History Trivia / Ghostbusters1984

* DuelingWorks: With 1984's other much-less-kid-friendly-than-it-appears horror comedy, ''Film/{{Gremlins}}''. ''Ghostbusters'' soundly creamed ''Gremlins'' at the box office. . . [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff except in New York City]]. Both have gone on to be more-or-less equally loved quirky nostalgia classics, however.

** Filming got underway in October 1983 and everything began to run smoothly, though the team soon hit a snag when they realized that the "Ghostbusters" trademark had been used by a similar property, ''WesternAnimation/FilmationsGhostbusters''. The team attempted to work around this by having different logos bearing the names ''Ghostbreakers'' and ''Ghoststoppers'', though Columbia eventually negotiated the rights to the name (in a [[SerendipityWritesThePlot bit of serendipity]], the studio head who approved the film at Columbia ended up leaving and getting a job at Creator/UniversalPictures, the parent company to the Filmation Ghostbusters, and he was instrumental in approving the rights to the name). The rest of the shoot was trouble-free.

* QuoteSource:
** ColourCodedForYourConvenience

** Creator/JuliaRoberts auditioned for the part of Dana Barrett before Creator/SigourneyWeaver was cast. Creator/KellyLeBrock and Creator/DeniseCrosby also read for the part.

** Creator/JuliaRoberts auditioned for the part of Dana Barrett before Creator/SigourneyWeaver was cast.

** Creator/JohnBelushi was the first choice Peter Venkman, but unfortunately passed away before production on the movie began. Creator/ChevyChase, Creator/SteveGuttenberg both declined. Creator/TomHanks, Creator/RichardPryor and Creator/RobinWilliams were also considered.
** Creator/JeffGoldblum, Creator/JohnLithgow, Creator/ChristopherLloyd and Creator/ChristopherWalken were considered for Egon Spengler.
** Creator/MichaelKeaton was offered the roles of Peter and Egon, but turned it down.
** Creator/EddieMurphy was initially offered the part of Winston Zeddemore, but turned it down due to filming commitments to ''Film/BeverlyHillsCop''. Originally, the character was meant to appear in more of the film and would've joined the team much earlier. Winston would've also been the one who was slimed at the hotel rather than Venkman.
** Creator/JohnCandy was approached for the role of Louis Tully. However, Candy wanted to portray the character as an odd German guy who owned dogs. Creator/IvanReitman and Creator/DanAykroyd didn't like this idea, since there was already so much dog imagery in the movie, and they couldn't bring themselves to replace their character with Candy's interpretation.
** Creator/JuliaRoberts auditioned for Dana Barrett.
** Creator/SandraBernhard was offered the role of Janine Melnitz, but declined as she refused to serve as a comedic foil to a predominantly male cast.

** ColorCodedForYourConvenience

* CutSong: Elmer Bernstein wrote a complete score for the film, parts of which in the final version got replaced by the songs from the soundtrack instead. Thus, several [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7fah_Z9maE up-beat versions of the Ghostbusters Theme]] slipped into obscurity.

** Creator/JohnBelushi was the first choice Peter Venkman, but unfortunately passed away before production on the movie began.
*** Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/SteveGuttenberg were approached for Peter Venkman as well. Chase turned down the offer as he claimed that the original script was [[DarkerAndEdgier much darker and even scarier]] than the final product, while Guttenberg declined due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PoliceAcademy''.
*** Creator/TomHanks, Creator/RichardPryor and Creator/RobinWilliams were also considered for Peter Venkman.

** The movie was meant to be an adult/older teen-oriented comedy, not unlike the earlier Ramis/Murray vehicle ''Film/{{Stripes}}.'' Even then, what ended up in theaters is chock-full of casual smoking, swearing, political undertones, sexual innuendo, and of course [[BigLippedAlligatorMoment the ghost-on-human blowjob scene]]. There's even allegedly an alternate take where Egon, upon spotting Stay Puft coming up the road, shouts "Oh, '''[[PrecisionFStrike FUCK!]]'''" instead of "LOOK!", but this was cut because the PG-13 rating didn't exist yet and one PrecisionFStrike would've meant nobody under seventeen could see the movie, as it would jump straight from PG to R. Upon realizing kids were losing their minds over it, however, ''WesternAnimation/TheRealGhostbusters'' was conceived and began running, which led to ''Film/GhostbustersII'' being green-lit. The sequel was toned down to be more kid-friendly, with maybe five swear words dropped in the whole movie, every character except Ray ceasing smoking (and Ray is never, ever seen with lit tobacco or even a cigarette; he merely chews on the end of unlit pipes and cigars), fewer sex jokes, and an overall broader style of comedy.

* ChristmasRushed: Creator/IvanReitman liked some ideas in Creator/DanAykroyd's original script, but proposed a structural overhaul to focus on the guys going into business. He pitched the movie to Creator/ColumbiaPictures, who gave them a great budget but a deadline of about 14 months (May 1983-June 1984), but they hadn't even written the shooting script. They got something together in two weeks but [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants were rewriting everything as it went along]]. Winston was supposed to be hired when they first get started but got pushed towards the middle of the movie. There were numerous {{Special Effect Failure}}s because it was basically just the test footage, but they tightened up the editing to keep it from being too noticeable.

*** Creator/MichaelKeaton, Creator/RichardPryor, Creator/RobinWilliams, and Creator/TomHanks were also considered for Peter Venkman.
** Creator/ChristopherLloyd, Creator/ChristopherWalken, Creator/JeffGoldblum, and Creator/JohnLithgow were considered for Egon Spengler.

