*Originally published on 11/3/10
When people talk about movies that influenced them, you'll hear standard responses like Citizen Kane, or Gone With the Wind. For me though, it was Ghostbusters. Odd as it may sound, it's true. Ghostbusters has had quite a profound impact on my life.
I've loved the franchise since I was a kid. I had Ghostbusters bed sheets, I watched the cartoon that the movie inspired, and had all sorts of toys related to the popular franchise.
Last year and the year before, I dressed up as a Ghostbuster for Halloween. It was quite fun. The first time around, my roommates and I went to a movie in costume and it felt great to walk around in the jumpsuit. It felt like the suit I was born to wear.
Unlike most nostalgic things from childhood, this movie holds up over time. It's just as enjoyable to me as a person in his mid-20's as it was when I was a little kid. If anything, it's gotten better as I'm able to grasp the subtle humor and catch a lot more jokes that I missed as a child.
There are so many great lines in the film that just make it perfect for quoting when given the opportunity. Non movie buffs may give you an odd look, but it's quite enjoyable and the payoff is worth it.
The movie was also one of the first things that got me interested in the paranormal. I've had a fascination with the supernatural for as long as I can remember. I have no doubt that this movie was a major contributing factor.
To this day, I still want to be a Ghostbuster. If such an organization existed, I would sign up without giving it a second thought. If there was only one location, I would move if that meant I could work in that field. It's a great gig, you get to use high tech gadgets, you get to slide down a firepole, and you get to chase ghosts. Sure, occasionally you're put up against a Sumerian god who blasts you with lightning, but by and large, it's a fun gig.
The movie is a classic for a reason and is still one of my all time favorite movies.
I even stand up for the second movie. Sure, it's not as good as the original, but it is quite funny and it is a good movie in its own right.
When Time Life released a complete box set of The Real Ghostbusters, I was quick to pick one up so that I could add it to my collection.
I've played the video game several times, and it is just as enjoyable the eighth time around as it is the first time around. It's probably about as close as I'll get to being a bona fide Ghostbuster so it's no surprise that I find myself playing the game again and again.
The movie delivers humor, a few scares, great lines, and special effects that hold up even decades later. Ghostbusters is one of the most beloved franchises of my generation and it is well deserved as the series has become an icon in it's own right.
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