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Pants 11-06-02 11:58 AM

Ghostbusters observation
 
I was watching one of my favorite films, Ghostbusters, the other night and then checking the web for reviews when I came across this at Doug Pratt's Laser reviews:

The only input we can offer to what everyone already knows about Ghostbusters is to point out the emphasis of the linkage between the ghosts and food. The script, by stars Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, zeros in on an association between the phantoms and junk food and won't let go of it. The movie suggests that demons are waiting for you in refrigerators and pantry shelves everywhere.
He makes a really good point that I hadn't noticed before. The ghosts are linked with junkfood a lot:

-the green slimer ghost is a glutton who eats and drinks everything in sight

-In Dana's kitchen the ghosts manifest themselves by cooking the eggs

-Dana sees the devil dog in her refrigerator

-when Peter looks in the refrigerator he comments, "look at all this junk food! Do you really eat this stuff?"

-Egon equates the sum total of all of New York's ghost population to a 500 foot long 30 ton Twinkie

-the slimer ghost pops out of a hot dog cart with a mouth full of hot dogs

-Lewis undergoes a transformation where, in the begining of the film, he is the only person who is healthy (he tapes 20 minute work out and watches it in fast forward, he has plenty of Nova Scotia salmon and low sodium mineral water), but he becomes a slob

--when Lewis becomes the Key Master he seems to have a strange fixation with food, he sniffs a jar of popcorn and rubs a pizza on his face

--------------------------Edited to Add:-------------------------------------------------------

-In the end of the film, the supreme force of evil transforms himself into a 400' icon of a junk food company: Stay Puft Marshmellows

-The Ghostbusters spend their last $ on food, "This feast represents the last of the petty cash."

-The Ghostbusters blow up a wedding cake while trying to capture the green ghost

-Peter makes comments to Janine that she could easily find work in the food service industry.



There are probably others. What do you guys make of this?

Iron Chef 11-06-02 12:27 PM

Don't forget the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man!

einTier 11-06-02 12:54 PM

I just observed that the pan-and-scan on this movie is particularly awful.

Dr. DVD 11-06-02 01:05 PM


Originally posted by einTier
I just observed that the pan-and-scan on this movie is particularly awful.

Yep. This is one of the few comedies where P&S will totally ruin it.

Geofferson 11-06-02 01:14 PM

Interesting points indeed. I never thought about this observation. This guy seems to be on to something.

greatjedi 11-06-02 01:42 PM

Great observation. I've seen this film countless times, and never picked up on that. Of course now that you mention it, it's extremely obvious. I'll remember this from now on, and hopefully this will make my dieting easier. I only hope I don't become overly paranaoid about opening the fridge.;)

Pants 11-06-02 01:46 PM


Originally posted by Iron Chef
Don't forget the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man!
You're right!

-In the end of the film, the supreme force of evil transforms himself into a 400' icon of a junk food company: Stay Puft Marshmellows

LBPound 11-06-02 01:49 PM

Think of what the Ghostbusters are doing when they get their first call!

"This feast represents the last of the petty cash."

Notice how they're called away from their Chinese food?

sundog 11-06-02 02:33 PM

Careful! You're all attaching the dreaded, reviled and infamous SUBTEXT to this film.

Shemp 11-06-02 03:55 PM

There's also the exploding wedding cake in the ballroom.

And then doesn't Venkmen tell Janine, their secretary, that she could would be able to find plenty of work in the 'food service industry'?

PixyJunket 11-06-02 04:19 PM

? :eek: ?

Pants 11-06-02 04:48 PM

On the sequal front, Ghostbusters 2 contains several references to Jell-o. Are there anymore in part 2?

Samuel 11-06-02 05:28 PM

:) Very interesting stuff, indeed. What about when Venkman rewards Egon with a candy bar early on in the movie?

Pants 11-06-02 05:43 PM


Originally posted by Samuel
:) Very interesting stuff, indeed. What about when Venkman rewards Egon with a candy bar early on in the movie?
That's a good one

jfoobar 11-06-02 05:51 PM

[strrrrrretch]

Bill Atherton's character (the EPA inspector) is named Peck, which means, among other things, to "eat reluctantly in small bites."

[/stretch]

PixyJunket 11-06-02 06:00 PM


Originally posted by JustinS
[strrrrrretch]

Bill Atherton's character (the EPA inspector) is named Peck, which means, among other things, to "eat reluctantly in small bites."

[/stretch]

Alright.. now that's pushing it.. :D

JoeyOhhhh 11-06-02 06:37 PM

Has anyone listened to the commentary track to see if this subjects been touched upon?

PixyJunket 11-06-02 06:41 PM


Originally posted by JoeyOhhhh
Has anyone listened to the commentary track to see if this subjects been touched upon?
I did recently, but I don't recall it being mentioned.

LBPound 11-06-02 07:57 PM


Originally posted by Pants
On the sequal front, Ghostbusters 2 contains several references to Jell-o. Are there anymore in part 2?
Dude, there's one of the best exchanges about food ever. Let me pop in the DVD and transcribe it. It's great...gimme a sec!

LBPound 11-06-02 08:01 PM

Ray: So, what do you think? Chinese?
Egon: Uh...how bout Thai?
Ray: Nah, too spicy. Greek?
Egon: Uhh...Mexican?
Ray: Pizza.
Egon: Thin or thick?
Ray: Chicago.

rotfl

LBPound 11-06-02 08:05 PM

And let us not forget the scene when they interrogate Dana. What is Egon doing?

<img src="http://homepages.nyu.edu/~lb620\cheezit.jpg">

Probably had something to do with him trying to get the spirit of Zuul out in the open.

JimRochester 11-06-02 08:47 PM

Oh my GOD and I ate popcorn while watching this movie. Yet another association with food. How did they know?

devilshalo 11-06-02 10:17 PM

Listen... you smell something?

Mabuse 06-22-14 12:28 PM

Re: Ghostbusters observation
 
Due to the Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II anniversaries lately I've been searching through old threads about these great films. I found this old thread that points out something I've never noticed before: This obvious connection between food and the ghosts.

majorjoe23 06-22-14 12:32 PM

Re: Ghostbusters observation
 

Originally Posted by LBPound (Post 2980815)
And let us not forget the scene when they interrogate Dana. What is Egon doing?

<img src="http://homepages.nyu.edu/~lb620\cheezit.jpg">

Probably had something to do with him trying to get the spirit of Zuul out in the open.

I'm amazed this photo is still up almost 12 years later.


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