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Ghostbusters

year 1984decade 80sdirector Ivan Reitmangenre Comedygenre Fantasy
host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Van Lathanproducer Craig Horlbeck
All 36 categories

The film

Ghostbusters (1984)

Directed by Ivan Reitman · Comedy

105 minutes

IMDb Find on JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

35:09

What’s Aged the Worst?

The sequel history, pan-and-scan broadcasts, dated effects, the theme-song dispute, harassment of William Atherton, a...

The sequel history, pan-and-scan broadcasts, dated effects, the theme-song dispute, harassment of William Atherton, and Venkman's conduct

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 00:35:09Read transcript
  • The franchise's sequels and reboots are criticized as uneven or money-driven, though one participant strongly defends Ghostbusters II.
  • Pan-and-scan television versions are blamed for making the wide compositions cramped and hiding visual gags for years. — Bill Simmons
  • The similarity between the theme song and Huey Lewis's 'I Want a New Drug' remains a blemish despite both songs' popularity. — Bill Simmons
  • William Atherton's report of being harassed in public after playing Peck is treated as an ugly consequence of the film. — Bill Simmons
  • Some finale establishing shots and matte paintings now appear visibly rendered. — Van Lathan
  • Venkman's use of professional authority to pursue students and clients is identified as the clearest behavior that aged badly. — Van Lathan
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42:43

Roger Ebert's review
In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:42:43Read transcript
  • The stated review score is three and a half stars. — Bill Simmons
  • The quoted review praises the film's many quotable lines and the survival of its fragile comic vision inside an expensive production. — Bill Simmons
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43:21

Most Rewatchable Scene

The fame montage

The fame montage

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 00:43:21Read transcript
  • Venkman's biased ESP experiment with the two students opens the candidate list and is praised as very funny. — Bill Simmons
  • The library investigation is praised for exploiting the uneasy quiet and scale of a large library. — Bill Simmons
  • Dana's groceries, the frying eggs, and the Ghostbusters television commercial are nominated together.
  • Venkman being slimed during the hotel call leads directly into one participant's favorite: the fame montage set to the theme song. — Bill Simmons
  • Louis Tully's party is praised for Rick Moranis's improvised financial introductions and detailed comic business.
  • Possessed Dana's invitation to Venkman is admired partly because he recognizes she is not herself and refuses to exploit her.
  • The finale is praised for Ray's comic timing when he realizes he imagined the marshmallow figure and for the decision to cross the streams. — Bill Simmons
  • The jail and mayor sequence, including Venkman's confrontation with Peck, is another finalist. — Chris Ryan
  • The first hotel call is a personal favorite because the team uses its equipment for the first time and the scene functions like an origin story. — Van Lathan
  • The group ultimately identifies the fame montage as the most rewatchable scene. — Chris Ryan
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46:43

The Slow Ride / Kid Cudi – Pursuit of Happiness Award for Best Needle Drop

Ray Parker Jr.'s theme over the fame montage

Ray Parker Jr.'s theme over the fame montage

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 00:46:43Read transcript
  • The theme song begins as the film moves into its news-and-celebrity fame montage. — Bill Simmons
  • The sequence is compared to the emotional lift of the Pursuit of Happyness needle drop and called a serotonin hit. — Bill Simmons
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52:26

Mallory Rubin Award: Did This Movie Need a Better Sex Scene?

A more explicit encounter between possessed Dana and Louis Tully

A more explicit encounter between possessed Dana and Louis Tully

Flex pick · Craig Horlbeck

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:52:26Read transcript
  • The selected answer pairs the possessed gatekeeper with the actual Keymaster rather than Venkman. — Craig Horlbeck
  • The film is understood to imply that Dana and Louis had sex, but the flex asks to see more of their physical mismatch without requiring nudity. — Craig Horlbeck
  • The panel then reiterates that Venkman cannot ethically sleep with Dana while she is possessed. — Bill Simmons
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57:04

The most 1984 thing

The fame montage

The fame montage

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 00:57:04Read transcript
  • The fame montage is declared the winner for Most 1984. — Bill Simmons
  • Larry King taking radio calls while smoking and Aykroyd's video camera are runners-up. — Bill Simmons
  • The Twin Towers, Jean Kasem, and the period's fascination with Elvis sightings are offered as markers of 1984.
  • Tribeca being described as a demilitarized zone is contrasted with its later affluence. — Van Lathan
  • The EPA serving as the villain is treated as a period detail whose politics have come back around.
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1:00:51

What’s Aged the Best?

