On a mountain of skulls, in the castle of pain, I sat on a throne of blood!

[thehefner]

Two more things.

First, someone took the liberty of scanning one of my very favorite single comic book stories of all time, the criminally out-of-print HULK: THE END, aka "The Last Titan".

If you haven't read this, I beg you to check out that link. It's essentially the last Hulk story, as the title implies, as only Peter David could write it. A wonderful and chilling story, and those last three words will haunt me for a long time to come.




In other news, Dan Aykroyd has announced that there will indeed be a GHOSTBUSTERS III, but Bill Murray's only agreed to do it if it's to be CGI.

Now... ok... *deep breath*

Immediate response by many will be disgust and dismay. But there are many factors to consider here, and let me try to address them in as orderly a fashion as possible. Sure, I'd prefer it live-action... but the entire cast is now old and bloated, so there's that to consider. Which, of course, might have worked perfectly on its own, but whatever, now it's moot.

And y'know, so what if it's live-action? I grew up watching the animated Ghostbusters series, and most folks agree that the first season or two (much written by J. Michael Straczynski!) were honestly excellent. I mean, seriously great stuff, much better than one might expect from Saturday morning fare. So I would be deeply hypocritical to be averse to an animated Ghostbusters movie, especially if it involves the actual original cast. AND, might I add, the original script.

Because apparently that's what this movie is going to be. Aykroyd's original script and concept, which couldn't have gotten made because the budget would have been too huge. It also would have starred John Belushi too. Here's what Aykroyd just said, as quoted on CHUD.com:

"We go to the hell side of Manhattan, downtown, Foley Square. It's all where the cops are--they are all blue minotaurs. Central Park is this huge peat mine with green demons there, surrounded by black onyx thousand-foot high apartment buildings with classic red devils, very wealthy. We go and visit a Donald Trump-like character who is Mr. Sifler. Luke Sifler. Lu-cifer. So we meet the devil in it.”

CHUD's Devin Faraci countered with saying, "Here’s the thing about Aykroyd’s original Ghostbusters script: it’s supposed to be a mess. The Ghostbusters traveled across dimensions and fought a succession of huge ghosts, of which Stay-Puft was only one. Ivan Reitman worked with Aykroyd to turn the script into something not only filmable, but something classic, one of the all-time great comedy movies. A huge explosion filled CGI movie doesn’t initially sound like a return to the greatness of the original.

"And then there’s the second film, which proved that you can’t always catch lightning in a bottle twice. Ghostbusters II is passable, and for fans it even has moments, but it pales in comparison with the first. Do we need a movie that pales in comparison to the second?"

Everyone's "favorite" curmudgeon critic Devin brings up some good points, but in his rampant cynicsm, he is very wrong about GHOSTBUSTERS II. Everyone gives it shit for not being the original, but I've revisited it in recent years and have come to adore it. I love it because of its decidedly darker, subversively creepy tone, for one thing.

In fact, i-mockery.com as compiled a wonderful list that serves as a perfect defense for an underappreciated film with Ten Things I liked about GHOSTBUSTERS II. I mean, all it's missing from that list is the Scholari Brothers. Honestly, the only major flaws that come to mind are the rap version of the theme music and the fact that Jeanine goes off with Louis instead of her one true love Egon.

Sorry, Devin. This is my childhood here. When I was little I was obsessed with all things Egon, growing into a love for the smartassery of Peter, then admiring the down-to-earth straight-man detachment of Winston, and finally accepting the sad truth that I am Ray. There are so many ways this could go wrong, but I think (and I didn't feel this way when I started writing this entry) that I'm actually kinda excited here.

Comments

[eliyes.livejournal.com]

I think I'm kinda excited, too. I'm a big Ghostbusters fan (when I was a kid, I did some relaly horrendous things to my mom's vacuum trying to make some of the equipment. Go me!) and you'vce got some good points. Frankly, I have no problem watching it in CGI, especially if it will be Dan's original script for the third!

Heeef?

[suburbfabulous.livejournal.com]

You're scaring the straights.

Re: Heeef?

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

It's what I do, I know. Most times, I accept that I'm suitible only for cult audiences. But aside from the headline, what part is particularly norm-frightening?

And shouldn't it be "Hhhhhef?" or maybe "Heffffff?" No, on second thought, you're right, you're right. It still reads weird to read, though.

Re: Heeef?

[interdisciple.livejournal.com]

damfonics pee ess yew dident skare mee in eye'm uhstrate

Re: Heeef?

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Er... not to sound totally unhip, but only I managed to figure out "... P.S., you didn't scare me... I'm..." and the rest is a mystery to me.

Re: Heeef?

[interdisciple.livejournal.com]

it's not a hipster thing; it's a phonics thing:

trans: damn phonics. ps you didn't scare me and i'm a straight.

Re: Heeef?

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

By "hip", I meant more like, on the ball enough to get jokes.

And see, the fact that you smooshed two words together here and there screwed me up, man. Yes, I blame you. Damn normie. ;p

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

We go and visit a Donald Trump-like character who is Mr. Sifler. Luke Sifler. Lu-cifer. So we meet the devil in it.