** Creator/JohnBelushi was the first choice for the role of Peter Venkman before Creator/BillMurray was cast, but unfortunately passed away before production on the movie began.
*** Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/SteveGuttenberg were approached for the part of Peter Venkman as well. Chase turned down the offer as he claimed that the original script was [[DarkerAndEdgier much darker and even scarier]] than the final product, while Guttenberg declined due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PoliceAcademy''.
*** Creator/MichaelKeaton, Creator/RichardPryor, Creator/RobinWilliams, and Creator/TomHanks were also considered for the role of Peter Venkman before the casting of Murray.
** Creator/ChristopherLloyd, Creator/ChristopherWalken, Creator/JeffGoldblum, and Creator/JohnLithgow were considered for Egon Spengler before the casting of Creator/HaroldRamis.
** Creator/EddieMurphy was initially offered the part of Winston Zeddemore before Creator/ErnieHudson was cast, but turned it down due to filming commitments to ''Film/BeverlyHillsCop''. Originally, the character was meant to appear in more of the film and would've joined the team much earlier. Winston would've also been the one who was slimed at the hotel rather than Venkman.
** Creator/JohnCandy was approached for the role of Louis Tully before the casting of Creator/RickMoranis. However, Candy wanted to portray the character as an odd German guy who owned dogs. Creator/IvanReitman and Creator/DanAykroyd didn't like this idea, since there was already so much dog imagery in the movie, and they couldn't bring themselves to replace their character with Candy's interpretation.
** Creator/JuliaRoberts auditioned for the part of Dana Barrett before Creator/SigourneyWeaver was cast.
** Creator/SandraBernhard was offered the role of Janine Melnitz before the casting of Creator/AnniePotts, but declined as she refused to serve as a comedic foil to a predominantly male cast.

* FanNickname: Mention Walter Peck to a more casual fan of the franchise and you might get some confusion who you're talking about. Mention "Dickless" and they'll know at once.

* ReferencedBy: Curt Smith of Music/TearsForFears has [[https://pineapplestream.com/images/Musicbooks/Marks,%20Tannenbaum-I%20Want%20My%20MTV-The%20Uncensored%20Story%20Of%20The%20Music%20Video%20Revolution.pdf confirmed]] that the index cards flying out of the library drawer in the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHiG-43Fzg Head over Heels]]" music video was a rip-off from this movie.

** Janine giving Egon a coin for luck before he goes off with the other Ghostbusters to fight Gozer; they are interrupted by Peter.

** The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was on the chopping block. The producers were worried that audiences wouldn't buy the character, and were prepared to produce a different ending if test audiences didn't react positively. Fortunately, they did, even though the test version of the movie lacked completed special effects, making him more of an UltimateEvil.

** [[Film/TheKingOfComedy Sandra Bernhard]] was offered the role of Janine Melnitz before the casting of Creator/AnniePotts, but declined as she refused to serve as a comedic foil to a predominantly male cast.

** ''Ghostbusters'' varies tremendously from its original concept. Creator/DanAykroyd's original script called for multiple groups of Ghostbusters who traveled through time and fought ghosts in different dimensions wearing SWAT-like gear and using wands to battle ghosts. This idea was rejected as technologically unfeasible in 1984. Supposedly, the special effects would have cost over $300 million. Reitman re-purposed the script as a "going into business" story to make it more accessible to audiences.

** ''Ghostbusters'' varies tremendously from its original concept. Creator/DanAykroyd's original script called for multiple groups of Ghostbusters who traveled through time and fought ghosts in different dimensions wearing SWAT-like gear and using wands to battle ghosts. This idea was rejected as technically unfeasible in 1984. Supposedly, the special effects would have cost over $300 million. Reitman re-purposed the script as a "going into business" story to make it more accessible to audiences.

** Creator/JohnCandy was approached for the role of Louis Tully before the casting of Creator/RickMoranis. However, Candy wanted to portray the character as an odd German guy who owned dogs. Creator/IvanReitman and Creator/DanAykroyd didn't like this idea, since there was already so much dog imagery in the movie, but couldn't bring themselves to replace the character.

* RetroactiveRecognition: The jail guard who calls the Ghostbusters out of the holding cell is [[Series/FamilyMatters Carl Winslow]].

*** Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/SteveGuttenberg were approached for the part of Peter Venkman as well. Chase turned down the offer as he claimed that the original script was [[arkerAndEdgier much darker and even scarier]] than the final product, while Guttenberg declined due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PoliceAcademy''.

* AFIS100Years100Laughs: The film was ranked at #28.

** Creator/JohnBelushi was the first choice for the role of Peter Venkman before Creator/BillMurray was cast, but [[ActorExistenceFailure unfortunately passed away before production on the movie began]].
*** Creator/ChevyChase and Creator/SteveGuttenberg were approached for the part of Peter Venkman as well. Chase turned down the offer as he claimed that the original script was [[Main/DarkerAndEdgier much darker and even scarier]] than the final product, while Guttenberg declined due to scheduling conflicts with ''Film/PoliceAcademy''.

* ReferencedBy: Curt Smith of Music/TearsForFears has [[https://pineapplestream.com/images/Musicbooks/Marks,%20Tannenbaum-I%20Want%20My%20MTV-The%20Uncensored%20Story%20Of%20The%20Music%20Video%20Revolution.pdf confirmed]] that the cards flying out of the library drawer in the "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsHiG-43Fzg Head over Heels]]" music video was a rip-off from this movie.