New York City, lasting iconography, economical storytelling, ensemble improvisation, and the movie’s cultural afterlife

New York City, lasting iconography, economical storytelling, ensemble improvisation, and the movie’s cultural afterlife

In the discussion (12)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:51Read transcript
  • New York is treated as a character, and the film is praised for using the city in a way that feels impossible to relocate. — Bill Simmons
  • The logo, firehouse, Ecto-1, marshmallow man, uniforms, and proton packs remain instantly recognizable cultural symbols. — Chris Ryan
  • Everyday product placement such as Cheez-It, Coca-Cola, Perrier, and canned Budweiser still feels familiar rather than dated. — Van Lathan
  • The lack of childhood backstory is praised because the movie establishes the characters without explanatory trauma. — Chris Ryan
  • The team's financial peril, including Ray's high-interest mortgages, gives the first half comic stakes.
  • The original SNL ensemble appearing across one another's movies is praised as a durable model later extended by the Apatow circle. — Bill Simmons
  • Murray's dialogue is described as partly written and partly generated through multiple alternatives during filming. — Bill Simmons
  • The Real Ghostbusters cartoon helped keep the property culturally active between movies. — Van Lathan
  • Slimer is described as the filmmakers' Belushi-like party-animal tribute, and slime itself is credited with a long cultural afterlife. — Bill Simmons
  • The promotional phone number, the spread of 'busters' as a suffix, and the no-ghost logo's reuse are cited as unusually durable marketing. — Bill Simmons
  • The movie is credited with popularizing 'toast' as slang through Venkman's line. — Bill Simmons
  • The final reflection says friends making movies together may be what aged best. — Craig Horlbeck
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1:03:40

Jesse Eisenberg “That’s good. You should be proud of that right there. Don’t worry if you don’t make it any further” Award for Best Line Reading

Venkman’s line about Walter Peck (nominee)

Venkman’s line about Walter Peck (nominee)

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:40Read transcript
  • The delivery of 'Yes, it's true. This man has no dick' is nominated and described as still funny. — Bill Simmons
Share this discussion More Jesse Eisenberg “That’s good. You should be proud of that right there. Don’t worry if you don’t make it any further” Award for Best Line Reading answers
1:05:43

The Amanda Dobbins Award for Best Piece of Real Estate

55 Central Park West

55 Central Park West

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:43Read transcript
  • The apartment building at 55 Central Park West is selected for its striking appearance. — Chris Ryan
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1:08:26

The Great Shot Gordo Award for Most Cinematic Shot

The extreme view up the seemingly endless staircase

The extreme view up the seemingly endless staircase

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:26Read transcript
  • The cinematographer is praised for giving the New York crowd scenes a distinctive transitional 1980s look. — Chris Ryan
  • The shot up the stairs near the finale wins because the staircase seems to rise for a hundred floors. — Bill Simmons
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1:09:21

Chest Rockwell / Brock Landers Award for Best Character Name

Gozer the Gozerian

Gozer the Gozerian

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:21Read transcript
  • Peter Venkman and Egon Spengler are considered before Gozer the Gozerian is selected. — Bill Simmons
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1:09:34

The Den of Thieves Benihana Award for Scene-Stealing Location

The firehouse

The firehouse

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:09:34Read transcript
  • The firehouse is selected over Dana's apartment and the library.
  • Tavern on the Green is praised as an underused film location whose outdoor action contrasts with oblivious diners. — Van Lathan
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1:10:08

The Rose From Titanic “Sneaky Suck” Award

Egon, though the panel largely defends his serious role

Egon, though the panel largely defends his serious role

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:10:08Read transcript
  • Egon is nominated because the performance commits to never smiling. — Bill Simmons
  • The objection says the team's chief inventor could crack a smile or receive more jokes.
  • The defense says Egon delivers funny lines and correctly functions as a role player who sets up others.
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1:11:43

