5 Ways 'Ghostbusters' Almost Got Slimed on the Way to the Big Screen
Ghostbusters turns 30 this summer, and to celebrate, Vanity Fair has published a behind-the-scenes account of the film’s production, a process that was haunted by everything from legal snafus to flaky stars to nervous studio execs. Below are a few examples of the many obstacles Ghostbusters faced on its way to the big screen — and if this all makes you want to re-watch the film for the gazillionth time, you’re in luck: It’s due for a re-release this August.
1. Bill Murray didn’t commit to the movie until right before shooting. Though the actor — nicknamed the “Murricane” — had expressed interest in the project from its earliest days of development stage, he took his time before finally deciding to sign on, and was largely absent from the script-writing process. As Aykroyd says: “Whenever you can actually put a script into Billy’s hand, as if you were a process server … you gotta look him in the eye [and say], ‘You did receive this.’ ” Three decades later, Murray’s reluctance to strap on a proton pack continues, and while fans (and studio execs) have been pining for Ghostbusters III for years, Murray once described the film as his “nightmare.”
2. The head of the studio had no faith in the movie. In fact, he tried to kill the project. After learning of Ghostbusters' $25 million budget — a then-staggering amount of money for a comedy — the Columbia Pictures CEO dispatched a lieutenant to talk Frank Price, the executive who green-lighted the movie, into reversing his decision. “It was too expensive, too risky, [they said],” Price told Vanity Fair. “I explained, ‘I’ve got Bill Murray.’ I was going to go ahead with it. They made it clear that it was all my responsibility. I was out on the limb.”
3. They didn’t have anyone to create the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Ghostbusters relied heavily on special effects, with a script that called for as many as 200 specific shots. The problem: Effects facilities in Hollywood were all tied up on other F/X-intensive projects like Return of the Jedi and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, forcing the filmmakers to assemble their own in-house effects shop.
4. There was a legal issue involving the film’s name. Deep into production, the filmmakers discovered the existence of an obscure mid-‘70s kids show called The Ghost Busters. The team came up with alternate titles — including Ghoststoppers and Ghostbreakers — before the rights to the name were finally secured.
5. The first industry screening was a disaster. As Mike Ovitz — the legendary talent agent who represented much of the Ghostbusters team — recalls, “A studio executive came up and put his arm around me and said, ‘Don’t worry: we all make mistakes.’ I was nauseous.” Turns out Ovitz didn’t have a reason to be afraid of no ghosts: By the end of its first weekend, Ghostbusters was an instant summer smash.
Photo: Everett
