Who Ya Gonna Call?

Ghostbusters is a 1984 sci-fi-comedy film about three eccentric New York City parapsychologists-turned-ghost exterminators. The film was released in the United States on June 8, 1984. It was produced and directed by Ivan Reitman and stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and Ernie Hudson. The film's original release grossed almost US$230 million in the U.S. and $50 million abroad during its theatrical run, making it the biggest grossing film of 1984. In 2000, readers of Total Film magazine voted Ghostbusters the 44th greatest comedy film of all time. The American Film Institute ranked it 28th in its list of the top 100 comedies of all time. In 2005, IGN voted Ghostbusters the greatest comedy ever. In 2006, Bravo ranked Ghostbusters 76 on their "100 Funniest Movies" list.

The plot is abouth three misfit parapsychology research professors that specialize in ghosts, Drs. Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), Raymond "Ray" Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), are kicked out of a New York City university after their research grants are terminated. To maintain their livelihood, the three are forced to start an enterprise named "Ghostbusters", a "professional paranormal investigation and elimination" service, out of a old firehouse, using a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Ambulance dubbed "Ecto-1" to get about the city.

The concept for the movie was inspired by Dan Aykroyd's own fascination with the paranormal. The original story as written by Aykroyd was very different than what would be eventually filmed. In that version a group of Ghostbusters would travel through time, space and other dimensions taking on huge ghosts (of which the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man was just one of many). Also, the Ghostbusters wore S.W.A.T.-like outfits and used wands instead of Proton Packs to fight the ghosts; Ghostbusters storyboards show them wearing riotsquad-type helmets with movable transparent visors.

But are ghosts real? Last night our worship Design Team planned our Sunday morning services for the month of October that we are calling “Ghostbusters” and in which we will answer all of the following questions from the Bible:

Are ghosts real?

If ghosts are real, what exactly are they?

Is it possible for the spirits of the dead to communciate with those who are living?

How does all of this play into Halloween?

Is there any spiritual merit at all in the Halloween holiday?

Find the answers to these questions and more Sundays this October at Grace Church!