MovieChat Forums > Lonesome Ghosts (1937) Discussion > Inspiration for 'Ghostbusters'?

Inspiration for 'Ghostbusters'?

posted 18 years ago by elmocoloco
3 replies | jump to latest

I recently saw "Lonesome Ghosts" for the first time in a long time, and I couldn't help but think it had to be an inspiration for the 1984 Ivan Reitman film "Ghostbusters." You've got Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as somewhat inept ghost hunters, a la Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis, and Goofy (Pinto Colvig) even says the line: "I ain't a-fraid of no ghost"! (take that, Ray Parker Jr., if the Huey Lewis lawsuit wasn't enough. . . .) What do you think?

"Yes, you're very smart. Shut up." -The Grandfather (Peter Falk) in "The Princess Bride"

[–] Suspected94 18 years ago

I can definitely see the similarities. I've always wondered if Dan Aykroyd ever mentioned being inspired at all by this short.

[–] skinnyskinz12 18 years ago

I think Ghost Busters was based off of the Spook Busters a 1946 Bowery Boys film. But Lonesome Ghosts has to be the grand dady of ghost exterminating films.

[–] ronni_lane 18 years ago

Yeah i think i have seen a video on youtube where Lonesome Ghosts is edited with the Ghostbusters theme song.