Ghostbusters Scribd Finds
Ghostbusters Blu-Ray Review Notes
• There are too few chapters in the movie. There's only 16 compared to the DVD's 28. Slimer Mode, on the other hand, has too many chapters: 71 of them.
• In regards to all of the grain, it doesn't look too bad on my 22" 1080p HDTV, but it'll probably look much worse on a bigger TV. Still, it doesn't look good. Surely a better print of the movie exists. If the print for the 1999 DVD were this grainy, we would have definitely seen it, even in the standard definition of the DVD images. So why didn't Sony use that print - unless they lost it!
• The GBVG Making Of featurette would have been a great unlockable video on the PC/PS3/X360 copies of the game. It would have been nice for the PC version to have a real unlockable.
• I could have done without all of the "this is archival footage from an old DVD release" that precedes just about all of the old DVD bonus features that's included. Sony didn't put up any such notices on the archival DVD bonus features on their Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Apocalypse Blu-Ray releases (those are the only other Sony Blu-Rays that I have) - and those bonus features look more standard-definition than what's on the Ghostbusters disc.
• If I had to recommend this disc for one reason, and one reason only, it would be Slimer Mode. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised by all of the people they got to sit down for interviews. I wish they would have included some of the full-length interviews as full-screen bonus features.
I also took the time to add a lot of stuff from the Blu-Ray to Spook Central. For starters, I completely updated the GB1 Blu-Ray page. A gallery of scaled-down menu shots are on that page (link in the Multimedia section), and there are four new subpages on which lots of multimedia has been added: Slimer Mode, Ecto-1 featurette, Ecto-1 Restoration Gallery, and Making of Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Since I don't care for the quality and look for the film print used on the Blu-Ray, I didn't bother recapturing all of the screen captures on the Ghostbusters Multimedia page. However, I did recapture all six magazine covers directly from the Blu-Ray in order to take advantage of the higher resolution picture. You can actually, barely, read the text on the USA Today and New York Post covers. And who knew there was a slight blue drop shadow behind the yellow text at the bottom of the photo on the Time cover. We also now know for a fact that the movie takes place in October 1984. Thanks to an error in the now semi-readable text on the USA Today cover, we can tell that Mike McWillie put the covers together on or around March 6, 1984. The USA Today cover, dated Oct. 8, 1984 lists an obituary for Thin Man actor William Powell, who actually died on March 5, 1984. Mike probably used the actual March 6th USA Today cover as the basis for his mock-up.
All of you deleted scene and Ecto-1 lovers will want to take note of a few new stills that were added to the Fort Detmerring exterior page showing the Ecto-1 pulling up to the fort, which were taken from the Ecto-1 featurette and Slimer Mode. This essentially gives us the car's entire procession from the fort entrance to the guys getting out.
And finally, since I know that someone, somewhere will undoubtedly ask me at sometime how I did the captures from the Blu-Ray, I have put up a very extensive page detailing how I do still and video captures from VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray. I also compiled some lists detailing where the content on the various digital releases of the various Ghostbusters productions can be found.
New Merchandise Spotlight: Slimer Sours Candy
Boston America recently released the latest in their line of Ghostbusters consumables* - Slimer Sours Candy. The little green Slimer-shaped sour watermelon-flavored candy (1.5oz [42.5g]) comes in a white metal tin with a slightly embossed No Ghost logo on top. The sourness of the candy leaves a little to be desired - they're more tart and tangy, than sour - but they're not bad. Kinda addicting, with an odd distinct smell. They're hard with a slight chalky residue on them that reminds me of a candy I used to get in a vending machine a long time ago.
Anyway, you're not really buying it for the candy, you're buying it for the metal tin. The tin measures roughly 3 inches in diameter and is roughly 3/4 inch in height. As previously mentioned, the logo on the lid is embossed, which is a nice touch, though the logo is pushed to the left a bit too far instead of being centered. (You can see this in the photo above.) The candy inside is not separately wrapped, so there will be chalky residue inside the tin that you'll need to wipe away with a damp paper towel when you're done with the candy.