My God. I never thought of that. "Luke Sifler". That's just the funniest thing I've heard all day. All year. No, it's the funniest thing ever to be thought of by anyone ever, the most originally insightful, thought-provoking, and ironic wit since Dorothy Parker butt-fucked Oscar Wilde.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

And yet, I still think it's marginally better than Robert De Niro's character from ANGEL HEART, Louis Cypher.

Bear in mind, Aykroyd was likely coked out of his mind when he wrote this original script and probably hasn't entirely recovered. On the other hand, they're the Ghostbusters and are smartasses, so could actually probably sell such a silly idea.

So I take it the constant tech weeks are proving a bit on the stressful side, old boy? ;)

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

Angel Heart was exactly what I had in mind. And two or three other things.

It's just that man, if that's the material you're trotting out for an interview... maybe it needs a little polishing before you start animating.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Somehow, I imagine some studio head is going to insist on someone else "polishing up the script" before they greenlight an entire feature, live-action or CGI.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

I hope so. Ghostbusters was, at the time, the funniest movie I'd ever seen. I saw it a few weeks ago and it didn't wear as well as one might have hoped, but it's still got some good stuff.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but it's just a question of who they'll get to polish the script. Not everyone can be Ivan Reitman, and even Ivan Reitman's not been doing to hot since DAVE.

I've got the same kind of nostalgic childhood attachment to that film as most people have to STAR WARS (including myself, mind you). Funny thing is, I don't think I honestly really consider it a comedy. Sort of in the same way that I don't really see SHAUN OF THE DEAD as a comedy. I mean, if I had to lump it into a genre, I suppose comedy works better than anything else.

But still, I love GHOSTBUSTERS just for being... itself, if that makes even the slimmest non-bullshittiest amount of sense.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

What other category could GHOSTBUSTERS be? It's certainly not a horror film, the way SHAUN could be.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

... Fantasy, maybe? Urban fantasy? Comedic supernatural thriller, maybe?

What genre is X-Files (not that it's a comedy, but there have been some brutally funny episodes)? Or Buffy? Not the most apt comparisons, but those're the first that come to mind. I sort of see it as a supernatural fantasy, just comically told. The Stay Puft Marshmellow Man is immediately absurd, and yet his entrance (from how it was filmed and the music) is ominous!

In the end, it really isn't that important, I suppose. "Comedy" works well enough for everyone else, just not for me.

[tompurdue.livejournal.com]

That's very insightful. I wouldn't have thought to look at it that way. I'm reminded a bit of the Discworld novels, which one could think of as humor but which are really fantasy. Originally they were fantasy parody, but they became humorous fantasy as they grew past parodying the genre to being stories in their own right with a humorous tone.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you! I thought I was just feebly fumbling with half-explanations and half-bullshit. Huzzah!

And yeah, I was originally thinking about bringing up Discworld, but hesitated because I have yet to read them. Glad to know my instincts were on target there.

I mean, Tor reminded me about those terror dog scenes. Those right there keep me from completely thinking of it was a comedy.

[torberg.livejournal.com]

Whereas when I first saw Ghostbusters, the scene of the terror dog chasing Louis through Central Park scared me and I wanted to leave the theatre.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

The Ghost Dog terrorizing and posessing Dana did that to me, with the terror dog a close second.

Yeah, those scenes are why I'm hesitant to just called the film a "comedy." That was some genuinely, sincerely-handled creepy ass shit, man.

[lairdofdarkness.livejournal.com]

When I heard this I was excited. I loved Ghostbusters when I was a kid (I'm 35 soon so the first film prob came out wehn I was 12 ish...memory going!). I didnt know about the problems between Bill "Comedy God" Murray and the others, so if the film has to be CGI to get made, then sign me up. I remember going into town to get the RPG and marvelling at the stuff inside the box, hell I even loved the original videogame on the Commodore 64. For a brief time I wanted to be a ghostbuster - or parathingamybob as they are officially called - but like most childhood dreams that passed. I didnt like the animated series and I wasnt a fan of the second film, however after reading that link I may have to rewatch it!
So in closing, bring on the 3rd flick and make it the best one it can be, there are a lot of folk out there willing to relive their childhoods.

[gnort.livejournal.com]

parapsychologist..oh if only more places taught that..I too wanted to be a ghostbuster and honest to god if there were such a thing I'd be there right now without hesitation, as it is I'd settle for those guys on the History channel who chase ghosts and other paranormal phenomenon.
The animated series wasn't perfect but when it was good it was really good. Most of the Stracynski ones were dead on, do try to find the episode where they battle Cthulu..because it's Cthulu. I've never even read Lovecraft and that episode made me giddy.
Luke Sifler..ugh it should be Samhein dangit! oh well I will see it anyways because that is how I roll.
I read that Hulk story all I have to say is...damn. When I get ink in my printer I am going to print out each page individually so that it can be part of my collection despite being out of print...no pun intended.

[surrealname.livejournal.com]

scolari.