“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?

The legendary theme song that reached No. 1 on the hit charts

Finally, I would like to mention the theme song by Ray Parker Jr., which brilliantly breaks down the boundary between reality and film. It is extremely rare for a film to have its own theme song rather than an existing song, but this attempt was first suggested by screenwriter and star Harold Ramis.

Ramis had in mind a theme song that everyone could shout out and get excited about, like the old superhero TV shows. Ray Parker Jr., who received a request from the people involved, was troubled as to how he should incorporate this "screaming title" into the lyrics. Then, at 4:30 a.m., when he had run out of ideas and couldn't do anything else, a local commercial for a plumbing repair shop came on the TV like a revelation. At that moment, the memory of the Busters commercial that aired in the movie, "If you're in trouble, don't hesitate to call us," came vividly back into his mind, and he thought, "Yes, let's make it a call and response using this rhythm!" and he landed on the song perfectly.

Of course, the plan was a huge success. The movie was No. 1 at the weekend box office, and the theme song also topped the hit charts. Furthermore, the music video, which was aired many times on MTV, also attracted attention, as it featured not only the three stars, but also a number of other big name actors, including John Candy, Danny DeVito, Peter Falk, and Chevy Chase.

However, they also faced some very real problems. Huey Lewis sued them, claiming that their song was similar to " I Want a New Drug " by Huey Lewis and the News (also known for "The Power of Love," the theme song for Back to the Back to the Future ). Indeed, listening to the two songs together, they are indeed similar... In the end, the lawsuit was settled through discussion between the two parties. Since then, it has been confirmed that they will not interfere with each other's music.

As we have seen, the social phenomenon that this film caused was the result of a careful chain reaction of the creator's attention to detail, set in motion on various levels. The audience at the time must have been thrilled to watch the dynamism of a film that transformed into a big hit, erasing the boundary between this side of the screen and the other. This absurd reality, unimaginable from the time when the Marshmallow Man was thought to be "too absurd," has so spectacularly engulfed the staff, cast, audience, and ultimately society as a whole. This could be called the ultimate result of the "domino effect of reality."

Text: USHIZU ATSUNOBU

Born in Nagasaki in 1977. When he was 3 years old, he saw ``Superman II'' with his father and became fascinated with movies. After The Graduate from Meiji University, he worked for a movie broadcasting channel and then became a movie writer. Currently, in addition to writing for Eiga.com, EYESCREAM, Real Sound Movie Club, etc., he also contributes to media press and theater programs.

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