GHOSTBUSTERS

US, 2016, 115 minutes, Colour.
Melissa Mc Carthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mac Kinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, Ed Begley Jr, Andy Garcia, Cecily Strong, Michael Kenneth Williams, Matt Walsh, Charles Dance, Neil Casey, Ozzy Osbourne.
Directed by Paul Feig.

Ghostbusters was a very popular hit of the 1980s so there is no reason why Ghostbusters should not be a very popular hit of 2016. While there was a sequel in the 1980s, there have been thoughts of another sequel or a remake for quite some time. Now it is here – and, before its release, subject to a great deal of misogynistic comment.Female Ghostbusters? The normal response should have been, why not? But some seem to be offended by the very idea!

There was also some comment that those involved with the original film were not too pleased originally with a remake – however, the original director Ivan Reitman is an executive producer, Bill Murray has an amusing cameo, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson show up in brief spots and Sigourney Weaver turns up during the final credits.

A report has come from China that Ghostbusters is being banned because any film that fosters superstitions should not be shown in the People’s Republic. That certainly misunderstands Ghostbusters. If anybody takes the film literally, the range of ghosts cavorting on the screen, the tactics of the Ghostbusters themselves, they are certainly misinterpreting what is a big budget, special effects entertainment.

However, once antipathetic male audiences get over their problem with female Ghostbusters, they have to tackle the issue of whether they like Melissa Mc Carthy or not (and there have been some male male grouches about her as well). She is a bit lower key here than usual, working in the laboratory for developing formulas and machines to discover and combat the ghosts, working with her zany partner, Holtzmann (stand-up comedian Kate Mac Kinnon who is pretty good in her role). The other main Ghostbusters is Erin, played by Kristen Wiig, who had written about ghosts in the past but has since left that part of her life behind, concentrating on science and obtaining tenure in a university (from superior, Charles Dance).

The fourth Ghostbusters is Patty, an African- American actress in the larger-than-life vein of Queen Latifah, who works in the New York subway, discovers ghosts and joins the team.

The ghosts themselves are comic creatures, many of whom might be found in a carnival, and a Ghost Train ride. However, there is a mad villain who is able to capture ghosts with his machine and intends to release them for apocalyptic mayhem.

One of the very entertaining aspects of the new Ghostbusters is the presence of the receptionist for the team. It is a role reversal of the dim young woman who finds office work challenging, rather oblivious to her shortcomings. This time it is the dim young man who certainly finds office work challenging, even answering the phone, and certainly oblivious to his shortcomings.He is played with exceeding good spirits by Chris Hemsworth, very un-Thor-like, and, during the final credits, very Saturday Night Fever like in his dancing.

Andy Garcia turns up as the mayor of New York City.

In many ways, the original Ghostbusters was fairly ordinary in its way but brought to life by the verve of its stars. It is the same here, although there are huge advances in special effects since the 1980s. so, undemanding entertainment.

1. The popularity of the original film? 30 years later? Similarities of plot, ghosts, special effects, comic style, the camaraderie of the Ghostbusters, going into action? The musical score?

2. Popular response to the Ghostbusters being women? And their comic style?

3. New York City, the cityscapes, the skyscrapers, the streets, mansions, colleges, laboratories, the subway? The feel of New York City?

4. The introduction, the tour of the mansion, the guide, setting an eerie feeling, his being attacked? The historian and his going to see Erin and asking her help?

5. Erin, her background in science, the head of the college, discussions about tenure, her past book about ghosts going on the Internet? Her going to visit Abby, her meeting Holtzmann, their equipment, the experiments? The memories of past, their shared childhood, enterprises, the writing of the book, the parting of the ways, Abby and her exploiting Erin?

6. The invitation to go to the mansion, from the mansion’s historian, their visit, taking all their equipment, the searching of the house, the emergence of the ghost, the daughter of the owner, her pursuit and disappearance into the city? Their photographing the experience, the social media, the variety of responses?

7. The subway, the character of Rowan, going into the tunnel, with the ghosts? Betty, her job in the subway, going down into the tunnel, experience of the ghosts? Her going to visit the team? Their all going to check the subway, the experience of the ghosts?

8. The issue of a receptionist, advertising, Kevin and Chris Hemsworth and his comic performance, nice and handsome, a touch dumb, not knowing how to answer the phones, his drawing the logo, inefficient – but Erin attracted?

9. Rowan himself, his job in the hotel, his sense of the apocalyptic, his machines, capturing the ghosts, waiting for the time to unleash them?

10. Bill Murray as the doubting scientist, the television interview, his visit, scorning them, Erin letting the ghost free, the attack and his going out the window?

11. The mayor, his assistant, smooth talk, wanting to cover the situation, not wanting any panic, the interview with the women, their reputation, his asking them to be seen as fakes?

12. The estate agent, Abby and Holtzmann being ousted, needing new accommodation, but taking the equipment? The expensive warehouse, going above the Chinese takeaway, and the jokes about the attendant and his slowness, the weakness of the soup, his bike later being destroyed?

13. The concert, the manager of the venue, Ozzy Osbourne and the performance, the ghosts appearing, the Ghostbusters doing their work, below, the ghost in the auditorium, the audience thinking it was part of the performance? Betty and her being taken over momentarily by the ghost?

14. The group finding Rowan’s headquarters, the ghosts, the attack? Unleashing the ghosts, Rowan and his escape?

15. Rowan and his taking over Kevin, Kevin’s weird behaviour? Taking over Abby, her vindictiveness, against Holtzmann, hanging out the window, the rescue?

16. The increasing mayhem, Erin going to find the mayor and interrupting the dinner? Her finding the three Ghostbusters? The equipment? Kevin’s behaviour and Rowan enjoying using Kevin’s body and physique? The taxi ride – and Dan Ackroyd’s cameo? The hotel and Annie Potts’s cameo?

17. The buildup to the fights, enormous range of ghosts, the parade, the ghosts getting bigger and bigger?

18. Rowan, leaving Kevin, the limo, everything going into the abyss? Abby being taken, Erin going in and rescuing her?

19. The jokes about the limousine, for funerals, Betty and her uncle? His turning up at the end and wanting the limousine?

20. The importance of the credits, humorous scenes from the making? The cameo of Sigourney Weaver? Chris Hemsworth and his continued dancing during the credits? And the post-credits and the view of the four women and their working together?