The Real Ghostbusters!

Does anyone remember The Real Ghostbusters? It used to be my favorite cartoon, and then it completely slipped off of my radar. A few weeks ago I found out that it's been released for the first time on DVD! Season 1 just came out and I picked it up the other day.

It's awesome! The episodes all have introductions by random cast/crew who give a bit of behind the scenes info about the show. There are also some commentaries, a "making of"documentary, and a lot of other cool stuff.

Can't wait for volume 2!

 

Actually its been available for several months now. Its only just now trickling into stores. The entire series has been available as a collectors set from the Time Life website since November of last year. 25 discs, a tonne of extras and behind the scenes material, and stellar lenticular art boxing designed like the firehouse.

[image=http://www.sweetpaul.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/rgbfull.jpg]

Given that its a whopper of a set the price tag is out of my budget right now, but totally worth it IMO.

 

I want desperately to get that. I loved the Ghostbusters so hard when I was a kid. My dad helped me make a shortfilm with a bunch of my friends when I was 8. He let me put homemade Ghostbusters logos on the family car, bought a yellow flashing dome light for the car(couldn't legally get blue, you know). We got these squirtguns with backpacks to be proton packs, and rigged an old tacklebox for a ghost trap. Used sparklers as the light fx and a TRG toy for the sound. My cousin was our ghost... it was great. My dad was perhaps more into it than we were, just because he was fascinated by video cameras at the time.

 

Now if only someone would release the X-Men series on DVD, the revival goodness would be complete...

 

X-Men? Two sets have been released covering the first two seasons and the opening arc of season 3, with two more sets being released in september that will round out most of season 3 and 4. Check out the Wolverine and the X-Men thread on this board for more details.

 

I remember. It was a decent show.

 

I used to love this show...

I forget the name of the episode...

But the one with the Sphinx in New Orleans was my favorite episode.

 

I prefered the real Ghostbusters show and I'm not scared-stiff to say it.

 

So my set arrived the other day finally. I haven't had time to sit down and watch the episodes yet. Instead I have been going through the features first (as I always do with every new DVD). I can't say I am impressed (though I am not all the way through it all yet so I may not have gotten to what I am interested in yet). I like the fact they have included a lot of interview footage but I was hoping for the inclusion of more people. I can understand Lorenzo Music not being there, but the lack of Dave Coulier, Arsenio Hall, Buster Jones and Frank Welker is really disappointing, especially Welker. Technically speaking you can tell that the people who pieced these additional features together were either short on time or just didn't care because the design or editing of a lot of them are frankly sloppy.

As for the episodes themselves would anyone be interested in doing an episode by episode discussion?

 

I'll give it a shot!

001 - "Ghosts R Us"
After a trio of ghosts escape from the Containment Unit, they decide to discredit the Ghostbusters by disguising themselves as "Ghosts R Us," a rival ghostbusting franchise!

A decent enough episode. The Mama Ghost, Papa Ghost, Baby Ghost trio don't really do much for me. What's most notable about this episode is that the premise is essentially a jokey in-universe explanation of the show's title: When "Ghosts R Us" begins doing great business, Janine informs a caller that they have called the office of the REAL Ghostbusters.

The out-of-universe explanation, as many of you know, is that there was a short-lived 70s children's TV show called The Ghost Busters. While Columbia Pictures was able to settle for the use of the title in the Reitman film, the owners of The Ghost Busters retained rights to television use of the title Ghostbusters. Filmation produced a cartoon based on the 70s live-action show, so Columbia came up with the title The Real Ghostbusters for their cartoon spin-off of the Reitman film.

This episode also introduces the GBs' helicopter, Ecto-2. By the end of the episode it's been destroyed, but it makes a comeback later in the series. More trivia: According to the episode's commentary track, the makers of Ghostbusters II originally wanted to call the new car Ecto-2, but they changed it to Ecto-1A to maintain consistency with the series.