I've searched around and the cheapest price I've seen the candy going for is $2.99 a tin + $1.95 shipping from ToyWiz via Amazon. (They were also selling it by the display/case [18 tins] last week, but that listing has since been deleted.) New York residents take note that $0.43 in sales tax is charged (ToyWiz is located in NY), which makes the total cost for one tin: $5.37. It's interesting to note that the shipping for TWO tins is $4.95, with tax being $0.96, so the order total is $11.89. It's actually cheaper to place two separate orders for one tin each ($10.74 total) than it is to buy two in the same order (you'll save $1.15).
If you want something to wash down the candy, I suggest a can of the Ghostbusters Ectoplasm Energy Drink (previously mentioned on this site). And to counteract the stinky sour breath you might have afterwards, get yourself a tube of Stay Puft Toasted Marshmallow-Flavored Lip Baum. Then you'll complete the trifecta of Boston America's Ghostbusters products. (Note: I don't work for Boston America, but I'll be happy to accept free samples if anyone from BA is reading this.)
For those who may benefit from this information, here's the ingredients list for the candy. For the nutritional facts, you'll have to contact Boston America - though, really...if you're that interested in the nutritional value of candy, you shouldn't be eating candy.
Ingredients: Glucose, Modified Starch, Magnesium Stearate, Tartaric Acid, Artificial Flavor (Watermelon) and Colors (FD&C Yellow 5, Blue1).* Yes, I realize lip baum is not a consumable, but since it's flavored, and thus obviously meant to be tasted, I'm lumping in into the "consumables" category.
Ghostbusters Adult References, Part 1
Tavern On The Green Closes Next Week
The legendary restaurant Tavern on the Green, where Louis was refused entry because they don't allow pets, will have its last seating on December 31, 2009 after 75 years of service. In September, the LeRoy family, who has owned the restaurant since 1974, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, due to the financial crisis and New York City's decision to give the Tavern license to a new operator, Dean J. Poll. As reported by the New York Times, the LeRoys' license has been extended to February 14th to allow the family enough time to remove the items it owns and to conduct an auction of the restaurant's famous interior and exterior fixtures and topiaries. The auction, which will be conducted by Guernsey's auction house, will be held on-site in the Crystal Room on January 13th and 14th (though you can also bid in absentia via telephone, e-mail or internet). Previews will be held on-site January 6-12 from 12-8 PM each day. Poll, who takes over in February with his new 20-year license, plans to renovate with green technology. However, he may not be allowed to use the Tavern on the Green name. The LeRoys and the City are embroiled in a trademark dispute over the name, though Poll has registered Tavern in the Park as an alternative.
It is unknown when Poll's new Tavern will open, but even if it retains the name, it certainly won't be the same place that everyone has known and loved for the past 35-75 years. So if you want to celebrate the real Tavern's last Christmas or New Years, make your reservations right away.
Pages: 1· 2
Mary Kay Bergman: A Sad Anniversary
image created by Doreen Mulman
It was ten years ago today that actress Mary Kay Bergman tragically took her own life. Ghostbusters fans would know her best as the voice of Banshee in the Extreme Ghostbusters episodes "Sonic Youth" and "Slimer's Sacrifice", but she is best known worldwide for providing the voices of every single female character on South Park from the show's first episode up to the end of the third season, and including the feature film "Bigger, Longer, and Uncut", which was released a mere five months before her death. To give you an idea of the talent she possessed, it now takes three different actresses to provide the voices on the show that she alone had previously provided. And that's not to mention the many other characters she provided the voices for, which includes Disney's Snow White and Scooby-Doo's Daphne Blake (she was the official voice artist for both of these roles). She also provided the yodeling for Jessie in Toy Story 2 (the talking voice was provided by Joan Cusack), so maybe we'll hear Mary Kay again in next year's Toy Story 3 if Disney reuses any of the audio she recorded over ten years ago.
Although Mary Kay's filmography is comprised entirely of voice credits, she did have one on-screen performance. It was as the mysterious lady in red in the 2000 film "Bob's Video", written and directed by her husband Dino Andrade. Don't go searching Netflix, Amazon, or any video store for this film as it is not available on home video, and apparently has only played at a few film festivals about ten years ago. It's really a shame that Dino doesn't try to get this out on DVD, as this film is tailor-made for animation and voice artist fans. Besides Mary Kay's cameo, the film stars voice artists E.G. Daily, Bill Farmer, Grey DeLisle, and animation director Gary Trousdale. On top of that, the police force are all named after classic animators: Sheriff Harmon, Deputy Jones, Deputy Avery, Deputy Iwerks, Deputy Spunkmeyer, Deputy Freleng, Deputy Fleischer, Deputy Clampit, Deputy Hanna, Deputy Barbera, Deputy Lantz, and Deputy McKimson. Bob's Video is a film that I've been dying to see for the past ten years, and I really hope that one day I get the chance to see it.
