“Ghostbusters” was No. 1 at the U.S. box office for 7 consecutive weeks in 1984! What is the thorough real-world strategy that even caused a social phenomenon?

"Ghostbusters" synopsis

The Ghostbusters are a ghost repellent team formed by three scientists: Peter, Raymond, and Egan. Around the time when the three suddenly became popular thanks to flashy advertising, "Zulu, the god of gates" and "Bintu, the god of keys" were about to meet in New York. When two gods borrow human bodies and unite, the world falls under the control of the devil. What's more, countless ghosts are released from the Ghost Vault, and the city is thrown into chaos. "Ghostbusters" have finally risen to save the world from the crisis...

Index

• The director's formula for hits: ``Real-life domino effect''
• New York, which has an outstanding presence in movies
• How was that legendary logo created?
• The legendary theme song that reached No. 1 on the hit charts

The director's formula for hits: ``Real-life domino effect''

This film was released in the United States in June 1984, and remained at number one at the box office for seven consecutive weeks, and was the second highest grossing film that year, behind only Beverly Hills Cop . Although the production cost was $30 million, which was an unprecedented amount for the time, it grossed $300 million at the box office, 10 times that amount, and through clever merchandising, it sold goods, music, toys, and more. It had a ripple effect in various areas such as The Game.

Of course, it goes without saying that the story was novel and interesting. As mentioned in a separate article , comedians with outstanding talent came together as one to perform. Additional elements are added one after another to expand the wave of chemical changes, but according to director Ivan Reitman, the key to its success was a ``real-life domino effect.''

Who are the phantom members envisioned in the early stages of Ghostbusters?

The audience is honest. Even if you are suddenly bombarded with absurd nonsense, it won't move your heart. The important thing is to draw one step at a time from familiar reality. Only through careful accumulation of these processes can the absurd fictional world of ghost extermination be presented as an extension of reality. That's why the creators replaced the original idea's ``future world'' with ``modern New York,'' and created a story that everyone could relate to, ``the story of a ghost exterminator starting his own business.''

"Ghostbusters" (c) 1984 COLUMBIA PICTURES INDUSTRIES, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The creators did not forget about the ``domino effect of reality'' even in the scenes where paranormal phenomena and ghosts appear, which are the heart of this movie. In 1984, there was no CG yet, so there are many analog devices that convey the warmth of the hands. At the city library, books hung on wires are moved smoothly by hand, and staff hidden behind a wall blow on the cards in a drawer to scatter them like a cherry blossom blizzard. It was done.

Also, because many of the ghosts that appear in the main story are played by real people, their movements have a strangely human-like feel to them. The compositing technology of the time also gives us a sense of warmth and fun that is a little different from CG.

However, the only thing the creators were worried about was the Marshmallow Man part. Reitman also recalls, ``I was worried that it was so outrageous that it contradicted the domino effect of reality.'' However, just like in a Japanese monster movie, the sight of a costumed Marshmallow Man strutting around on top of a diorama creates an indescribable sense of humor, with the gap between its cuteness and destruction, and it was very well received at preview screenings. As a result, it has become a famous scene that can be said to be the face of this work. The reason it was so well received must be because the real-life dominoes that led to this point created an extremely precise and careful chain reaction.

New York, which has an outstanding presence in movies