002 - "Killerwatt"
The power blackouts across New York are the work of a veritable army of ghosts, but the power drain leaves the Ghostbusters' Containment Unit vulnerable!

A MUCH stronger episode than 001. Killerwatt is one of my favorite villain ghosts, featuring excellent design in both his ethereal pure-energy form and his anthropomorphic appearance while possessing a power generator. But what really makes Killerwatt great is the voice work by guest star James Avery - better known as the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air's Uncle Phil and as the voice of Shredder in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cartoon.

Something that always stands out in this episode is that Killerwatt explicitly tells the GBs that he is going to kill them. In a show about ghosts it's of course hard to avoid the concept of death, but in kids' shows even the most mortal threats are softened by kid-friendly euphemisms. The bluntness of Killerwatt's statement is our first real demonstration of the ballsy writing and design in this show.

Speaking of design, great ghosts abound in this episode, as Killerwatt's minions possess a number of electric appliances and machines. Even Ecto-1 gets taken over for a bit, and the 'face' that emerges is particularly creepy. The cavernous power plant that serves as Killerwatt's lair is fantastic.

 

Its hard to believe they led with this one. It has a decent opening to start out with and lead people back into the franchise but its a mediocre episode at best and was hardly a strong lead-off for the Network series. I can see they were trying to pay homage to the old-school cartoons with this one, particularly in the characterization of the three main characters but outside of a cameo they just become obnoxious way too quickly. Sadly you see these character designs pop back up again from time to time (mainly when you take a tour through the ecto containment unit), though thankfully I don't recall ever hearing the speak again.

The episode itself has some above average animation including various focus pulls, a variety of different angles and perspectives not usually utilized. Clearly they were trying to set the bar high with the first one, but too often the animation just gets absurd, particularly when dealing with the three ghosts.

And as you note this has a wonderful first appearance of Ecto-2 which sadly is destroyed by episode's end. But what a ride.

This episode is great because as you mention it illustrates an unusual freedom the creators of the series had with it. There weren't many restrictions as far as content went (so long as they got the episode in on time), and while they never crossed major lines with the show, they definitely pushed the boundaries. Which was great because even with the most childish humour (usually surrounding Slimer) it never felt condescending or patronizing. This is a dangerous business they are in and the dangers they faces should be somewhat frightening.

The animation again gets a little sloppy at times here, not nearly as polished as certain moments in the first episode, but the adventure in this one is much more interesting and fun. A lot of great one-liners and puns throughout this one mixed in with much better action, a good dichotomy that's seen throughout the best of the series.

And I have to say god the soundtrack takes me back. Not the corny 80s music they use from time to time but the score specifically which is almost always fantastic. Either its toe-tappingly fun or spooky as hell.

I also have to comment that the characterization here seems a little unrefined especially LeMarche's take on Egon. Clearly he was still trying to find the character. I don't know if its the voice work or the animation or some combination but he is a little too stiff and stilted. Its good to see the role evolved somewhat in the later seasons.

 

003 - "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood"
The Ghostbusters are called to rid sweet old Mrs. Roger's house of ghosts, but the granny isn't what she seems, and Janine could be facing a demon in the headquarters...alone!

-This episode has a cute "Who's on First?" gag about a demon called Watt. Most of the time when people try to do these I find them forced and grating, but this one is done well.

-Nice touch by the animators giving Mrs. Roger a kinda-gross old lady's hairy chin. Her fire-breathing bird is pretty cool too.

-The design of Mrs. Roger's house strikes me as a bit TOO cartoony. I think they could have conveyed the same saccharine cutesy-ness without the ridiculous distorted proportions. But the overall demon house concept is executed nicely. There's the obligatory poltergeist-y floating dishes, and the moment when the floor falls out is a good scare.

-Slimer's a lot of fun in this episode. Later episodes will introduce (and overdo) the idea of the GBs misunderstanding Slimer while he's trying to tell them something important, but in this episode he makes himself understood. I especially enjoy the way he pronounces "Pe-turh" at the end of his ramble.

