Ghostbusters II: Difference between revisions
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* ''The Superstars of the Supernatural are back. And this time, it's no marshmallow roast.'' |
* ''The Superstars of the Supernatural are back. And this time, it's no marshmallow roast.'' |
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* ''Guess who's coming to save the world again?'' |
* ''Guess who's coming to save the world again?'' |
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* ''Two In The Box,Ready To Go,We Be Fast And They Be Slow |
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==Trivia== |
==Trivia== |
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Revision as of 00:20, 8 January 2007
| Ghostbusters II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Ivan Reitman |
| Written by | Dan Aykroyd Harold Ramis |
| Produced by | Ivan Reitman |
| Starring | Bill Murray Dan Aykroyd Sigourney Weaver Harold Ramis Rick Moranis Ernie Hudson Annie Potts |
| Music by | Randy Edelman |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates | June 16, 1989 |
Running time | 102 min. |
| Language | English |
Ghostbusters II is the 1989 sequel of Ghostbusters (1984); the sci-fi comedy films are about four parapsychologists and their organization which combats paranormal activities ("ghostbusting"). Despite a less profitable opening than the original and being overthrown one week later by Batman, it was one of the most successful films of 1989.
Plot
After the events of Ghostbusters, the company was sued by numerous city and state agencies in New York for blowing the top three floors from 550 Central Park West, among other instances of property damage. As a result, (c. 1987) a judge issued an injunction banning them from operating as paranormal investigators and eliminators, effectively putting them out of business. Once hailed as heroes, they are now seen as swindlers whose ghostbusting activities were nothing more than a light show.
Ray Stantz owns an occult book shop in Manhattan, and along with Winston Zeddmore they put on special appearances at children's birthday parties. The children at the party shown in the film seem to have forgotten what the Ghostbusters did for the city and are more interested in seeing He-Man. Peter Venkman has his own TV series, World Of The Psychic, in which he ridicules people who believe they have telepathic powers. Egon Spengler, meanwhile, is a medical scientist at The Institute for Advanced Theoretical Research.[1] Dana Barrett and Venkman did not remain together after Ghostbusters, and she had a baby named Oscar with a musician who played in the orchestra (and who is now no longer around, having taken up a job offer in England). As well as playing in the orchestra, Dana restores old paintings at the Manhattan Museum of Art. Dana's boss, Dr. Janosz Poha, is at work restoring a painting, which is a self-portrait of Vigo the Carpathian (the scourge of Carpathia), a cruel 16th-century Moldavian ruler.
At the start of the film, Dana is taking her baby Oscar for a walk in his baby carriage when strange pink slime rises up from a crack in the street and gets on the wheel of the carriage (unbeknownst to Dana). As a result, the carriage takes on a life of its own and tears down the street, eventually heading into oncoming traffic. The carriage stops just in time and Oscar ends up safe, but Dana is obviously disturbed by what happened. She consults Egon, who recruits Stantz and Venkman to help him find out what happened. Eventually, the original Ghostbusters find themselves back together and attempt to solve the mystery.
While posing as workmen, Stantz discovers a huge river of slime flowing through the ruins of Beach's Pneumatic Subway. It is suggested that this slime has been accumulating under New York City for decades. Stantz takes a sample of the slime for study. However, they drilled a large hole in the street, disrupting traffic. They are accosted by a police officer and an inspector for ConEd, who do not believe their claims that they are with New York Telephone or ConEd. The resulting chaos sees Stantz inadvertently damage a power line, plunging all of New York into a blackout. The Ghostbusters are arrested, and their equipment and paraphernalia is confiscated as evidence.
In court, the Ghostbusters are tried by Judge Stanley Wexler (played by Harris Yulin) for violating the injunction that stopped them from paranormal work. The exhibits at the trial include their proton packs and the jar of slime Stantz took for research. Due to the skepticism of Judge Wexler and the prosecuting attorney, as well as the ineptitude of their own lawyer, Louis Tully (played by Rick Moranis), the Ghostbusters lose the case. Wexler fines each of them $25,000 and sentences them to 18 months in prison. Angry at a case that grew more ridiculous by the minute, the judge flies into a terrifying rage at the Ghostbusters (swearing that, had he the power, he would have them "burned at the stake") and the slime uses his anger to release the vengeful ghosts of the Scoleri brothers, two murderers who Wexler had sent to the electric chair. Panicking, Wexler is compelled to dismiss the injunction to let them "bust" the two ghosts. The Ghostbusters are back in business, and soon recover their previous fame and popularity.