The Sean Penn “I Brought My Own Pack” Award for Excellence in On-Screen Smoking

Dan Aykroyd's dangling cigarette

Dan Aykroyd's dangling cigarette

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:11:43Read transcript
  • Aykroyd's ability to keep a cigarette dangling from his mouth without an apparent adhesive is the selected smoking feat. — Bill Simmons
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1:11:59

The Butch’s Girlfriend Award for the Weakest Link in the Film

No consensus: no weak link; Winston’s underwritten integration; Walter Peck’s thin setup

No consensus: no weak link; Winston’s underwritten integration; Walter Peck’s thin setup

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:11:59Read transcript
  • Two participants reject the premise that the film has a weak link. — Van Lathan
  • Winston is nominated because he arrives midway through the story and the movie never fully integrates or develops him.
  • The defense says Winston grounds the increasingly fantastical plot as an everyman who needs a job, believes in God, and questions the team's behavior.
  • The criticism is narrowed to a missing character scene rather than Ernie Hudson's performance.
  • Walter Peck is another answer because his brief setup supplies little that an accidental containment failure could not. — Chris Ryan
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1:21:18

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Slavitza Jovan's Gozer performance

Slavitza Jovan's Gozer performance

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:18Read transcript
  • The actor playing Gozer is selected; the machine transcript renders her credited name uncertainly as 'Slot via Yovan.'
  • Grace Jones is discussed as an intended visual and casting reference for Gozer.
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1:25:40

The Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Four distinct hot takes cover SNL films, ghost imprisonment, Dana's standards, and a Sigourney Weaver–Kathleen Turner...

Four distinct hot takes cover SNL films, ghost imprisonment, Dana's standards, and a Sigourney Weaver–Kathleen Turner swap.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:25:40Read transcript
  • Ghostbusters is argued to be the best film emerging from Saturday Night Live's creative orbit, ahead of Wayne's World, Blues Brothers, Anchorman, and other contenders.
  • The Ghostbusters are criticized as an unregulated private police and prison service with no clear right to confine ghosts. — Van Lathan
  • Dana is accused of warming to Venkman only after he becomes a successful and famous small-business owner.
  • A final take proposes swapping Sigourney Weaver and Kathleen Turner between Ghostbusters and Romancing the Stone.
  • The swap is defended on the theory that Weaver better fits an initially restrained novelist while Turner would heighten possessed Dana's sexuality. — Bill Simmons
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1:33:36

Casting What-Ifs

Michael Keaton as Venkman; Jeff Goldblum as Egon; other reported candidates (credibility questioned)

Michael Keaton as Venkman; Jeff Goldblum as Egon; other reported candidates (credibility questioned)

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:33:36Read transcript
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1:36:50

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

William Atherton

William Atherton

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:36:50Read transcript
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1:37:16

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Rick Moranis

Rick Moranis

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:37:16Read transcript
  • Moranis and Potts are the initial finalists. — Bill Simmons
  • The group debates whether Moranis has too much plot presence, then accepts that impact matters more than a strict screen-time ceiling.
  • Moranis wins for making Louis and possessed Vince Clortho unusually funny in a small number of minutes.
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1:39:02

Recasting Couch

John Candy as Louis Tully

John Candy as Louis Tully

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:02Read transcript
  • John Candy's proposed version of Louis remains the most interesting recasting option even though the group values Moranis's performance. — Bill Simmons
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1:39:27

Half-Assed Internet Research

The title rights, effects company, Stay Puft suits, library puppet, deleted ghost encounter, rooftop power, and Murra...