-I remember being very creeped out by Watt-possessed Peter as a kid, but even then I didn't buy the part where he and Watt struggle for control. Peter's dialogue is very emotional and dramatic, and I'm not sure if the problem is that the dialogue wasn't quite right for the character or that Lorenzo Music couldn't deliver it strong enough - or some combination of both.

Overall, a good episode. Not as silly-cartoony as "Ghosts R Us", but still too cartoony compared to "Killerwatt".

004 - "Slimer, Come Home"
After ruining Winston's birthday surprise, Slimer leaves the firehouse for good and wanders the streets of New York...where he soon joins in with a crowd of poltergeists!

EGON: Now remember, poltergeists can't actually hurt you!
(ghosts assemble a towering stack of trash cans)
But trash cans sure can!
(Trash cans fall towards GBs)
RUN!
PETER: No! Blast 'em!
(the cans disintegrate and the GBs wind up covered in garbage. They howl in disgust)
Okay, so I saw a Clint Eastwood movie last night and got carried away! Sue me!

What I really like about this episode is that it really tries to develop the mythology of how ghosts operate. It's essentially still just a typical 'big ghost commanding lots of little ghosts' setup, but the specific poltergeist slant is a nice touch.

The setup of the episode is REALLY ridiculous. From Winston's teary-eyed statement that the GB's little surprise party is the best day of his LIFE to the so-bad-it's-funny sequence of Slimer running away (what makes it funny is the uber-cheesy sad pop ballad playing underneath), it's the first time the show has really felt dumbed-down. It doesn't even feel like pandering-to-the-kiddies the way the Slimer! shorts do; it's just really dumb and melodramatic.

But once Slimer runs away the episode improves. Egon avoids a mugging because the punks are afraid to mess with anyone weirder than they are, Ray tests a metaphysical hypothesis about staying in place to statistically guarantee he'll encounter everyone he's ever met, and the searching foursome deliver an amusing chorus calling out "SLI-ME-ER!"

The episode's big bad looks demonic enough and has a suitably maniacal voice from LaMarche, but the animation on him gets really shoddy at times. It doesn't help that the off-white of his collar and the pink of his skin look almost identical at times, giving him the appearance of a two-tone beastie.

The resolution is, like the setup, far too treacly. But it's buttoned by a good grossout gag - Ray has Slimer demonstrate a 'new trick' of showing his food. We don't see the trick; we just hear a deep belch of a noise while the Ghostbusters groan in disgust. Like a similar gag in Beetle Juice, it's funnier when left to the imagination.

Aside from the actual story, it's a decent episode.

Next up - a special feature on the pop music featured in The Real Ghostbus

 

(separate post for readability)

The Music of The Real Ghostbusters: Tahiti

It's kind of unfair to start the article by ripping on the subject, but I have to get this off my chest: It's a real shame that the only RGB music to get any sort of official release is by far the worst the show produced.

[image=http://www.tonymech.com/blogfiles/rgbsoundtrack/art.jpg]

The official soundtrack of The Real Ghostbusters (easily found on download sites across the 'net) doesn't feature the well-done cover of Ray Parker Jr.'s anthem, nor any of the excellent background score cues by Shuki Levy. It is entirely composed of songs commissioned from the obscure 80s-pop group Tahiti for the first season of RGB.

Track List (for the morbidly curious):
1 Driving Me Crazy
2 The Boogieman
3 Don?t Play Her Game
4 Movie Star
5 Remember Home
6 Party On His Mind
7 Midnight Action
8 Charge You Up
9 Mr. Sandman
10 Hometown Hero (Featuring Ray Parker Jr. - yes, the same one who wrote and performed the movie theme song - on GUITAR of all things!)

None of the songs are particularly good, but in the episodes they do sometimes work to good effect as pop songs "Savin' the Day" and "Magic" did in the original film. At these times the songs feel like a respectable attempt by the producers to emulate the musical design of the film, rather than a coarse attempt to sell a cheap tie-in album.

