Doctor Venkman;130546
An interesting and original take… I'll give you that. Not something I'd want to see though. If people are going to say that we shouldn't be adding new team members cuz Ghostbusters is about the original four, then it needs to be said that Ghostbusters is about the original four actually busting ghosts! The whole insurance thing is an interesting idea, maybe as an addition, but making it that they're not actually busting ghosts bothers me. Plus it follows the same formula that Ghostbusters II did, which is one of my gripes with GBII, that the guys are essentially almost out of business, or not busting ghosts. They've all moved on to different things and then they all come back to save the day. Why can't the company just be constant and standing after the events of GBII? Sorry, that's my 2 cents. Like I said though, definitely original in the insurance idea.

No no no. The company HAS been constant and standing since Ghostbusters II. Unlike Ghostbusters II they ARE still in the business of catching ghosts the only thing is that emergency calls have been few and far between for the last few years which is why they have had o extend their company into the insurance business which in my mind would be the logical thing considering what they do. They WOULD be catching ghosts in the movie. In fact, also unlike Ghostbusters II the movie would begin with a bust. I like the idea that they havn't had an emergency call for some time and suddenly they are thrust into a dangerous and scary situation, kind of like their first bust in the original movie. I think it would be an exiting way to kickstart the movie. By the way, don't forget that the original movie only had two busting scenes in it. The catching of slimer which was 30 mins into the film and the battle against gozor which was at the very end.

Matthew;130550
No no no. The company HAS been constant and standing since Ghostbusters II. Unlike Ghostbusters II they ARE still in the business of catching ghosts the only thing is that emergency calls have been few and far between for the last few years which is why they have had o extend their company into the insurance business which in my mind would be the logical thing considering what they do. They WOULD be catching ghosts in the movie. In fact, also unlike Ghostbusters II the movie would begin with a bust. I like the idea that they havn't had an emergency call for some time and suddenly they are thrust into a dangerous and scary situation, kind of like their first bust in the original movie. I think it would be an exiting way to kickstart the movie. By the way, don't forget that the original movie only had two busting scenes in it. The catching of slimer which was 30 mins into the film and the battle against gozor which was at the very end.

Well yea, but we of course saw them running around on calls a lot, even if we didn't see the actual bust.

And I realize that you meant they were still in business, but I was referring to the fact that I don't like it following the formula of “oh we haven't had a call in a while, everyone is doing other stuff now too”. Its too reminiscent for me. I'd much rather see them still very busy and busting ghosts all the time, and see how its wearing them down and how stressful being a Ghostbuster is. I do like your idea that the movie would start with a bust, I just don't like the fact that busts would be few and far between (not meaning screen time, meaning that it will be talked about that they don't get that many calls and are basically a new type of insurance company). It just doesn't fly with me.

Doctor Venkman;130551
Well yea, but we of course saw them running around on calls a lot, even if we didn't see the actual bust.

That could also be part of the third movie.

Doctor Venkman;130551
And I realize that you meant they were still in business, but I was referring to the fact that I don't like it following the formula of “oh we haven't had a call in a while, everyone is doing other stuff now too”. Its too reminiscent for me. I'd much rather see them still very busy and busting ghosts all the time, and see how its wearing them down and how stressful being a Ghostbuster is. I do like your idea that the movie would start with a bust, I just don't like the fact that busts would be few and far between (not meaning screen time, meaning that it will be talked about that they don't get that many calls and are basically a new type of insurance company). It just doesn't fly with me.

I like the idea because it suddenly throws the characters into a surprising and unnerving situation which is out of the blue and which they are not used to, the likes of which they have not had to deal with for some time. They are unprepared, a little nervous and a kind of rusty. I'd prefer that than seeing the characters expecting a call and just goind out there and dealing with it. As a viewer we put ourselves in the place of the characters and if the characters are surprised, nervous and suddenly tossed into an unexpected situation rather than a mundane routine situation it ups the tension.

Matthew;130553
That could also be part of the third movie.




