17. Ghostbusters
The original article singles out a few landmark film franchises (God I hate that word), well the 80s had a few of its own. Seeing as its been mentioned a couple of times already, lets get Ghostbusters out of the way. Is Bill Murray going to be in Ghostbusters 3? Isnt he? Is it even going to get made? Does anyone care? Ghostbusters has had its moment, Murray knows it and everyone kid who watched it growing up knows it. The fact that the third Ghostbusters film has been mooted for so many years is indicative of a) how modern movie studios are lazy and driven solely by money and b) how iconic Ghostbusters was in the first place. The original Ghostbusters came out in 1984 and was so many things. At once a comedy, sci-fi and horror, Ghostbusters was also a film that felt personally crafted yet was hugely successful. It appealed to kids and adults alike though didnt pander to either. It was original, allegorical and featured some of the now most iconic images and lines from cinema. Ghostbusters was hilarious, insanely quotable and at times scary, yet perhaps what elevates it above the rest is its huge heart. Bill Murray is possibly at his funniest, but in the end the underlying warmth and classic triumph in the face of adversity conceit are what make it far more than just nostalgia for the aging 80s generation. If someone asks you if youre god, you say, YES!
David Howland
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David is a film critic, writer and blogger for WhatCulture and a few other sites including his own, www.yakfilm.com
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