Thankfully, I don't have to wait to see video of Mary Kay as she has appeared briefly in a few Scoobo-Doo "making of" featurettes. Namely the two you see in this Spook Central article. Mary Kay also did interviews for the South Park movie: clip #1, clip #2, clip #3.
If you'd like to learn more about the life and career of this amazingly talented woman, head on over to her official site (still preserved after all these years) and her official memorial site created and maintained by Doreen Mulman. While you're at the memorial site, be sure to pick up a copy of Mary Kay's last demo CD.
Ghostbusters Game PSP Shipping Press Release
'GHOSTBUSTERS: THE VIDEO GAME' ON PSP (PlayStationPortable) systems SLIMES ITS WAY INTO NORTH AMERICAN RETAILERS
- Get Ready to Bust Some Ghosts On the Go This Holiday Season on PSP system and PSPgo system -
NEW YORK, NY November 3, 2009 Atari, Inc., one of the world's most recognized videogame publishers, announced today that this summer's best-selling, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is now available at retailers across North America on the PSP (PlayStation Portable) systems (including the PSPgo system). After selling into retail more than one million units across North America in its first month, fans of the summer blockbuster title can now grab their proton packs, blast and wrangle ghosts on a 16x9 widescreen while on the run! Ghostbusters: The Video Game was released on June, 16, 2009 and quickly became one of the hottest video games of the year.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise, is penned by original Ghostbusters writers and stars Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd and reunites many of the original cast members to recapture the unique blend of humor and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation. In collaboration with Sony Pictures Consumer Products and acclaimed development studios Terminal Reality and RedFly Studios, Atari published this completely all-new chapter of the blockbuster Ghostbusters saga to advanced gaming platforms to coincide with the 25th Anniversary celebration of the film's original theatrical release.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game on the PSP systems offers the ability to switch between four equipment sets to access eight unique proton pack functions and use gadgets like the PKE Meter and Paragoggles to scan and analyze targets. Get pulled into the world of the paranormal, unleash your blast stream and tear it up on the go. Ghostbusters: The Video Game for PSP system is rated E10 and is currently available for the recommended retail price of $29.99.
A great holiday gift, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is also currently available at retailers across North America for reduced prices on most consoles including the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft ($39.99), Windows PC ($19.99), PlayStation3 computer entertainment system ($39.99) and Wii ($29.99). The PlayStation2 computer entertainment system ($19.99), and Nintendo DS ($19.99) are also available for the holiday season. Set two years after Ghostbusters 2, with Manhattan once again overrun by ghosts and supernatural forces, the game also features performances from fan favorites such as William Atherton (Walter Peck), Annie Potts (Janine Melnitz) and Brian Doyle-Murray (lending his voice as Mayor Jock Mulligan).
For more information, be sure to visit the official Ghostbusters(TM): The Video Game website located at: www.ghostbustersgame.com.
About the Game
When Manhattan is once again overrun by ghosts and other supernatural creatures, players will take on the role of a new recruit joining the famous Ghostbusters team. Developed by acclaimed studio Terminal Reality, Ghostbusters: The Video Game will make its debut on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version and the Wii version are being developed by Red Fly Studios, and the Nintendo DS™ version, in which the player takes the role of one of the Ghostbusters themselves, is developed by Zen Studios. The PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC versions of the game are developed using Terminal Reality's phenomenal proprietary Infernal Engine technology.
About the Film
Ghostbusters, released in 1984, is one of Columbia Pictures' highest grossing films, spawning a hit sequel in 1989 and three successful animated television shows. Ghostbusters and its sequel grossed over $500 million world-wide. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman, starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as ghost hunters for hire, cleaning up Manhattan's buildings of slime-spewing spooks.
About Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc.
Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. (SPCP) is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE) based in Los Angeles which handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.
