'80s Flashback: Ghostbusters Is More Fun than Scary

Who doesn’t love to cozy up on the couch with a good, classic '80s flick? No matter what you pick, you can almost be guaranteed to run into some corny dialogue and some super cheesiness – and I mean that in a good way!

In my opinion, the '80s had some of the best and most iconic, must-see films that people still quote today… “Roads? Where we’re going, we don’t need roads.”

And it doesn’t stop with the Back to the Future series. The list goes on with The Karate Kid, Flight of the Navigator, The Never Ending Story, The Wizard, and many, many more.

So what if you’re looking for cheesiness in a fun, scary movie? Then look no further than Ghostbusters – and enjoy a quirky flick where spirit exterminators take on the spooks in Manhattan.

Who You Gonna Call?

Ghostbusters, duh! From the vault of 1984, Ghostbusters remains a must-see movie staple that sets the bar fairly high for comedies. Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, the film is full of witty characters and memorable moments.

After getting kicked out of Columbia University, Dr. Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Dr. Raymond Stantz (Aykroyd) and Dr. Egon Spengler (Ramis) start their own practice in their field of parascience.

They set up shop in Manhattan, advertising their ghost-busting specialties to the public. Who else would you call when you find a fat, green blob-looking ghost (named Slimer!) finishing up someone’s leftovers off a room-service tray? Or that green plump ghost popping out of a hot-dog vending stand with a giant grin full of hot dogs?

One of my favorite '80s actors, Rick Moranis, plays Louis Tully – the creep who lives down the hall from Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver). Dana discovers a portal in her refrigerator, which leads the Ghostbusters to a mysterious and evil force that plans to destroy Manhattan and the rest of the world! From hands popping out of a chair, terrorizing dogs, possessed appliances, and a gigantic Stay-Puft Marshmallow man terrorizing the city… Ghostbusters is fun from beginning to end.

Really Supernatural Throughout

The comedic geniuses behind this film made it iconic with the use of puppets and actual physical stunts… rather than today’s market of over-saturated CGI films. So the film feels more honest than most current flicks. While I can’t deny that CGI and advanced technology make films look incredible (with amazing graphics that allow dinosaurs to look real and superheroes come to life)… it’s nice to just have realistic elements to a film; even within an unrealistic scenario! Besides all the cheesiness and stop-motion animation that just might look silly to a viewer today, it’s the acting, writing, and original storyline that makes the film stand out. With such a creative, unique concept… the film remains iconic decades later.

The film is rated PG for some language and horror. However, it’s evident at the beginning of the film that it is, indeed, a comedy. When the flick was released in 1984, there were only G, PG, and R ratings. The film could easily be rated PG-13 if it were rated nowadays… But hey, I watched it as a youngster!

While current comedies tend to be more vulgar and “campy,” Ghostbusters is right on target. A perfect cast, quirky characters, catchy music, and a fun story… this flick is a must-see from the 1980s vault of classics!

What’s your favorite '80s movie, and have you shown it to your children?

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