Although Venkman is still trying to rebuild his relationship with Dana, the Ghostbusters use their freedom to research the slime. They soon begin to find out what causes it to react. Spengler discovers that it is a kind of "mood slime" that feeds off of the emotions and feelings of people around it. Insults make it react violently, whereas plying it with soothing, calming words and compliments will make it settle down again. After coating the interior of a toaster with the slime and experimenting with Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher", they find that music makes it move and "dance". Further investigation into the river of slime beneath the city, meanwhile, reveals that the river is feeding off the bad vibes of the New Yorkers above.
Meanwhile, over at the museum, Janosz is working alone on Vigo's portrait when it suddenly comes to life. Vigo's spirit has inhabited the tyrant's portrait since as far back as when the despot was seemingly killed by his suffering subjects. He casts a spell on Janosz and directs him to bring him a child so he can live again. He wants to use a baby as a "host" body, planning to return to the physical plane at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.
When the Ghostbusters try to inform the mayor (played by David Margulies) about the danger from the slime, he refuses to take them seriously and throws them out. They are then committed to the psychiatric ward at Parkview Hospital, classified as insane. While this was purportedly on the orders of the mayor, in reality his publicist, Jack Hardemeyer (played by Kurt Fuller), forged the civil commitment order to protect the mayor's image for the election due the following year.
With the Ghostbusters imprisoned, Vigo's evil increases and New York is engulfed in supernatural chaos. Ghost sightings increase dramatically and are often spectacular, including the ghost of the Titanic completing its voyage (leading a dock worker, played by Cheech Marin, to quip, "Better late than never!") and the Mayor having a conversation with Fiorello LaGuardia (former Mayor of New York who, at the time of the film's release, had been dead for 40 years). Whilst Louis and Janine are babysitting Oscar, the baby is kidnapped by a supernaturally-empowered Janosz (who appears as a demented, ghostly English nanny, complete with baby carriage) and brought back to the Metropolitan Museum.
On New Year's Eve, the mayhem overrunning the city eventually convinces the mayor to send for the Ghostbusters. When he finds out that Hardemeyer had them committed, he fires the aide and releases the Ghostbusters, who trek to the museum to rescue Oscar as a total eclipse of the sun occurs. But a thick dome of slime has risen around the building and hardened into a shell, shutting them out of it (even their Proton Packs are no use). Remembering how the slime reacted to human emotion, the Ghostbusters search for a symbol of hope and purity, eventually finding it by looking at the New York State licence plate of ECTO-1: the Statue of Liberty.
The Ghostbusters enter the statue and, using the newly constructed 'Slime Blowers' loaded with positively charged slime, coat the statue's interior. Using a portable stereo, they play the slime's favourite song, "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" (although this time a cover performed by Howard Huntsberry) and the psychokinetic energy in the slime possesses the statue and brings it to life. Using an NES Advantage, they direct the statue to walk to the museum, accidentally crushing a police car underfoot en route and, with the help of the good feelings from the positively-inspired crowd surrounding the building, use it to smash through the slime shell and let them into the museum to confront Vigo.
They first defeat Janosz with positively-charged slime, then proceed to face Vigo, who at this time has come out of the painting. At first, their efforts to quell Vigo's attempt to possess Oscar prove to have little effect, but Venkman manages to save the baby. At this point, Ray becomes possessed by Vigo instead. However, the stroke of midnight passes and with the help of the good vibes of the celebrating citizens outside, the Ghostbusters manage to force Vigo back inside his painting by coating Ray in the positively-charged slime. By shooting their slime blowers and proton beams at Vigo's weakened form inside the painting, he is destroyed forever. Ray wakes up, "feeling like a million bucks." Janosz wakes up sometime later; the slime has broken Vigo's spell over him. In place of Vigo's painting is an older, apparently prophetic painting revealed by Vigo's destruction: a Renaissance-style portrayal of Oscar and the Ghostbusters in an angelic setting.
After the Ghostbusters emerge from the museum, the mayor greets them and after a montage sequence they are shown on Liberty Island as guests of honor at a ceremony where they receive the key to the city. Template:Endspoilers
Cast
History
After the success of the first film, Columbia Pictures pressured the producers to make a sequel. However Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman were uncomfortable with this as the original film was intended to be conclusive and they wished to work on other projects. Eventually, they agreed and created a script. The cast and crew were ultimately dissatisfied with the film as well as its box office reception. [2]
Deleted/Extended Scenes
The following deleted/extended scenes can be viewed in the NOW Comics Real Ghostbusters adaptation of Ghostbusters II:
- A deleted sequence, set after Ray and Winston leave the birthday party featuring the engine of Ecto-1 finally dying.
- An extended sequence following the discovery of the air shaft in First Avenue, where Egon Spengler explains that the initials 'N.Y.P.R.R.' refer to an abandoned Pneumatic Rail Road system under New York (See Ghostbusters II Trivia for more detailed information).