I like the idea because it suddenly throws the characters into a surprising and unnerving situation which is out of the blue and which they are not used to, the likes of which they have not had to deal with for some time. They are unprepared, a little nervous and a kind of rusty. I'd prefer that than seeing the characters expecting a call and just goind out there and dealing with it. As a viewer we put ourselves in the place of the characters and if the characters are surprised, nervous and suddenly tossed into an unexpected situation rather than a mundane routine situation it ups the tension.

LOL, well obviously there's going to be a disastrous evil appearing… I think that's gonna be surprising, nervous, and unexpected for our heroes.

And I wouldn't really call the insurance thing surprising and unnerving. I mean, yea, it would be new and uncomfortable, but I don't see where the excitement and humor is going to come from. “Oh no… Ray messed up another insurance claim.” It just doesn't seem like it will be interesting for very long. I don't envision it being nearly as tense a situation as you're making it out to be.

You're also simplifying them maintaining the status quo. It wouldn't just be “oh its a call, we busted the ghost, now we sit and wait for another call…. oh its a call, etc.” There would be different things that could happen that could make the various ghosts challenging, exciting, and funny as we lead up to the discovery of the new, terrifying evil.

Like I said, I think adding the insurance thing could be interesting, but basically making Ghostbusters into an insurance company with an occasional bust just doesn't seem funny or interesting enough to me, but that's just me.

Anyone else wanna chime in on the idea?

Doctor Venkman;130554
LOL, well obviously there's going to be a disastrous evil appearing… I think that's gonna be surprising, nervous, and unexpected for our heroes

There would be a disasterous evil appearing in the movie akin to Gozor or Vigo but I am referring to the beginning of the movie. I am saying that ideally the beginning of the movie should show a bust. That bust is not the main villain but just a job that they are suddenly tossed into to kickstart the movie and if they are unprepared for it, uncomfortable and a little nervous it would heighten the tension for the audience.

Doctor Venkman;130554
And I wouldn't really call the insurance thing surprising and unnerving. I mean, yea, it would be new and uncomfortable, but I don't see where the excitement and humor is going to come from. “Oh no… Ray messed up another insurance claim.” It just doesn't seem like it will be interesting for very long. I don't envision it being nearly as tense a situation as you're making it out to be.

LOL Are you serious? You don't seem to understand. Of course their new jobs of selling insurance cover wouldn't be surprising or unnerving and that is not what I am saying the movie should be about either. What I am saying is that they are suddenly thrust from their mundane, paper shuffling office jobs to unexpectantly putting on the dusty proton packs. They are taken out of a very safe, all too familiar situation and thrown into an extreme, dangerous one right at the start of the movie.

Doctor Venkman;130554
You're also simplifying them maintaining the status quo. It wouldn't just be “oh its a call, we busted the ghost, now we sit and wait for another call…. oh its a call, etc.” There would be different things that could happen that could make the various ghosts challenging, exciting, and funny as we lead up to the discovery of the new, terrifying evil.

I'm not sure what you mean there.

Doctor Venkman;130554
Like I said, I think adding the insurance thing could be interesting, but basically making Ghostbusters into an insurance company with an occasional bust just doesn't seem funny or interesting enough to me, but that's just me.

The beginning of the movie shows that the Ghostbusters have had to go into insurance sales to make their money due to a lack of emergency calls. Then they suddenly get their first call in a long time. So the movie actually starts with a bust and goes on from there to bigger, stranger and scarier situations.



Anyone else wanna chime in on the idea?

Matthew;130555
There would be a disasterous evil appearing in the movie akin to Gozor or Vigo but I am referring to the beginning of the movie. I am saying that ideally the beginning of the movie should show a bust. That bust is not the main villain but just a job that they are suddenly tossed into to kickstart the movie and if they are unprepared for it, uncomfortable and a little nervous it would heighten the tension for the audience.



LOL Are you serious? You don't seem to understand. Of course their new jobs of selling insurance cover wouldn't be surprising or unnerving and that is not what I am saying the movie should be about either. What I am saying is that they are suddenly thrust from their mundane, paper shuffling office jobs to unexpectantly putting on the dusty proton packs. They are taken out of a very safe, all too familiar situation and thrown into an extreme, dangerous one right at the start of the movie.



I'm not sure what you mean there.



The beginning of the movie shows that the Ghostbusters have had to go into insurance sales to make their money due to a lack of emergency calls. Then they suddenly get their first call in a long time. So the movie actually starts with a bust and goes on from there to bigger, stranger and scarier situations.



Anyone else wanna chime in on the idea?

Yea, I get your concept. I have from the beginning. You did clear up a few details here though, although now the whole concept sounds even worse to me.

The guys getting a call basically interrupting their normal paper shuffling lives isn't going to put them in a nervous, unusual situation. They've been busting ghosts for 20 years by this age… even if they stopped for a few years to do the more insurance side of things, going on a bust isn't going to throw them. Its like me, I play hockey… if I stop for a few years, I'm not going to forget how to play or be nervous. I'd be rusty sure, but to suggest that a situation like this is going to unnerving or unusual for them is a far stretch. You're even saying that they still do the occasional bust, so they wouldn't be THAT rusty.

And if your idea for the movie starts basically with a bust right off the bat interrupting their insurance lifestyle, that's just pointless. The audience would need to see what their lives have become for a while on screen in order to understand what its like now. You can't just show them in the firehouse doing this paperwork thing for 5-10 minutes and then jump into a bust and have the audience understand the rustiness.

And I don't get why you didn't understand that you are oversimplifying the idea of having them still be a big business constantly busting ghosts and how each ghost could pose new challenges and stuff. Its a pretty simple statement.

And one last thing… its Gozer, not Gozor.

I can see both sides, i think Matthew's intent was that it would be a particularly unnerving bust that throws their now workaday busting mentality, rather than that they haven't busted anything in ages - just that the calls had gotten fewer and easier for the boys, then they're thrown off by something new and unforeseen.

it is correct to state that that scenario is a little unforgiving for an audience though, as you are rather suggesting that they be thrown in at the deep end from the word go - it works great for buses and keanu reeves, i'm not so sure for the GBs.

The flipside of this though is that Doctor Venkman's idea of any number of busts being a challenge stretches plausability for a 25 year old company and also makes plot escalation tricky. That idea is kind of already out there in the episodic world of The Real Ghostbusters. If anything a mix of the two ideas is the ideal for old GB fans.

However, should the film go ahead I reckon we're likely to see an almost complacent team that has been busting regularly take on a challenge beyond them and be forced to take on some younger bucks to ease the workload. Can't say as it's the most thrilling idea ever, but 10 to 1 that's the way the script will go. Dan's hinted at it already and the studio would be insane not to throw some 21st century bankable stars into the mix. I's depressing to have to say that, but I can't see it being otherwise - whatever we think of the original teams charisma and star quality.

Doctor Venkman;130558
Yea, I get your concept. I have from the beginning. You did clear up a few details here though, although now the whole concept sounds even worse to me.

It didn't sound like you understood the idea from what you typed. I quote: “And I wouldn't really call the insurance thing surprising and unnerving. I mean, yea, it would be new and uncomfortable, but I don't see where the excitement and humor is going to come from. ”Oh no… Ray messed up another insurance claim.“ It just doesn't seem like it will be interesting for very long. I don't envision it being nearly as tense a situation as you're making it out to be.”

Doctor Venkman;130558
The guys getting a call basically interrupting their normal paper shuffling lives isn't going to put them in a nervous, unusual situation. They've been busting ghosts for 20 years by this age… even if they stopped for a few years to do the more insurance side of things, going on a bust isn't going to throw them. Its like me, I play hockey… if I stop for a few years, I'm not going to forget how to play or be nervous. I'd be rusty sure, but to suggest that a situation like this is going to unnerving or unusual for them is a far stretch. You're even saying that they still do the occasional bust, so they wouldn't be THAT rusty.

