Ghostbusters (1984) DVD Review – UK

There's some strange goings-on in New York and only a group of para-psychologists can save the day before the city is destroyed by an ancient and evil force.

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There's some strange goings-on in New York and only a group of para-psychologists can save the day before the city is destroyed by an ancient and evil force.

Runtime

1 Hour 41 Minutes

BBFC rating

Region

Regions 1/2

Sound

Dolby Digital 5.1

Aspect

2.35:1

Release year

1984

Edition Comparison: Region 1 vs Region 2

Details

When Dr. Peter Venkman and his eccentric colleagues witness a ghost in the New York Public Library archives, their already fragile academic careers take a turn for the worse. After being kicked out of the university they decide to go into business for themselves, setting up a paranormal investigation and elimination service known simply as Ghostbusters.

With funding coming from Raymond Stantz's rather risky third mortgage, the team establish headquarters in a disused fire station and equip themselves with an array of experimental ghost-catching technology. Unfortunately business is slow, the money is disappearing quickly, and the whole venture looks like it might collapse before it even gets started.

Things begin to change when Dana Barrett discovers that her refrigerator has become a gateway to the supernatural. Although initially sceptical, Venkman cannot resist investigating - partly out of scientific curiosity and partly because Dana happens to be rather attractive. Before long paranormal activity begins escalating across New York and the Ghostbusters suddenly find themselves rushed off their feet capturing every manner of ghost, ghoul and slime-covered apparition.

As the strange events escalate, the team discovers that an ancient supernatural force may be preparing to manifest itself in Dana's apartment building. With the fate of Manhattan hanging in the balance, the Ghostbusters must face their biggest challenge yet.

Picture & Sound

The re-mastered picture quality on both discs is quite outstanding. Apart from some truly hideous eighties fashions, you would hardly believe that the film is more than fifteen years old. Colours are rich and vibrant, artifacting is non-existent and the transfer maintains a very healthy bit-rate throughout. The only downside to such a clean image is that some of the original special effects become a little easier to spot.

The sound, however, is slightly less impressive. The Dolby Digital track is clear and well balanced, but there is relatively little use made of the surround channels. Considering the supernatural subject matter you might expect a more dynamic sound mix. That said, given that the film dates from 1984, explosive surround effects were never really part of the original audio design.

Menu & Extras

The menu system deserves special mention. If you want a DVD menu to make you drool, then this is it. You are presented with a fully animated 3D map of buildings, each representing a different section of the disc. Selecting one causes the camera to swoop dramatically towards it. It's extremely impressive and easily one of the most inventive menu systems seen on DVD.

The much-publicised 'Live' video commentary is also rather good, although it does come with a small annoyance - you must disable your DVD player's widescreen mode to watch it properly. Once you have done that you'll see the director's silhouettes appearing on screen as they gesture and point out details during the film. Despite the slight inconvenience it remains an entertaining and informative commentary.

There are a few noticeable differences between the two releases. The Region 1 edition includes the additional DVD-ROM material, such as the Ghostbusters screensaver and other PC-based content, while the Region 2 release trades these features for a more international-friendly setup with multiple subtitle tracks and an additional German soundtrack. In other words, Region 1 is slightly more appealing for the tech-minded viewer with a computer, while Region 2 offers the broader language support.

Overall

There is only one thing that lets the package down - that enormous yellow splat plastered across the cover of the Region 2 edition. Why distributors insist on doing this remains a mystery. To be fair, the Region 1 cover is hardly a masterpiece either, but at least it avoids the ridiculous feature explosion splashed across the artwork.

Ever since its original release in 1984 there has been nothing quite like Ghostbusters. It's a corker of a film, complete with one of the most irritatingly catchy theme tunes ever written. A sharp script is combined with special effects that, while modest by today's standards, were very impressive at the time.

The film is packed with memorable moments - who could forget the famous "He slimed me!" scene where Bill Murray encounters the revolting green ghost, or Louis Tully's unfortunate transformation? Great stuff.

All in all, if you don't buy this film there is something wrong with you. Choosing between the two discs simply comes down to preference - Region 1 offers the extra DVD-ROM features and computer extras, while Region 2 provides additional subtitles and a German soundtrack. Either way, you still get a superb presentation of one of the greatest comedy films of the eighties.