"The Boogieman" works particularly well in the episode featuring that character - it's got a slight funk that suits the wackiness of the Boogieman's chaotic nightmare dimension. On the other hand, "Charge You Up" screws up the otherwise excellent episode "Killerwatt".

The bad news is: the bad outweighs the good when it comes to Tahiti's "contribution" to The Real Ghostbusters. The good news is: these songs don't show up much after the first season (excluding certain home video releases of Season 2 episodes over the years in which the Tahiti songs supplanted Levy's score).

Phew! I wanted to get that one out of the way, and save the better music for later!

Next up: 005 - "Troll Bridge" & 006 - "The Boogieman Cometh".

 

I seem to be the only one here, but I'm having fun so I'll keep going!

005 - "Troll Bridge"
A troll who has grown tired of living under the Brooklyn Bridge runs away to the city in search of good times, but when his fellow trolls take control of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Ghostbusters come to the rescue.

Interesting description, because in the actual episode the bridge is called (and is clearly drawn to resemble) the Queensboro Bridge.

The animation gets really bad in this one; I'm talking "Beavis and Butt-head Liquid TV pilot" bad.

One of the subtle strengths about RGB is that, even though the animation was done overseas, the creators made a point of designing the city to clearly be New York City. The funny/frustrating irony is that in this episode, which makes more specific references to NYC landmarks than any I can think of (Queensboro Bridge, Holland Tunnel, Times Square) the city has never looked MORE like a generic anime city.

Slimer is notably absent in this episode, and with good reason - if he were around, it would be even more obvious that he and the young troll have nearly identical characterization. The same rambunctious energy, the same childlike tendency to easily have hurt feelings, the same gibberish-with-the-occasional-real-word speech pattern. It's a 'Slimer episode' without Slimer.

Only the physical body and actual voice are different, and I do have to give credit for some good voice work. Even though he's just a not-Slimer Slimer, the voice has a distinct, raspy cuteness, and it works. Slimer on ten packs a day.

I hate to say it, but this one is pretty much skippable.

006 - "The Boogieman Cometh"
Two children turn up at the firehouse claiming that the Boogieman is living in their closet, leading the skeptical Ghostbusters on a mission to bedroom closets throughout New York, and finally into the twisted world of the Boogieman himself!

This one gets off to a fantastic start, following the old adage that the best beginnings feel like the end of the previous story. The GBs are catching a cross between Edward G. Robinson and the Creature from the Black Lagoon, a ghost who could easily sustain an episode by himself.

Everything that "Slimer, Come Home" did wrong with the Peter/Slimer relationship, this episode does right. It's a subplot, where it rightly belongs, and the anger is toned down and honest. Michael Reaves is one of the best RGB writers; in the first Peter/Slimer scene he uses an innocuous throwaway line to introduce a major plot device.

Like Slimer episodes, episodes with kids can be dangerous for writers because they risk veering into overly cutesy or sentimental territory. While the two children (who come offering their piggy banks for the Ghostbusters to rid them of the Boogieman who comes out of their bedroom closet at night) are cute and bring out even Peter's sweet side, it's never quite overdone. Even the "nothing to fear but fear itself" is MUCH less heavy-handed than it might have been in the hands of a lesser writer.

Reaves gives each of the GBs their own time to shine in the episode: Peter has his subplot with Slimer, Egon has a secret history with the Boogieman, Winston kindles a friendship with the Boogieman's two young targets, and there's a nice bit about Ray's ability to pass for a child.

The Boogieman's realm is well-designed, an Escherly mess of a place. And while the Boogieman himself isn't particularly SCARY-looking, he's a disgusting fella.

Just a very well-made episode all around.

 

Sorry JKH...between work, family and previous obligations I have been kinda busy lately. When I get some free time I will rewatch the specific episodes and formulate my own notes. I do, however, find it hard to believe you and I are the only two Real Ghostbusters fans.