In the beginning, the audience sees clearly which student Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) is more interested in. The female student gets all of the cards wrong, but he says they are right. But the male student gets a shock for identifying cards incorrectly, even when he is actually right. Peter places importance towards the female student because he has ulterior motives.
Classifying our original Ghostbusters as “the men from the university” gives them implied importance. They are doctors which, in American society, automatically gives them an elevated status. This is represented by the nervous librarian director being overly excited that they are there, identifying them as from the university, and being upset when they leave without an explanation.
Ray Stantz’s (Dan Aykroyd) excitement towards the old firehouse reveals his importance to the realtor and the audience. After he declares “this place is great”, the guys agree to buy the building. He also chooses “the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man,” the creature of their (supposed) demise.
Although Ray holds a high status in this movie, I think everyone has their equally important characteristics. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) has the genius inventor quality working for him. He creates the technology and analyzes the data.
Winston Zeddmore is the Average Joe. He is the one who brings the everyday-person look to any situation. Because the other three have PhDs, they think about things more theoretically. However, Winston grounds them with real life facts.
When the Ghostbusters officially form, most people dismiss them. Even Dana (Sigourney Weaver) just switches off their commercial at first, seemingly uninterested. However, when the “eggs just jumped right out of their shells and started to cook on [her] counter”, she becomes a believer.
On removing the “focused-nonterminal repeating phantasm or a Class 5 Full Roaming Vapor” from the hotel, the manager thinks they are not important enough to pay $5,000 for their services. However, when they offer to put the spook back, he changes his mind quickly.
Walter Peck (William Atherton) thinks he has great importance. He shuts down the “protection grid” thinking it would improve things. However, he lets out all the ghosts our heroes have captured. The release of all the apparitions proves his lack of importance for this situation.
Poor Louis (Rick Moranis) is the main character in this movie who does not have importance. He is constantly asking Dana out, but she always has excuses. She even shuts the door in his face. I feel so bad for him when he begs the New Yorkers in the restaurant for help and they ignore him. He is of so little importance they hardly acknowledge him.
On a side note, rest in peace to Harold Ramis. You will never be forgotten!
I legitimately love other people who geek-out relentlessly to movies like this! Click “Next” or select an item from the menu on the bottom to see a gender, hero’s journey, horror, religious, and political look at this movie.
A psychoanalysis of the movie and its images makes some interesting arguments.
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