Discuss all things Ghostbusters here, unless they would be better suited in one of the few forums below.
#4929690
There wasn't enough room in the topic title for this question. But why did Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd write the premise of the ghostbusters having gone out of business for this movie? Was it because they didn't want to tie it in with The Real Ghostbusters? Or was it because of the rights issues of Real Ghostbusters so that they couldn't have the premise of them still being in business? I tried googling this but I got no real answer.
#4929694
Hmm, I'm not sure the exact reason was but it seemed like it definitely happened once Ramis started working on drafts with Aykroyd. On the June 15, 1989 episode of "Later with Bob Costas," Harold Ramis revealed one of the discarded ideas they had during the brainstorming process had the sequel picking up literally from the end of the first movie. I suspect the reason for the disbandment and restraining order was Ramis or Reitman bringing in an element to ground (basically a small business gets stepped on by "the man" is something us plebians can rally around) the story similar to how Aykroyd's initial script was so out there and fantastical that Reitman pitched the origin story hook to ground it. In what little we know about Aykroyd's initial GB2 script "The Seed," it was also rather fantastical -fairies living under Scotland.

For reference:
I recall by the August 5, 1988 Draft, you can see the evolution of this grounding element.
*They were disbanded like in the movie and Peter remarked on page 10 they "ran into trouble a couple years back."
*On page 20, Egon initially refused to do any ghostbusting.
*On page 21, Ray goes on to reveal he lost everything from the fines and lawsuits levied on the Ghostbusters and the bookstore is all he has. Ray also explains the terms of the restraining order placed on them which we learn about in the trial scene.
*On page 42-43, they get into a little more that they regretted they got too big too fast, were slightly undermanned and underequipped, assumed way too much responsibility for saving the world, and didn't have a limited liability clause in place. Peter proposes they keep Ghostbusters small, take it slow, and play it safe with taking on only residential hauntings and personal possessions. Strictly limited liability is emphasized.
*On page 84, once the big threat is out there, the Mayor offers to indemnify and insure the Ghostbusters against any and all damage claims resulting from anything done while in the employ of the city. The Ghostbusters agree and hold a meeting with all city department and agency heads and major business and community leaders.
#4929731
d_osborn wrote: January 3rd, 2020, 2:42 pm It was basically a creative decision, like mrmichaelt said. Ramis, Reitman, and Aykroyd didn't see the cartoon as some "written in stone" continuation of the movie to adhere to. It was nothing at all to do with rights or whatever. :love:
I see. I have seen quite a few people online on other sites complain about the whole premise of them going out of business and the entire city thinking the entire thing with Gozer and the Marshmallow Man didn't happen.
#4929734
Winston1986 wrote: January 3rd, 2020, 8:52 pm
d_osborn wrote: January 3rd, 2020, 2:42 pm It was basically a creative decision, like mrmichaelt said. Ramis, Reitman, and Aykroyd didn't see the cartoon as some "written in stone" continuation of the movie to adhere to. It was nothing at all to do with rights or whatever. :love:
I see. I have seen quite a few people online on other sites complain about the whole premise of them going out of business and the entire city thinking the entire thing with Gozer and the Marshmallow Man didn't happen.
That’s an idea central to the plot of GB2; New Yorkers (in the 1989 BB timeline) are selfish, uncaring, sceptical, unobservant, incredulous, completely miserable... well, you know the rest! They’re a people more inclined to getting the money out of someone than believing that that someone saved the world.

The irony being that what seemed pretty far fetched to audiences in ‘89 has actually since been borne out in people not believing the evidence of their eyes on major world events. GB2 seems much less weird nowadays.
Last edited by robbritton on January 4th, 2020, 12:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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