Ghostbusters (1984 Original) (1984)
93%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
16 nominations total
An infectiously fun blend of special effects and comedy, with Bill Murray’s hilarious deadpan performance leading a cast of great comic turns.
Ghostbusters is like taking a ride on a rollercoaster, but instead of screaming in terror, you’re laughing your head off. Bill Murray steals the show with his hilarious one-liners and cheeky attitude. The special effects may be a bit primitive, but who cares when you’re having this much fun? The script is joke-dense and tightly structured, leaving no wasted time. It’s a classic that will have you quoting lines for years to come. Ghostbusters is a must-watch for anyone who loves a good laugh and a thrilling adventure.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for supernatural action and some suggestive references
Year of Release
1984
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Atmos
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 47m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 8, 1984 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 2, 2005
Genre(s)
Comedy/Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, directed by Ivan Reitman, written by Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, comedy, fantasy, adventure, PG rating, box office gross $298.5M, reviewed by Joseph Gelmis, Kathleen Carroll, Arthur Knight, Gene Siskel, Kate Muir, Bill Murray’s deadpan performance, special effects, high-tech battle with the supernatural, gateway to another dimension, evil upon the city, save New York from complete destruction, university in New York City, ghostbusters, supernatural, magnetic stereo 6 track, Dolby stereo, surround, scope (2.35:1), Columbia Pictures, Ghostbusters collection
Worldwide gross: $197,360,575
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $214,650,688
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 656
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 23,407,927
US/Canada gross: $129,360,575
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $140,693,431
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 545
US/Canada opening weekend: $44,008,406
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $47,863,838
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 245
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $75,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $81,570,504
Production budget ranking: 513
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $43,925,716
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $89,154,467
ROI to date (est.): 71%
ROI ranking: 1,061
Dan Aykroyd – Doctor Raymond Stantz
Harold Ramis – Doctor Egon Spengler
Sigourney Weaver – Dana Barrett, Zuul, The Gate Keeper
Rick Moranis – Louis Tully, Vinz Clortho, The Key Master
Annie Potts – Janine Melnitz
Director(s)
Ivan Reitman
Writer(s)
Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
Producer(s)
Ivan Reitman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
16 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (75) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (73) | Rotten (2)
Ghostbusters is like romping through Disneyland’s haunted house with Bill Murray.
June 8, 2016 | Rating: 3/4
Joseph Gelmis
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
Ghostbusters is primarily a showcase for Murray, who slinks through the movie muttering his lines in his usual cheeky fashion and getting off an occasionally hilarious crack that proves he’s thoroughly enjoying himself.
June 16, 2015 | Rating: 3/4
Kathleen Carroll
New York Daily News
TOP CRITIC
The plotting may be primitive, but it’s all carried off with far more style and finesse than one might expect from the creators of Animal House and Meatballs.
June 16, 2015
Arthur Knight
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
Part of the sheer joy of this movie — aside from the comic timing of Bill Murray — is the cartoonish crapness of its apparitions and their placid acceptance by the Ghostbusters team.
October 31, 2014 | Rating: 4/5
Kate Muir
Times (UK)
TOP CRITIC
On balance, Ghostbusters is a hoot. It’s Murray’s picture, and in a triumph of mind over matter, he blows away the film’s boring special effects with his one-liners.
August 19, 2014
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
A fantasy, but with no touches of reality at all, to be enjoyed for its zany humour typical of the “National Lampoon” school from which several of its contributors are drawn.
June 12, 2014
Patrick Gibbs
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
While Ghostbusters II failed to have the same effect on me, it will take nothing away from the greatness of this film and is one of my personal top 10 films of all time. Ghostbusters is the definition of a classic.
February 18, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
David Gonzalez
Reel Talk Inc.
Ghostbusters is one of the greatest comedy films of all time!
February 14, 2022
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies
Test.
December 10, 2021
Sophie-Marie Prime
Ain’t It Cool Movie Reviews
I also really appreciate that Aykroyd and Ramis’ script is so tightly structured but joke dense. There is practically no wasted time in this film.
April 1, 2021
Sarah Brinks
Battleship Pretension
It’s the thrills of wraith-combating, action-packed citywide devastation, and carefree attitudes that highlight the adventures and give the film a strong sense of originality.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
It is not intended to change anyone’s life, just invite you to follow a fun and crazy group. [Full Review in Spanish]
August 20, 2019
Juan Luis Caviaro
Espinof…
Plot
When a single mom and her two kids arrive in a small town, they begin to discover their connection to the original Ghostbusters and the secret legacy their grandfather left behind.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Bill Murray’s deadpan delivery and hilarious one-liners steal the show in Ghostbusters.
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