Tag: Paul Feig

Identifying the Supernatural Lore In Feig’s Ghostbusters

timthumbBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Spoiler Alert

Anyone is capable of being a Ghostbuster, and no degree is needed — filmmakers included. While I would have liked a continuation with the founding team, this rebooted product helmed by Paul Feig is fine. It succeeded at being very entertaining. For those craving the original team, I recommend Ghostbusters: The Videogame (available for the PS3, Xbox and PC) where Dan Aykroyd and team helped fashion the narrative. From that non-theatrical product, the idea of how to continue as a business is put forth: training a new generation is required or franchising out.

I read the many pitches to bring the original team back, but with all the waffling going on, ultimately (as Bruce Boxleitner said to me about TRON 3 during Fan Expo Vancouver 2014) it is up to the studio executives if they really want it or not. Ivan Reitman could not imagine directing another Ghostbusters movie after Harold Ramis’ passing. He gave creative control back to the studio. They were allowed to do whatever they wanted. Violet Ramis Stiel affirmed this fact in her essay for SplitSider. She further added, “There can be no Ghostbusters without my dad! They blew it by waiting too long and now it can never happen. At the moment, that felt right…

“This community grew out of the seed of the original films but has taken on a life of its own far beyond anything the creators could have imagined, and it’s beautiful.

Continue reading “Identifying the Supernatural Lore In Feig’s Ghostbusters”

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

My Expectations on Feig’s Neo Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters 2016 PosterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

As the July 15 date nears, I will be going into this Sony cum Paul Feig helmed reboot of Ghostbusters with very low expectations. Whatever he has envisioned, my hope is that the supernatural characters are interesting enough and the spiritual encounters are played up for terror (however cheesy their threats are) instead of laughs. I played Ghostbusters the Video Game and loved the sense of unease created in the soundscape when my avatar was in the children’s playroom located downstairs in the New York Public Library. The backstory for the Library Ghost was wonderfully expanded upon, and I want to see that in this new film.

Part of this franchise’s charm is because it is inspired by Aykroyd’s genuine interest in the paranormal. The story Ivan Reitman, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis created for the films plays with that concept. Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler treat the study of ghosts seriously, and while their actions come off as funny with what they discover, that gravitas makes up what I love from the original. To see two “scholars” attempting to validate the existence of a spirit world is very interesting to me because I am a paranormal investigator who is looking at reasons why hauntings take place. I like to be entertained by Hollywood’s interpretation of this study too. Whether it’s comedic or dramatic, I will watch them all.

Continue reading “My Expectations on Feig’s Neo Ghostbusters”

How to Jimmy Ghostbusters Right & Why We Need Eugene Levy!

Ghostbusters-Old-and-New-Team-on-Jimmy-Kimmel-Live-ShowBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

There’s no denying the fact that the character of Egon Spengler can not be replaced. If Harold Ramis did not pass away two years ago, perhaps the story Dan Aykroyd wanted as the next film might have gone forward. Instead, because time was running out in getting a product out, one of the four remaining co-owners grew impatient and decided on what to produce whether creator Aykroyd, director Ivan Reitman and comedian Bill Murray liked it or not. I felt their appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! was more of a company ploy to put to rest fan’s fears on whether or not the original party are 100% on board with the reboot.

Murray said he felt like a stepfather to the whole thing. As a stakeholder, shouldn’t he be more like a grandfather instead? The slight distancing to his product has to be noted. The quote used most often in other reports is him admitting, “This is a tough movie to pull off because it’s a big concept. There’s a lot on the plate – there’s a lot of expectation.”

Whether the comedy in this movie succeeds or not, my eyes are in the paranormal nerd speak. Is Feig going to bring new love to a serious hobby I adore or will I hang my head in shame? Spengler is still my hero because he gave the film a layer of straightforwardness I treasured!

Continue reading “How to Jimmy Ghostbusters Right & Why We Need Eugene Levy!”

The Second Ghostbusters 2016 is a Slight Improvement!

PHCyGWbP0engFK_2_lBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

I must admit, this second trailer is far better for enticing me to check out Paul Feig‘s reboot. My reason to see this film is to find out if Kevin (Chris Hemsworth) succeeds at becoming a Ghostbuster. I haven’t watched this actor’s other works where he’s working on honing his comedic chops, but to see him dressed up as a nerd is appealing. To see him, as this trailer reveals, turn sinister and ride off somewhere to take on a potentially villainous role … Well, I’m sold! This actor has played more charming roles, and to see him as menacing as Vigo the Carpathian has me curious.

Even if he succeeds at being exorcised or he has a bigger role in the film than previously led on, I wonder if he will equalize the status quo of an all-female paranormal team. Since the animated version had Janine Melnitz as a Ghostbuster to bail the guys out, I have no problems with any role-reversal going on. Fans owning the box set of this great animated series can check her out in “Mr. Sandman, Dream Me A Dream,” “Janine Melnitz, Ghostbuster,” and “Jailbusters.” In the Extreme series, she put on the uniform again, as I recall. I’d love to see a nod to the animated series approach to accepting new members, although I doubt the writers of this film even bothered to look at the past material.

Continue reading “The Second Ghostbusters 2016 is a Slight Improvement!”

Ghostbusters Director Paul Feig says Bullies Aren’t the True Geeks

1271033 - THE WALKBy James Robert Shaw (The Wind up Geek)

Director of the latest Ghostbusters film, Paul Feig, has faced a lot of hate since the announcement over a year ago that an all-female reboot of the franchise was to make its way to the silver screen.

The venom spewed at Feig has been of the scale reserved for only the most heinous of criminals yet Feig continues to fight his detractors, telling one who printed abuse for months over Twitter to “go **** yourself.”

Two weeks ago the Ghostbusters debut trailer became number 21 in the “Most Disliked YouTube Videos” as compiled by the YouTube channel MyTop100Videos (it is currently in the number 12 spot as of May 8, 2016). Now the New York Daily News has amended an interview it published on May 2, 2016 when it was found quotes used by the author of Feig defending Ghostbusters were in fact from an old interview two years previous. Feig’s prepared response of this incident was distributed via his official Twitter account earlier today (edited for coarse language):

Continue reading “Ghostbusters Director Paul Feig says Bullies Aren’t the True Geeks”

%d bloggers like this: