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“Ghostbusters” went from a dark, ambitious script to a comedic classic that’s haunted our hearts since ‘84. When Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis teamed up to create this film, they tapped into Aykroyd’s deep-seated fascination with the paranormal. Growing up in a family with a history steeped in spiritualism, Aykroyd was practically destined to explore the ghostly unknown. His great-grandfather hosted séances, and his upbringing was rich with tales of the supernatural.
Originally titled Ghost Smashers, Aykroyd’s vision was wild, sprawling across multiple dimensions and brimming with supernatural phenomena. Picture this: an open portal unleashing ghosts on Earth, leading to various teams of “ghost smashers” battling for supremacy. And we’re not talking about a cozy little New York firehouse to house their captured spirits; no, these paranormal prisoners were supposed to be stashed in a gas station in New Jersey, destined for a dramatic explosion that would create a massive sinkhole. Talk about a twist! Aykroyd’s script was packed with frenetic energy, leaving Reitman overwhelmed—“By the 40th or 50th page…I was counting the budget in hundreds of millions of dollars.”
But fear not because the ultimate comedic gold came from collaboration. After the tragic loss of John Belushi, who would have added his comedic flair, Aykroyd sought the help of director Ivan Reitman and the legendary Bill Murray. Reitman found the original script exhausting—“It was set in the future…and there was tiny character work in it.” The ambitious project needed a makeover, so Reitman turned to Harold Ramis for serious rewriting. They hit the ground running on Martha’s Vineyard, crafting a new vision. “We worked seven days a week,” Reitman recalled.
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