- An extended sequence set in the jewellery store, where following the dramatic and disasterous resolution of the spirit there, Ray Stantz remarks:
So will that be cash, or check?
- An extended version of the advert scene, where the Ghostbusters announce each of their names.
- An extended version of the jogger scene where Ray and Peter discuss the undead jogger's lap record.
- A deleted sequence set during the montage where Louis attempts to trap Slimer using a Ghost Trap and chicken legs.
- A deleted sequence set after the Ghostbusters leave the museum where, under Vigo's influence; Ray's driving becomes increasinly erratic and he nearly drive the car into a tree with the intention of killing them all.
- A deleted sequence where Louis attempts to capture Slimer using a Proton Pack and an unusual set of modified glasses.
- An alternate sequence where the Ghostbusters approach Peter Venkman about their journey into the tunnels, up at his apartment instead of on the street outside.
- A deleted scene showing Peter Venkman confronting the policemen outside of the restaurant before going to see the Mayor.
- A deleted, alternate series of sequences showing Louis' attempt (which is eventually successful) to get his cousin Sherman to break the Ghostbusters out of Parkview Hospital.
- An extended sequence depicting a conversation between the lady with the mink coat that eventually becomes animated by some pink slime, and her husband outside of a Manhattan hotel.
- A deleted scene set at the hospital following the Ghostbusters' release, featuring a brief conversation between them and Louis.
- An alternate sequence where a city worker, attemping to break into the wall of slime covering the museum informs Peter Venkman of the arrival of the Titanic.
- An alternate sequence where the Mayor and Hardemeyer arrive at the Museum, and where he is absorbed by the wall of slime (explaining his appearance during end credits). This sequence also featured the alternate take of Ray Stantz saying that the Mayor would be sucked down to the tenth level of Hell, as seen in the theatrical trailer.
- A deleted sequence set after the Ghostbusters have just left the museum where they meet Louis, a joyful Hardemeyer and the Mayor.
- A deleted sequence where the Ghostbusters (in addition to Dana) discuss their family histories during the ceremony being held on Liberty Island.
The following scenes do not appear in the comic adaptation:
- An extended version of the scene set in Ray's Occult, where Venkman makes a prank call in the voice he uses when he later enters the store.
- An alternate take, featuring Peter Venkman's stirring speech in the court room, with the swearing replaced.
- An additional short sequence featuring Egon in the Museum Lobby.
- An additional short sequence where both Ray and Egon are testing the slime using unusual headgear.
- A deleted anamatronic sequence, featuring a frog-like ghost which is discovered by a pair of New York Subway workers who are eventually scared away by the entity. This would have featured in the second montage sequence.
- An alternate take, featuring Peter Venkman's speech to the Mayor, with the swearing replaced.
- An extended sequence set during the first attempt to break through the slime shell, where Peter Venkman encourages the Firemen and city workers to sing a few lines of Cumbaya.
Taglines
- Be ready to believe us.
- The Superstars of the Supernatural are back!
- We're back!
- The Superstars of the Supernatural are back. And this time, it's no marshmallow roast.
- Guess who's coming to save the world again?
- Two In The Box,Ready To Go,We Be Fast And They Be Slow
Trivia
Music
- "Ghostbusters", the original theme from the first movie, written and performed by Ray Parker Jr.
- "On Our Own", performed by Bobby Brown, who also makes a cameo appearance as a doorman; written by L.A. Reid, Babyface and Daryl Simmons
- "Ghostbusters", a rap performed by Run-D.M.C.; written by Ray Parker Jr.
- "Flip City", performed by Glenn Frey; written by Glenn Frey and Hawk Wolinski
- Two versions of "Higher And Higher", written by Gary Jackson, Carl Smith and Raynard Miner
- (original version), performed by Jackie Wilson
- (updated version), performed by Howard Huntsberry
- "Spirit", a rap performed by Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew, written by Doug E. Fresh and Bernard Wright
- "Flesh 'N Blood", performed by Oingo Boingo; written by its leader, Danny Elfman
- "We're Back", performed by Bobby Brown; written by Bobby Brown, Dennis Austin, Larry White and Kirk Crumpler
The soundtrack album of the film also contains several songs that do not appear in the film itself (although, ironically, it does not feature the original Ray Parker Jr. version of "Ghostbusters", even though it appears in the film).
References
- ^ Script of Ghostbusters II
- ^ The Movies of the Eighties (1990) by Ron Base and David Haslam.
External links
- Ghostbusters II at IMDb
- Spook Central: The Ghostbusters Companion
- Ghostbusters Prop Archive
- Ghostbusters.net
- Proton Charging - Ghostbusters news and information
- Ghostbusters Headquarters
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