MovieChat Forums > Ghostbusters (1984) Discussion > Explain to me why this is a classic?

Explain to me why this is a classic?

posted 7 years ago by I_Love_Catherine_Zeta
23 replies | jump to latest

Seriously - not here to "troll" or anything.

I never got round to watching this until just now - and it was just okay in my opinion. There were some funny linesand I generally found the ghostbusters themselves to be pretty likable. But the film seemed surprisingly plot-driven considering it was just a bunch of guys pointing lazer things at ghosts. Unless they were just flying way over my head, I often couldn't tell which parts were meant to be jokes, and which parts were meant to be just 'interesting'.

Maybe it is an age thing (was born in 90), but I just didn't understand what people were getting from the film that made it such a classic.

Silencio

[–] Betaspaniel 7 years ago

There were some funny linesand I generally found the ghostbusters themselves to be pretty likable.

Actually, that pretty much is what it comes down to. Sometimes that IS what makes a movie a classic. :)

I often couldn't tell which parts were meant to be jokes, and which parts were meant to be just 'interesting'.

Can you give an example?

[–] seahawk3133 7 years ago

I saw it as a child and just watched it again recently. I generally like Bill Murray & Dan Aykroyd but I felt this movie was mostly weak.

5 / 10

[–] Ze_do_Telhado 7 years ago

I can tell you why I consider this movie a classic , but will be only my opinion.
First when I first saw it was in cinema and I was a kid and was one of the first movies I saw in cinema.
Second all the special effects were pieces of art with all artists working togheter and not as happens today with cgi where one guy works alone inside a black room, the story , the Original sound track , all surounded by the commedy made this a classic for me .

[–] R_Kane (15828) 6 years ago

This is nostalgia. This is not a classic. Big difference.

[–] Bubbathegut (17215) 6 years ago

Couldn't nostalgia apply to any film? Like 2001: A Space Odyssey.

[–] pluckytotheend (263) 6 years ago

One key aspect of this film that attracted me was that it was a three way buddy film that expands into an ensemble production. One of my all time favorite ensemble films is Hatari! (1962).

[–] captainbucky (15252) 6 years ago

Because Bill Murray really whips the lammas ass and thats all you need to know

[–] Cheepshooter (672) 6 years ago

It's one of those movies that either clicks with you, or doesn't. If you have to ask what's so great about it, no answer will ever be adequate.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

Unless you can time machine yourself back to 1984, watching it now and trying to have an opinion on it is a cop-out. This film did have a cultural impact and has influenced film & media since then ...

Sure it's not the greatest film of all time or anything, but seriously you can see why the whole premise behind this thread is flawed.

[–] Nate Adams SA23 (896) 5 years ago

Watching it now and it’s just so good humor wise. Most of the comedy is delivered very dry and dead pan. I like it

[–] Jones70 (6195) 5 years ago

Just a fun premise imo

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

maybe someone watching it for the first time now would subconsciously disciminate because of the hype / rep

[–] wearsalan (5554) 5 years ago

Agreed.
I watched Excorcist years after it was released and heard all the hype. Didn't think it was all that good tbh. Watched again some years later and got it.

[–] pioneergrrrl (2388) 4 years ago

Classic moments

the cards fly out of the card catalog. Card catalogs are all online now.
Bill Murray is shocking the guy who gets stuff right, while letting the dumb blonde get away....professors can now do less w students but at the time this was still considered 'cute'
Peter drugs dana in her apartment?? So he's running around with drugs. No I did not notice this when I was little
Janine's interview with Winston....well again this is pre-internet era,....but yeah no references, no credit check cool!!
they go up all those stairs wearing a hundred ton packs and nobody collapses--oh and ray is smoking