Ghostbusters: I ain’t afraid of naming it my favorite film of the 1980s

Oh, the 80s. Not a good time for anything culture wise. People sometimes call the 90s a cultural wasteland, but they have nothing on the 80s. The music that was popular during the 80s? Terrible, most of it only around to be appreciated ironically. People don’t actually enjoy Separate Ways, Steve Perry, they are just laughing at your over the top video. Television? Better, but not by much. The Simpsons debuted in the 80s, but not until 1989. Also I’m not 100% up on my SNL history, but I don’t remember the 80s being a good period for the show.

Then, there are the movies. There’s not a single Best Picture Winner from the 80s I’ve seen and liked. I can’t comment on Out of Africa, Gandhi, or Amadeus, but otherwise blah. Yes, that includes Rain Man. I couldn’t even make it through that movie.

As such, I had a hard time thinking of a favorite movie of the 1980s. Eventually I did come up with one, but after I did I thought to myself, “Is that really my favorite film of the 1980s?” I mean, Raging Bull is really good, but it’s not my favorite Scorsese film, and maybe not top three. Also, considering that I heard he was one of a handful of directors to protest the arrest of Roman Polanski, Scorsese can fuck himself long and hard right now.

I finally came to name my favorite movie of the 1980s thanks to it being on AMC about 800 times in the course of a couple of weeks. The movie in question? Ghostbusters.

Yes, that’s right. Ghostbusters. It is a fantastic movie. It’s really funny, but it has a bit more substance than your Step Brother’s or your Caddyshack’s or those kind of comedies. The storyline is more fleshed out, the acting is better, and it is just as funny. Also, the characters are awesome. I love Egon Spengler, I love Ray Stanz, I love Louis Tully (Rick Moranis was so awesome. I yearn for his return to the silver screen. Come back to us, Dark Helmet!). However, most of all I love Peter Venkman.

Bill Murray just might be my favorite actor of all time. I know I am not alone in this. Sure, he plays a similar character in every film. Lots of actors do. They are still awesome. Besides, nobody plays the snarky asshole better than Murray. Plus, his late career turn to movies such as The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic, and Lost in Translation showed his acting chops that go with the comedy.

However, in Ghostbusters he’s all snark all the time and it is wonderful. He’s a genius, but he couldn’t be more aloof or self serving. While Egon and Ray are geeked on catching ghosts, Venkman just wants the money, and he wants to bed Sigourney Weaver.

We’ve all seen Ghostbusters right? Or at the very least we all know the story? Dudes start a company that catch and contain ghosts, shit starts to go crazy, the government tries to shut them down, and then shit goes crazier. A gigantic marshmallow man in involved. It’s silly, sure, but it’s done so damn well.

The characters in the movie are a pleasure to watch. The dialogue is great. The story works. Originally, Dan Aykroyd in all his batshit insanity (have you seen him hocking Crystal Skull Vodka?) wanted this movie to start with them well established and also he wanted them to go to Hell. It was a bit much. As I said in my piece on The Godfather, it’s always funner to watch a transformation happen, and origin stories are usually better. Watching these three guys (Ernie Hudson joins later as Winston Zeddemore) get kicked out of their college jobs and struggling to make it at first is way more enjoyable. That’s part of the reason Ghostbusters II isn’t as good. Well, that and the fact evil pink slime is prominently involved.

The only downside of this movie is the special effects have gotten really dated. However, that just provides you a whole different kind of laugh. If you are at all a fan of Bill Murray and you somehow haven’t seen this movie (perhaps you spent the 80s in a cave on Mars with your eyes shut and your fingers in your ears) it is a must watch. If you loved Rick Moranis, peep this shit right now. If you are just a fan of well done comedy with a bit of depth to it, again this is the movie for you. Sure, it’s not a classic drama or a Best Picture winner or some such thing. It’s not a masterclass in acting or a movie with amazing cinematography. It’s just a great comedy. I love great comedy. That’s why Ghostbusters is my favorite movie of the 1980s.