The title rights, effects company, Stay Puft suits, library puppet, deleted ghost encounter, rooftop power, and Murray's last-minute commitment

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 01:39:27Read transcript
  • Frank Price is said to have sold Columbia the Ghostbusters title for $500,000 plus one percent of profits. — Bill Simmons
  • The special-effects supervisor used part of the effects budget to establish Boss Film Studios. — Bill Simmons
  • Eighteen toxic foam marshmallow-man suits cost nearly $600,000 and required a separate air supply; shaving cream stood in for marshmallow debris. — Bill Simmons
  • The original library-ghost puppet was considered too frightening and reused in Fright Night. — Bill Simmons
  • A more extensive sexual encounter between Ray and a female ghost was deleted. — Bill Simmons
  • The rooftop set reportedly needed 50,000 amps, forcing Columbia to shut down its other stages. — Bill Simmons
  • A Vanity Fair account says Murray arrived late with a stadium horn, reviewed the rewritten script with Ramis and Reitman, offered no changes, and agreed to proceed. — Chris Ryan
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1:42:14

Apex Mountain

Dan Aykroyd, ghost movies, and ghost combat: yes

Dan Aykroyd, ghost movies, and ghost combat: yes

In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:42:14Read transcript
  • Ghostbusters is accepted as Bill Murray's apex by some, while Groundhog Day remains a strong rival.
  • Ghostbusters is treated as Dan Aykroyd's apex because he wrote it and remained the franchise's custodian, though Trading Places is considered.
  • Aliens is preferred as Sigourney Weaver's apex.
  • Groundhog Day is preferred for Harold Ramis as a director, while Ghostbusters remains a contender. — Bill Simmons
  • The marshmallow mascot, ghost movies, Ernie Hudson, Rick Moranis, New York Public Library scenes, dog transformations, occult architecture, and ghost combat each receive separate apex checks.
  • Ghostbusters narrowly beats Ghost as the apex ghost movie, with Poltergeist and newer horror franchises also considered.
  • Ghostbusters is considered Ernie Hudson's best-known role, while Oz is noted as substantial work; Honey, I Shrunk the Kids beats it for Moranis.
  • The movie is favored as the apex of ghost combat after Ghosts of Mars is raised as an alternative.
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1:46:07

Cruise or Hanks?

Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:46:07Read transcript
  • Tom Hanks is the immediate choice in the Cruise-or-Hanks comparison.
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1:46:21

Scorsese or Spielberg?

Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:46:21Read transcript
  • A Scorsese version is briefly imagined as a darker New York story before Spielberg is preferred. — Bill Simmons
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1:46:29

Van Lathan Award for Did This Movie Need More Black People?

No

No

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:46:29Read transcript
  • The panel gives a direct no to whether the movie needed more Black people. — Bill Simmons
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1:46:29

Picking Nits

Dana's apartment and attraction to Venkman, falling debris, city oversight, and jailhouse blueprints

Dana's apartment and attraction to Venkman, falling debris, city oversight, and jailhouse blueprints

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:46:29Read transcript
  • Dana's expensive Central Park West apartment is questioned, then defended through her implied family wealth and career.
  • The group revisits why Dana likes Venkman and suggests his new success and cash changed her view.
  • The finale appears likely to kill many street spectators with falling debris. — Bill Simmons
  • The city's limited response to paranormal chaos and reliance on four recently dismissed academics are called implausible. — Chris Ryan
  • The team being allowed to study building blueprints in a holding cell is questioned.
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1:49:01

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

Untouchable

Untouchable

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:49:01Read transcript
  • The panel says the original should have stood alone despite the sequels. — Bill Simmons
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1:49:01

Is This Movie Better With…?

Zane Lowe greeting Gozer and Shaquille O'Neal analyzing the movie

Zane Lowe greeting Gozer and Shaquille O'Neal analyzing the movie

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:49:01Read transcript
  • Zane Lowe is imagined interviewing or introducing Gozer in his expansive music-host style. — Chris Ryan
  • Shaquille O'Neal is imagined offering a terse Inside the NBA analysis that names Gozer as the movie's best performer. — Bill Simmons
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1:50:22

Just One Oscar

Bill Murray for Best Actor as Venkman

Bill Murray for Best Actor as Venkman

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:50:22Read transcript
  • The theme song and Bill Murray are proposed before Murray is selected for Venkman. — Bill Simmons
  • The actual 1984 acting field is reviewed to argue there could have been room for Murray. — Bill Simmons
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1:51:32

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Would Belushi or later effects improve the movie?

Would Belushi or later effects improve the movie?

