Ok, so, we have images of the new Ghostbusters outfits, the proton pack, the Ecto. The thing I’m trying to figure out is, how is this a reboot? Maybe a “re-make”, but not a reboot. Paul Feig said he couldn’t and wouldn’t try to redo the original, that would be too hard.
Paul Feig said in Entertainment Weekly:
“…And then I thought, well, what if we just make it new? It’s not coming into the world that existed before.”
http://www.ew.com/article/2014/10/08/paul-feig-ghostbusters-female
What is the basic plot?
Four comedians (some from Saturday Night Live) drive in a decades old Caddy busting ghosts. They wear coveralls and carry nuclear powered backpacks that shoot beams of energy. They are located in New York, and are going to save the world, even though a lot of folks think they are crazy.
Uh, how are these movies different? Even the Sony-required, copy-written logo is EXACTLY the same. How do 4 women, in a world with no previous Ghostbusters, come up with the exact same artistic idea? Why are they even using proton packs? Why not lassos? A force field projector? A ghost sponge? A hula hoop with gizmos that transport the ghosts to another dimension? Why does it “need” to be proton packs? For someone who claims to be staying away from the original, he doesn’t seem to be very original himself. I mean, if you are going to all the trouble making a NEW, unconnected Ghostbuster movie, then make your own tech. Don’t use GB I and GB 2 as a crutch, because in your universe, they don’t exist. That’s cheating.
Now, I don’t know if the movie will be horrible or fantastic. It has 4 talented women. All of them have been funny on SNL. If you aren’t going to draw from the rich history of the Real Ghostbusters cartoon show, the IDW comics, or both movies, the fans and their real-world franchises, then be original! Otherwise, it comes off as half-cocked and “lets slap some paint on it and pass it off as new.”
To be fair, all we have is a few screen shots, but the basic plot/props seem to be following the original movies. When you interview as an artist at Disney, they don’t want to see their characters. They know how to do Mickey, Goofy, etc. They want to see your own original characters. Why should this be any different?
So, I don’t want to see Stay Puft (from Ray’s childhood), or Slimer (an homage to Aykroyd’s pal, John Belushi).
I think Sony missed a great opportunity using franchises for the new movie. Have the ladies from Boston or Austin or San Francisco, at a failing franchise. That would tie into the rich history of the 30 years of Ghostbusting goodness.
To say that people don’t believe in ghosts in 2016 is ridiculous. Look at all the paranormal shows on TV. The Long Island Medium. The interest in New Age spirituality. I’m certainly hoping for a great movie, but it looks like Sony is putting a new lampshade on a old lamp.
bradbosshart 