10. Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
Speaking of underwritten: Winston Zeddemore. Supposedly the part of the last “Ghostbuster” to join up was intended for Eddie Murphy, and you imagine he turned it down because the character was given so little to do in the script. But we’d argue that in fact Hudson was better suited: the actor, a relative newcomer at the time, brings a warm, blue-collar presence that serves as a nice counterpoint to the other performers. Unforgivably, the sequel didn’t really give him any more to do, but he’s still a key part of the franchise.
9. Chris Hemsworth as Kevin Beckman (“Ghostbusters: Answer The Call”)
With his solo, non-“Thor” vehicles like “In The Heart Of The Sea” and “The Huntsman” increasingly tanking, Hemsworth could do with a career boost, but he appears to have found it with the new “Ghostbusters” movie —he’s an undoubted highlight of the film as secretary Kevin. Hemsworth’s always had a comic deftness that belies his beefcake-ness (the first “Thor” only really works because of it), but it’s put to its best use here, with Hemsworth giving “prime idiot” as a man who clearly coasts through life on his prettiness, because he’s almost unbelievably thick otherwise. He’s frequently hilarious, and Hemsworth gets to show some range once he’s possessed.
8. Rick Moranis as Louis Tully (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
Is the angry nerd parade so furious about the new movie because the original contained one of the great cinematic nerd characters? The now-retired SCTV star Moranis found arguably his defining role as accountant (and later lawyer and sort-of-honorary Ghostbuster) Louis Tully. At his worst (i.e. in the sequel, though he’s at least given a sort-of-sweet romance with Annie Potts’ character to make up for it), the character becomes a stereotype, but at best, in the original, he’s something much more specific and original, a geek with a certain amount of unearned swagger, and Moranis wrings every laugh out of both the original incarnation of Louis and the possessed version.
7. Slavitza Jovan/Paddi Edwards as Gozer/Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man (“Ghostbusters”)
It’s easy to forget now how weird a movie the original “Ghostbusters” is. The new 2016 edition is actually relatively straightforward when it comes to the imagery, but there was a bonkers feel to the iconography of the first film, particularly when it comes to its principal villain Gozer. A surprisingly dense bit of mythology, this extra-dimensional destroyer first takes the form of a sort of androgynous New Wave singer who’s somehow ended up in a prog-rock band (as played by Serbian actress Slavitza Jovan, who recently cropped up in “Knight Of Cups”). Then, of course, she turns into a giant marshmallow logo, a piece of product placement that’s also a gloriously unexpected joke (and set up beautifully earlier in the film). Nothing in the re-do can remotely match it for iconography, up to and including the reprise.
6. Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
In lesser hands, Dana in “Ghostbusters” could have been the kind of forgettable role that all too female leads had to accept in the 1980s (also: today). But the inherent strength that Weaver brings to everything she does, and the subtle comic spin that she gives it, makes Dana into a real person. She’s believable as an artsy New York singleton (her chemistry with Murray genuinely sparks), she’s believable as the suddenly-sexed-up Gatekeeper, and she’s believable as the quietly seething single mother in the sequel. A “Ghostbusters” without Weaver as Dana would be a much lesser “Ghostbusters.”
5. Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
The feminist streak in the new “Ghostbusters” doesn’t quite come from nowhere —after all, Janine had the original crew essentially wrapped around her little finger. More than anyone else in that first film, the Ghostbusters’ loyal secretary, as played by theater and sitcom veteran Potts in memorably outer borough, nasal style, feels like the quintessential New Yorker, a barked-out “I’m walking here!” made flesh. Potts makes every second of her limited screen time count, and even shines in the second film where most others feel like they’re going through the motions.
4. Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stanz (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
Speaking of essential parts of the arrangement: Dan Aykroyd. It was his interest in the paranormal that saw the script come to pass, and his passion that got it made. And it’s laudable how he granted the best roles to his co-stars for the most part —Murray and Ramis get far more laughs lines between them— indicating a lack of ego that’s rare for someone in his position. Yet despite having a less showy role, Aykroyd still feels like the beating heart of the franchise, his love for the material shining through even in the goofier moments of the sequel.
3. Leslie Jones as Patty Tolan (“Ghostbusters: Answer The Call”)
For many, the major highlight of the new movie is Kate McKinnon, but it was actually Leslie Jones’ Patty that we came away adoring the most. Though she has relatively few movie credits compared to Wiig or McCarthy, her background as a veteran stand-up shines through, because Jones walks across the screen like she owns it, her easy charisma and distinctive presence wringing laughs out of even fairly workmanlike lines. And again, it kind of sucks that the only black character is the only non-scientist, but Patty feels like much more of an intrinsic part of the team than Winston ever did, and she comes up with the plan to defeat the bad guy in the end as well.
2. Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
The writers of “Ghostbusters” made the perfect team. On one hand, you have Aykroyd, whose interest in the paranormal gave the script the surprisingly dense cosmic mythology that helped it reel in genre fans. On the other, you have Ramis, as much writer and performer and a man with comedy in his bones who knew how to ground the material to make it palatable for the masses. And Ramis’ contributions in front of the cameras are just as crucial: he’s an understated joy as Egon, never over-egging the pudding but clearly showing that the brainiest of our heroes is a little bit off his axis with every line. Ultimately, his passing in 2014 really meant that a reboot had to be the way: any continuation of the original continuity without Ramis wouldn’t have worked.
1. Bill Murray as Peter Venkman (“Ghostbusters” & “Ghostbusters II”)
Well, obviously. Murray was already well known by the time that “Ghostbusters” opened —a movie-stealing supporting role in “Caddyshack,” the lead in cult hit “Stripes,” a best friend role in the acclaimed “Tootsie.” But it was “Ghostbusters” that made him a megastar and which perfected the Murray persona. And no wonder—from his introduction in which he outrageously rigs a test for flirtation purposes, he walks away with the movie, and his mix of cynicism and wisecracks does so much to sell the more out-there aspects of the movie. He’s a bit muted in the second film—he so clearly did not want to be there— but even then, Peter Venkman is what we think of when we think of “Ghostbusters.”
Anyone else you think merits inclusion? Argue their case below.