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:51:32Read transcript
  • Replacing Murray with John Belushi is judged to make the movie worse even though the role might have become a major Belushi vehicle. — Bill Simmons
  • Releasing the movie years later for better effects is rejected because 1984 is considered the perfect moment. — Bill Simmons
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1:52:24

Gandolfini Butter on My Ass So It Pops in My Mouth Award

The Keymaster title, Murray working a crowd, and the firehouse poles

The Keymaster title, Murray working a crowd, and the firehouse poles

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:52:24Read transcript
  • Keymaster is praised as a nickname and adapted into basketball pairings.
  • Bill Murray introducing the team to the crowd outside Dana's building is chosen for his effortless command of the city. — Chris Ryan
  • Sliding down the firehouse poles is another winner because the simple fun has largely disappeared from contemporary spaces.
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1:54:07

What Piece of Memorabilia Would You Want From This Movie?

A proton pack and Ghostbusters jumpsuit

A proton pack and Ghostbusters jumpsuit

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:07Read transcript
  • A proton pack is the first memorabilia choice.
  • A Ghostbusters jumpsuit is the second choice, and Ecto-1 is admired but treated as too large for the category.
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1:54:54

The Coach Finstock Award for Best Life Lesson

Ghosts are real and should not be underestimated.

Ghosts are real and should not be underestimated.

In the discussion (1)
Approx. transcript time · 01:54:54Read transcript
  • The lesson says ghosts are real and warns against underestimating them.
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1:55:08

Best Double Feature

Big Trouble in Little China, The Blues Brothers, and Beverly Hills Cop
Ghostbusters
Big Trouble in Little China
The Blues Brothers
Beverly Hills Cop
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:08Read transcript
  • Big Trouble in Little China is chosen for a similar comic science-fiction mixture. — Chris Ryan
  • The Blues Brothers is selected as another choice. — Chris Ryan
  • Beverly Hills Cop is selected as the third choice.
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1:55:30

Who Won the Movie?

Bill Murray as Peter Venkman

Bill Murray as Peter Venkman

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:55:30Read transcript
  • Bill Murray and Peter Venkman are the immediate winner answers.
  • Ivan Reitman receives a strong case for controlling the action and knowing how much spectacle the comedy needed. — Bill Simmons
  • The final majority returns to Murray because he carries the movie and provides a definitive example of why he is funny. — Craig Horlbeck
  • The film's improvised, haphazard production is contrasted with the safe polish expected from modern franchise production. — Craig Horlbeck
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Bill Murray / Peter Venkman
Speaker not identified
Bill Murray / Peter Venkman
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More from the conversation

The opening frames Ghostbusters as a rare monoculture comedy that joins childlike wonder to adult humor and remains widely comforting.
Approx. transcript time · 00:01:13Read transcript
The film's novelty is credited to combining New York, comedy, approachable supernatural danger, new visual iconography, and minimal exposition.
Approx. transcript time · 00:06:17Read transcript
The discussion contrasts older all-ages adult comedies with modern children's movies containing adult asides.
Approx. transcript time · 00:10:17Read transcript
The 1984 release is placed amid an unusually dense year of blockbuster films, pop music, sports, and network television.
Approx. transcript time · 00:13:32Read transcript
Murray and Aykroyd's New York celebrity and the film's enormous impact are used to explain their post-release career choices.
Approx. transcript time · 00:18:03Read transcript
Aykroyd's paranormal interests, the intended Belushi partnership, the Ghost Smashers draft, and Ramis and Reitman's rewrite form the production-origin account.
Approx. transcript time · 00:25:08Read transcript
The core cast is treated as unusually irreplaceable compared with other star-driven comedies of the era.
Approx. transcript time · 00:26:45Read transcript
Sigourney Weaver's 1979–89 run is argued to combine blockbuster scale and acting credibility unusually well.
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:46Read transcript
The theme song's rapid creation and similarity to Huey Lewis's I Want a New Drug are discussed as both marketing success and legal controversy.
Approx. transcript time · 00:34:40Read transcript
Conflicting accounts of Eddie Murphy as Winston lead to a long debate about whether adding another dominant comic star would improve or unbalance the movie.
Approx. transcript time · 00:36:03Read transcript
The film received two Oscar nominations, cost about $30 million, grossed about $298 million, and held number one for seven weeks before Purple Rain displaced it.
Approx. transcript time · 00:41:39Read transcript

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