But they would be rusty and considering catching ghosts in recent times is a rare event it would be unusual for them. Perhaps they havn't had an emergency call in a year or so. They have gotten all to used to their desk jobs selling insurance against hauntings and accidental proton stream damage. Suddenly they get a call which they are not expecting and is out of the blue. Of course they'd be a little rusty and a little nervous just as, say a fireman would if he hasn't had to put out a fire in a long time.

Doctor Venkman;130558
And if your idea for the movie starts basically with a bust right off the bat interrupting their insurance lifestyle, that's just pointless. The audience would need to see what their lives have become for a while on screen in order to understand what its like now. You can't just show them in the firehouse doing this paperwork thing for 5-10 minutes and then jump into a bust and have the audience understand the rustiness.

Yes you can. Jeez! Talk about a lack of imagination!. For instance, the movie could begin with a paranormal incident in a particular location. Next we see the exterior of the firehouse. The exterior of the firehouse could be holding signs up for insurance sales along side the no ghost logo which is still there. We then see the interior of the firehouse which is now more of an office like environment. There are desks laid out. Each one has a computer and a telephone. Venkman, Stanz and Zeddmore are wearing office attire rather than their ghostbusting jumpsuits. Already the audience gets an idea of what they now do without a word having been uttered. This scene could show Venkman trying to sell insurance to a customer who doesn't really know exactly what he's buying or Stanz talking to a customer and using lots of technical mumbo jumbo which the cutomer doesn't understand but pays anyway. Suddenly an emergency call comes in. They look at eachother in surprise. Stanz gets really exited. Perhaps Zeddmore could say something like “That's gotta be the first call in a year” or something similar. By showing this the audience would understand that the Ghostbusters arn't catching Ghosts on a routine basis and the acting and dialogue used would show that they are a little rusty and nervous

Doctor Venkman;130558
And I don't get why you didn't understand that you are oversimplifying the idea of having them still be a big business constantly busting ghosts and how each ghost could pose new challenges and stuff. Its a pretty simple statement.

Even your second go at explaining what you mean is a little difficult to understand. If you mean why am I putting them in a very normal, boring, mundane situation instead of having them be in big business and still routinely go out catching ghosts on a daily basis the reason for this is because I think it is better to have the characters unprepared, maybe nervous, exited etc because I think it offers more tension and exitement for the audience than having them expecting a call, not being surprised and not being very nervous.

Doctor Venkman;130558
And one last thing… its Gozer, not Gozor.

As long as were making corrections it's “it's” not “its”.

Doctor Venkman;130558

Yea, I get your concept. I have from the beginning. You did clear up a few details here though, although now the whole concept sounds even worse to me.

The guys getting a call basically interrupting their normal paper shuffling lives isn't going to put them in a nervous, unusual situation. They've been busting ghosts for 20 years by this age… even if they stopped for a few years to do the more insurance side of things, going on a bust isn't going to throw them. Its like me, I play hockey… if I stop for a few years, I'm not going to forget how to play or be nervous. I'd be rusty sure, but to suggest that a situation like this is going to unnerving or unusual for them is a far stretch. You're even saying that they still do the occasional bust, so they wouldn't be THAT rusty.

And if your idea for the movie starts basically with a bust right off the bat interrupting their insurance lifestyle, that's just pointless. The audience would need to see what their lives have become for a while on screen in order to understand what its like now. You can't just show them in the firehouse doing this paperwork thing for 5-10 minutes and then jump into a bust and have the audience understand the rustiness.

And I don't get why you didn't understand that you are oversimplifying the idea of having them still be a big business constantly busting ghosts and how each ghost could pose new challenges and stuff. Its a pretty simple statement.

And one last thing… its Gozer, not Gozor.

It's too bad that the “We're back!” angle was used up in GB2. It would have been so much more appropriate for this film considering its 20-years later circumstances.

I mean, they could do the “they've been gone/out of business/out of it/disenfranchised and they return to save the world” angle again and it would have more poignancy now. But it would be a rehash of GB2, which was already a rehash of GB1.