About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari
The Infogrames group, including the Atari brand and the massively multiplayer online game company Cryptic Studios, is a global producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and all interactive game platforms including consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, advanced smartphones, Personal Computers, web and online. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries through an international distribution network and direct to consumers via www.atari.com.
Atari's extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Test Drive, Alone in the Dark, V-Rally, My Horse & Me, Backyard Sports franchise, Total Annihilation, Outcast etc.), Cryptic Studios titles (StarTrek Online, Champions Online), publishing properties (Ghostbusters, The Chronicles of Riddick, The Witcher, Race Pro etc.), international licenses (Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, Jamie Oliver etc.) and classic games covering the entire history of the video game industry (Pong, Missile Command, Asteroids etc).
© 2009 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.
Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.
"GHOSTBUSTERS", The Video Game: © 2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. "GHOSTBUSTERS" with the "GHOST DESIGN" is a registered trademark of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. "GHOSTBUSTERS", and "GHOSTBUSTERS 2" movies: © 1984, © 1989 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. Game Software excluding Columbia Pictures Elements: © 2009 Atari, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.
Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The PlayStation Network Logo is a service mark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.
Windows and the Windows Vista start button are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from owner.
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Happy Halloween
"Dapper" Dan Schoening (if you don't know the name, you should know his work) posted a 13 Days of Hallowe'en series of thirteen new pieces of Ghostbusters artwork to his DeviantArt page. The new pieces include characters from the new video game (Azetlor, Ivo Shandor, Spider Witch, Snot Hag, Chef Sargossa), Ghostbusters II (Janosz Poha), The Real Ghostbusters (Boogaloo from "The Halloween Door:, Jack Higgins from "Sea Fright", and Watt from "Mrs. Roger's Neighborhood"), and his own version of the four undead Ghostbusters (not the Peoplebusters from RGB, but his own creations - complete with Winston, who didn't get a Peoplebuster version in RGB).
Shawn over on the Branded in the 80s blog has just concluded his 31 Days of Monsters series, in which he counted down thirty-one of his favorite monsters from The Real Ghostbusters by posting animation cels of them from his personal collection. Sure you'll see many familar monsters, but there's quite a lot that you probably won't remember at all.
The well-known band Hoobastank has just recorded a cover of "Ghostbusters", complete with a humorous music video, which features many nods to Ghostbusters and The Real Ghostbusters. The song and video isn't for any upcoming project, and appears to have been done solely for fun - just because they love Ghostbusters and their fans. That's cool.
Captain Lou Albano Remembered
He is also well-known for portraying, in voice and live-action, the video game icon Mario in "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show" from 1989 to 1991. One live-action segment of that series featured a Ghostbusting appearance by Ernie Hudson. In the segment entitled "Slime Busters", which aired on September 8, 1989, the Mario brothers suspect that a ghost is haunting their home. So who do they call? Ernie Hudson, that's who.
This isn't the Captain's only pop culture connection to Ghostbusters. The animated series "Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n' Wrestling" (where his character/persona was voiced by George DiCenzo, but he played himself in some live-action segments) contains an episode entitled "Ghost Wrestlers" in which Hulk Hogan and his crew use Ghostbusters-style equipment to help an old wrestler rid his boarding house of ghosts. (The back of the SP-speed VHS incorrectly says it's a retirement home.) What's rather surprising is that the actual Ray Parker Jr. song is used, but only eight seconds from the instrumental intro portion of it (at 2:30 in Part 2 below). Even though his vocals aren't used, Ray is listed in the end credits: "Ghostbusters, performed by Ray Parker, Jr., Courtesy of Arista Records". The series was produced by DiC, who also produced The Real Ghostbusters. The episode is available by itself on SP-speed VHS and is included with "Superfly Express" on WWF's EP-speed "Vol. 4" VHS release.
