fellow alumnus John Belushi, called “Ghostmasters”, in which the pair travelled through space and time with magic wands. Belushi’s death put an end to the project, but Dan and Harold Ramis rewrote the script into the version it eventually became. It took some time but the film finally came out in 1984, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman.
The Plot
After a frightening encounter with a ghost in the public library, the trio of Peter Venkman (Murray), Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd), and Egon Spenglar (Ramis), open an investigative bureau called ‘Ghostbusters’ in an old abandoned fire station. Thanks to their former university work they have enough equipment and research into the paranormal. Soon they capture their first ghost, Slimer, and their business picks up drastically – so much so that they need to hire Winston Zeddmore (Hudson). Due to city regulations, however, they are forced to shut down their office, which, together with two demons roaming the city, creates a grand confusion, placing the entire city in danger which only the Ghostbusters can avert.
The Franchise
The movie was welcomed internationally to critical awards, and many other items were brought on the market for fans to enjoy: Sony came out with the animated series, toys, soundtracks, and t-shirts with now famous lines such as “He slimed me” were worn all over the world. The idea that Dan Aykroyd began grew into grand dollar merchandise ventures.
And the franchise continues, of course. Not only does it have a new version of the original film (Ghostbusters 2016, starring, among others, Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy), which critics find can stand alone quite well, there are plenty of other ways in which the Ghostbusters theme can be enjoyed. In fact, there are plenty of Ghostbuster slot online games that allow fans to sing the Ghostbuster theme song whilst playing slots and earning money. It’s not just about busting ghosts, it’s about all-out fun. Go, Ghostbusters!