As a child, I was obsessed with Ghostbusters. I remember as a 4 year old when my parents got me the Ghostbusters VHS for Christmas and I watched that constantly. I owned all the toys, the firehouse, the slime, Ecto-1 and even the Proton Pack. I wanted to be a ghostbuster. I wanted to be the asian member of the squad. I felt that role had yet to be filled so I set my hopes and dreams on that. I declared this much to my mother: I want to be a ghostbuster for Halloween. And with that, Mama Tansuche set out to make sure her youngest was the best damn ghostbuster on the block. Granted, my mom took some liberties with the costume. There was no brown jumpsuit (apparently that meant I would probably get hit by a car while trick-or-treating) and in its place was a jean jacket with a giant logo that she made and sewn on that back with my name (because apparently we lived in Canada and had a surplus of denim). Yeah, it was awesome and I got so much candy that year because of my awesome homemade outfit. Because of all that, the thing I most associate with Halloween are the Ghostbusters movies and because of that, I jumped at the chance to writeup this section of the Countdown, featuring not 1, but 2 of the villains from the movies. We had a tie when we took a poll amongst the writers with these two characters so we decided to combine both in order to deliver the awesomeness.
First up, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man was a badass in his own right. He owned the screen as soon he was conjured up from Ray’s mind. Ray remembered roasting marshmallows in his childhood at Camp Waconda. The idea of thinking of the most harmless being with an innocent demeanor marching through the streets of Manhattan trying to take down our heroes is brilliant. The smile was so joyous as he stomped over cars, and yet showed the deviousness not unlike an infant on rampage. While the main villain was Gozer, you cannot deny the baddie we all thing about when Ghostbusters is discussed is Stay Puft. Even his exit remains awesome as we see annoying thorn in the side Walter Peck get doused by melted marshmallow. I remember seeing at Comic-Con 2012 one guy doing the Stay Puft cosplay where he had fans inside this giant suit as he navigated the crowded floor. Much like the movie, he pretty much cleared the way with his imposing figure, and everyone was happy to make room due to the badassness of the costume.
In Ghostbusters II, we got blessed with Vigo the Carpathian and his ugly mug. He was a tyrant from the 16th century who was a sorcerer and a dickhead to his people. He ended up dying at the age of 105 but not because of old age. He got overtaken from a rebellion who then managed to poison, shoot, stab, hang, stretch, disembowel, and draw and quarter him. So yes, he REALLY was a dickhead. I remember watching that movie and being freaked out by it a lot more than the first movie just because of the screen presence of his imposing figure. I mean geez, just look at him.
He’s was peering into my six year old soul at the time and probably once he was unsuccessful at taking over Oscar’s body, he’d gun after me. Unfortunately for him, the ghostbusters were on the case to bring him down with a little good vibes and a giant statue of liberty powered by Jackie Wilson’s “Higher and Higher”. While the second movie wasn’t nearly as great as the first (how could it be?), it was still enjoyable in my eyes and further fueled me dressing as a ghostbuster until 2nd grade. That was three years in a row. Believe me, that’s not normal considering it’s sacrilege to have the same costume two years in a row, let alone three.
Ghostbusters deserves it standing in the pantheon of Halloween movies, and Halloween in general. I do hope that the upcoming generation views this movie (as well as Bill Murray being a comedic genius) with open arms and embraces its impact on this holiday in the past. Everyone should remember that the end of the world consists of cats and dogs living together…mass hysteria! Also that if someone asks if you’re a god, you always say yes. That and I’m going to bless you with this painting from the end of the second movie. Yes, it’s ridiculous. Yes, it’s awesome. Boom. Only because I don’t think people want to see young me in my denim, jean jacket ghostbuster costume that my mom made me. I have to hold on to my dignity, what little I have left.
For more on The Ghostbusters and their adversaries, check these links…
– #1 – Countdown to Halloween: GHOSTBUSTERS (2011)
– Ghostbusters 3: We Ain’t Afraid of No Sequel (anymore)Keep an eye out as another character on the Countdown will be revealed every night at 12:01 am for the rest of the month. You’ll also be able to find them HERE.
What – No love for Slimer?!?!
Grizzly Bomb 