Basically all characters are constantly chain-smoking. Perhaps understandable if it was a 50s thriller but in an 80s kids movie there must have been some point to it or a gag. Was it to do with a smoking ban being discussed in New York at the time?
"We fell in love. I fell in love - she just stood there." / http://twitter.com/Marielind
Was it to do with a smoking ban being discussed in New York at the time?I think it's more for comedy than anything else. One, these guys went into business as scientists, but just became on-call exterminators. Plus, it highlights how out-of-shape they are (also used to comedic effect, Dana's stairs and whatnot).
Bingo--just a little detail that adds to the tone.
Contrary to popular misconception, the Ghostbusters are not action heroes.
When I direct GBIII, I'll bring back the smoking LOL
I think one of the characters should definitely smoke in the movie, just so that it's not some super P.C. film. In some way, I'd love it if Ray was the only one who continued to smoke! I could see Venkman quitting due to self preservation considering his persona, and even Winston as well, if he's taken on a more healthy lifestyle, but having Ray still smoking would be funny. He's such a quirky guy who analyses everything, yet he doesn't worry about getting cancer etc, and I think this would match his character from the first two movies.
Maybe I'm wrong, and maybe Peter would be the one who'd continue to smoke, with a "Fu*k it" type of attitude.
Damn shame about the history of this could be movie. Ramis dead, Reitman not directing, Bill not interested, an all female cast. Sad.
I could see ray quiting because he wants to make Egon happy. I doubt Egon smokes. We never saw him light up. Egon would guilt trip him with 'ray do you want to be a scientist?"
Peter doesn't care what studies say. We already know he is unethical and unscientific. Winston would quit b/c the company provides next to no health plan.
This wasn't a kids movie.
It became popular with kids and they made a cartoon and all that, but the first movie was definitely not conceived, or marketed, as a kid's movie.
People smoked more back then dummy.
share1) Smoking in movies was common back then.
2) The director said it was a complete surprise that the movie was such a hit with kids; it wasn't designed to be a kids movie
3) It was done partially for effect. For example when a smoking Ray first sees slimer, he's so shocked that his jaw drops and the burning cigarette he was smoking sticks to his lip for several seconds before falling straight to the ground. This also foreshadows how little respect they have for keeping the classy hotel clean before they trash it.
It's also used for effect when Egon explains how much psychokinetic energy is in the New York area by comparing it to a Twinkie. Winston is caught surprised, coughs on his cigarette, and says "That's a big Twinkie".
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The smoking was probably also meant to convey the message that the Ghostbusters are blue collar "working shlubs" (a common theme in Ivan Reitman and Harold Ramis' work; the "snobs vs. snobs" angle). Also being a professional paranormal hunter would presumably be an incredibly stressful job.
shareRay coughs, Winston says the line.
sharePosts like this make me hate people. Like, a lot.
shareI just thought of something else in regards to you wrongfully calling this a "kid's movie"...
How do you have a problem with the smoking and no mention at all of Ray dreaming of getting a blowjob from a ghost?
I mean, seriously?
If Ghostbusters were to released today, it would easily get a PG-13 rating (ironically, the PG-13 rating was created the same year that GBs was released).
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If Ghostbusters were released today, studio would make them take out the sex and smoking references---and they'd have to capture Slimmer and train him to become a pet around the fire station
It would not have easily become the BIG hit it became.
How do you have a problem with the smoking and no mention at all of Ray dreaming of getting a blowjob from a ghost?
.....or peter as a professor at the university obviously flirting with the girl who he's conducting an experiment on? She's guessing stuff wrong left and right but he never shocks her. It's pretty obvious what he wants to do with her once the card questioning is over.
shareIt's not a "kids" movie.
"It wasn't me who was murdered, was it?"
a lot less places had outright smoking bans in 1984.
Several places still tried to compromise with smoking and non-smoking sections--as if smoke would stop at the smoking section lol
Watching movie shows how much time has changed. Yes we know the song, We know NYC Public Library is a LARGE library.
But there are no more physical card catalogs--all computerized, smoking in public is less common in America.
By the early 1970s, smoking was becoming a big issue (even YOGI BEAR and his little pal BOO-BOO in 1968 were doing anti-smoking ads!) But then this has, to today's kids a timelss appeal, or excuse me,today's 20 year olds.Wonder why it was never reissued when the female version was out.
shareI think they would have reissued if if the female version had become a big hit/even a remote hit--but when that tanked--the studios decided not to attach it. They did not want current generations of kids to associate a classic with this imitation.
shareGhostbusters was a down to earth movie that still works as a crowd pleaser today.
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