Ghostbusters

On Thursday night I saw Ghostbusters, starring Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd.

It was one of my favorite films as a kid and it remains so today—I'm so glad I got to experience it on the big screen after all of these years.

When three parapsychology professors lose their funding, they go into business battling ghosts around New York City.

Dr. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) is the serious scientist; Dr. Ray Stantz (Akroyd) is the bumbling idiot and Dr. Peter Venkman (Murray) leads the bunch with his sarcastic wit. It's a match made in heaven (or in Sumer), as the chemistry between the three provides consistent sparks throughout the film.

The damsel in distress is a young, alluring Sigourney Weaver as musician Dana Barrett. Her kitchen is taken over by Gozer, an ancient God worshiped by Sumerians. She reports this disturbance to the Ghostbusters, but when Dr. Venkman investigates, her kitchen doesn't deliver.

Soon she is possessed by the spirit and becomes the "Gate Keeper"; her nerdy neighbor across the hall (Rick Moranis) is her "Key Master." Just as they begin to prepare for the return of Gozer, the EPA shuts down the Ghostbusters' business, which releases countless specters back into New York City.

When the mayor realizes this was done in error, he invites the Ghostbusters to battle this paranormal apocalypse and save the city from certain destruction.

Even after seeing the film at least a dozen times over the years, seeing it again last night in the theater felt like the first time.

The ghost that opens the show in the New York Public Library still startled me, though I knew she would shush the scientists when they approached; the dog jumping out of the closet at the party still made me jump.

Though the film is clearly set in the 80s (as evidenced by the Coke cans that don't yet say 'classic' and Larry King's dark hair), the story and it's wonderfully developed characters remain timeless.

I could probably see this film once a week and never tire of it.

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