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By Kingpin
#4911821
twmedford23 wrote: January 9th, 2019, 4:35 pm I cant argue with many of the inaccuracies pointed out but I can with one:

The cyclotron lights on Murray's and Hudson's hero packs do rotate counterclockwise.
chris8414 wrote: January 9th, 2019, 4:10 pmI'm looking for a replica pack, not an actual hero pack.
As a point of thought, mentioning you're after a "replica pack" is somewhat by definition that you're after a replication of what was seen on the on-screen props. :)
I know that "replica" has become somewhat nebulous to include prop builds that are unintentionally inaccurate to what was used in the films... Or prop builds which are intentionally inaccurate (which it could then be argued - aren't replicas).

While the counter-clockwise sequence did appear on screen a couple a times, like the "extra lights" on Dan's Pack during the "rushing to Venkman" bit during the Sedgewick bust, it's a production error rather than an intentional design.
User avatar
By Kingpin
#4911894
chris8414 wrote: January 15th, 2019, 10:51 amThere is nothing in print anywhere saying the lights have to go clockwise.
It's something that can be changed up to make it more custom... But given that the lights ran clockwise in about 95-98% of all active appearances in both films, I'd say the visual record is pretty definitive. :)
By chris8414
#4911895
Venkmans pack rotated counterclockwise in both films....... So you say it was an error, I don't believe so if it did it in the first film then again for the second one.
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By JWils23
#4911896
Like Kingpin said, the majority of the time they’re running clockwise. But there is a time when they’re running counter clockwise. It’s really up to your preference as neither is wrong since both appeared on screen. I liked that in the Gozer scene Venkman’s pack ran counter clockwise so I sequenced my lights that way. That’s what’s fun about building a pack, you get to make the call on little details like this.
By chris8414
#4911897
Venkmans pack was the only pack to run counterclockwise. There is no shot of Venkmans pack ever running clockwise. In every shot in both movies It always rotated counterclockwise....... His is the only one that did this.
User avatar
By Kingpin
#4911899
chris8414 wrote: January 15th, 2019, 4:23 pm Venkmans pack rotated counterclockwise in both films....... So you say it was an error
Yes, I say it's an error. :)

The first film is pretty consistent when it comes to which actor has which Pack with which light movement, with Murray being seen pretty much exclusively to be wearing the Pack with the reversed pattern (except, when they blast Mr. Stay Puft). In Ghostbusters II, it's counter-clockwise in the Courtroom, and some moments of the battle with Vigo, while other moments of that battle, and while they're piloting the Statue of Liberty feature a Pack whose lights move clockwise.

The fact Murray ends up with that unique Pack so often is simple to explain when it's been noted several of the props had nametags applied to them... Either on the motherboard or on the lowest part of the A.L.I.C.E. Pack frame. From that, we can reason Murray just happened to be given one with a different lighting pattern, and kept getting it for a majority of his scenes because it was the one with his name on it. Instances where the pattern is seen rotating clockwise are the result of him either having been given the wrong prop by a stage hand, or a lighter GBII Semi-Hero over the heavier GBI Heroes.

In-universe, there's no explanation for the change in lighting - it's not a function of the Packs being fired because nothing similar happens with Dan and Harold's Proton Packs. We can also rule it out as some sort of intentional design element from the in-universe standpoint because it appears inconsistent.

The simplest explanation is the most likely one (Occam's Razor) - Two of the GBI Packs either weren't wired correctly (or more likely, had the switch/switches flipped the opposite way to the other two), and nobody corrected it. The error persists to the filming of Ghostbusters II because some of the Packs props from the first film were reused, and Murray ended up with the same one because his name was applied to it. :)

Why would they go to the effort to make the four main Proton Pack props look visually identical, only to then make a couple of them light up differently from the other two?


It's not a stretch when we look at the other inconsistencies and damage that they gear picked up because they're manhandled props: Ghost Trap doors hanging open, missing cosmetic plates exposing internal wiring, scuffs, scrapes, peeling labels and mysterious elements that are only seen for one brief scene and are never seen again (And that's not even digging into the visible wear and tear in Ghostbusters II).
By chris8414
#4911901
Please review your comment of Bill Murray's pack moving counter clockwise. Please watch both films again to see his pack rotated counterclockwise in all shots. Even when they are using the controls for the statue of liberty. Thanks.
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By JWils23
#4911905
Kingpin wrote: January 15th, 2019, 6:42 pm I did watch both films. :)

From the 0:53 mark in this clip from Ghostbusters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aW8oyTgA60

From the 3:03 mark in this clip from Ghostbusters II
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjskzUlJOfc
At the 1:13 point in the first video the lights are all on simultaneously on everyone’s packs so it looks like we’re all wrong :lol:
I know, I know, stunt packs haha
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