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Ghostbusters
Before the DVD of The Matrix, there was the DVD
of Ghostbusters, Ivan Reitman's masterful paranormal comedy
which - no matter how many times he's tried (Evolution,
anyone?), he's never even come close to duplicating. But more to the point,
Ghostbusters was also the original really cool, feature-packed
DVD.
Now, to be fair, this was the first feature-packed title in the infant
stage of the DVD industry, but there aren't too many movies which are
better qualified for that special treatment. The animated menus are still
standard-setters for the industry, and the commentary - one of the most
anticipated parts of the disc prior to its release - is classic. Reitman
himself, along with co-writer/star Harold Ramis and associate producer Joe
Medjuck, make some riotously funny comments on their own film - and fittingly
enough, they're silhouetted, MST3K-style,
against the movie - a trick I haven't seen done since.
Some of the outtakes and deleted scenes are in pretty poor shape, film-wise,
but it's better than not seeing them at all. There are also some multi-angle
sequences allowing you to watch special effects scenes with or without the
special effects - which is fun if you want to see the four principals
brandishing their ghostbustin' gear and acting like they're being jolted by
electricity.
The movie itself has aged incredibly well. Though a few elements of the
film smack of a specific period - Casey Kasem on American Top 40, Larry King,
and so forth - there's something period-nonspecific-New-Yorkish about the
whole endeavour that lends it immediate identification and charm. But more
on that I'll save for an actual movie review someday.
In the meantime, despite all the uber-DVDs that have come and gone
since, Ghostbusters is a well-assembled package that's still
worth picking up if you haven't already.
 
 
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