MORE CAPTAIN LOU ALBANO LINKS
• IMDB
• Kevin Eck's Remembrance
Ghostbusters 1 & 2 Limited Edition DVD Gift Set Unboxing (Stay Puft Statue, Cards, Slime)
| The box, still sealed. There's Stay Puft looking right at us (from behind the camera flash glare). The sticker on the front advertising "a FREE $25 gift card inside" took me by complete surprise as it was never advertised previously that one would be inside. When I first saw this, my mind wandered with anticipation as to what store it would be for. My first thought was the Sony online store, but it would actually be for a different online store...but more on the gift card later. |  |
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The top of the box opens from the back, so here we are looking down towards the front. On the left is the sealed 2005 Double Feature Gift Set, which you can see from a window on the outside. Right behind that, taped to the other side of the plastic, is the gift card. Front and center in the middle is Stay Puft. On the right is the sealed tub of slime, which peeks out from a window on that side (seen in the image below). You can't see it in the photo, but wedged in between the slime and the plastic behind it is the sealed set of six trading cards. |
And what does everything look like when you take it out of the box? Well, like this:
(click the image to go to the new Limited Edition Gift Set page)
The free $25 gift card included in the box is for use on select items on the Sideshow Collectibles website. The gift card expires on December 31, 2009, which is two and a half months from now. So if you want to make use of it, you shouldn't put off buying the gift set for too much longer. Sadly, the gift card is not as good of a deal as it seems. You can't buy any item on the site with the card; you're limited to a small selection of items. Of those items, most are well over $25. Also, the gift card will not cover shipping, only the item price. On the Sideshow Collectibles website you can check your giftcard value/balance, and see all of the gift card-eligible items (all of the tiny icons on the right). For your benefit, here's a list of every item currently on the list priced under $30:
$04.95 - Sideshow Collectibles 12 inch Figure Stand (might be good with Mattel's 12" GB figs)
$09.95 - Indiana Jones 2-Decks of Playing Cards in Collectors Tin
$10.00 - Sideshow Collectibles' Catalog Volume 10 (Hard Bound Book with $10 Gift Card inside)
$12.99 - The Dead T-Shirt
$12.99 - Indyfans and the Quest for Fortune and Glory DVD
$19.99 - Chucky Plush Doll (available in Europe only)
$29.95 - The Art & Making of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Book)
$29.99 - Who Framed Roger Rabbit Opening Title Porcelain Statue
[UPDATE - 10/20/2009]
I've found that there are a few items not listed on the Gift Card page that are probably eligible for purchase with the gift card:
$10.00 - Black Essential Gear T-Shirt- SSC.com Arched
$10.00 - Black Essential Gear T-Shirt - Collect for Life
$10.00 - Black Essential Gear T-Shirt - SSC.com Seal
$10.00 - Black Essential Gear T-Shirt - Skull and Crossbones [PERSONALLY CONFIRMED AS GIFT CARD ELIGIBLE]
$10.00 - Black Essential Gear T-Shirt - Robot Logo: Black
$10.00 - Youth Robot Logo Shirt: Blue
$10.00 - Youth Robot Logo Shirt: Red
$10.00 - Black Essentials Gear T-Shirt - Distressed Logo
$20.00 - Storm Sideline Polar Zip - SSC.com 'Skull' Logo
$25.00 - Black Ultimate Flex Polo - SSC.com Logo
It should also be noted that you're forced to create an account in order to make a purchase, and you're forced to give them your credit card number (they only accept credit cards) in order to get far enough in the checkout process to see your shipping fee. However, the shipping cost you see when you check out is just an estimate and is NOT A COMPLETELY ACCURATE AMOUNT. You won't know the actual shipping amount until you get the "final invoice" e-mail a day or two later. Even after you get the "final invoice" e-mail, the order details listed in your account on the website won't have been updated to reflect the new amount. I've been told by Sideshow customer support that the "shipping amount you are charged are exactly what it costs to ship the package, we can not offer an exact cost until a final invoice is generated."
Besides not being given the correct shipping amount until AFTER you've placed your order, there's something else that you need to be aware of. When they process your order, they will submit a pre-authorization to your credit card in the amount of the order and a shipping estimate which is generally higher than what the shipping will actually cost you. In my case, the pre-auth amount was $15.00, and the actual shipping cost I was charged was $8.56 (I paid nothing for the two items as the gift card covered them), even though during checkout I was quoted $7.86 for shipping ($0.70 less). I was enraged when I saw the $15 pre-auth, since that's double the amount I was quoted during checkout. As it is, I'm a little miffed that they billed me for more than I was quoted during checkout, but it's not worth making a big deal out of a mere seventy cents.
Now that I've used my gift card and went through all this trouble, you have the knowledge that I didn't have, which should help you decide (should you buy the set), if it's worth the hassle for you to use the gift card.
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