As sequels go, Ghostbusters II is one of the better examples of followups to beloved kids movies. Released five years after the original, Ghostbusters II arrived in the summer of 1989 -- 25 years ago today, in fact -- reuniting the quartet of ghost battling scientists. Or three scientists and one guy willing to believe anything for a steady paycheck. Does this sequel need a sequel? That's certainly debatable, but since today is the 25th anniversary of the release of Ghostbusters II, we decided to put together twenty-five flashbacks of the film.
Before we get to that, I'm going on record as saying I like Ghostbusters II. As a kid of the 80s, the original Ghostbusters will always hold a special (and higher) place in my heart. But I loved the sequel, growing up. So if you're with me, read on and enjoy the flashbacks!
1. Do. Re. Egon!
We'll kick this off with a little tune to set the mood...
2. And then a big entrance...
3. And this not-quite-as-big entrance...
"Suck in the guts guys, we're the Ghostbusters?"
4. And then we'll do a little dance...
...for the ungrateful yuppie larvae who think He-Man is cooler...
Ok, enough intro, let's bust some ghosts!
5. Two in the box, ready to go! We be fast and...
6. Pete Venkman sometimes busts ghosts in a beret.
7. Ghostbusters wouldn't be Ghostbusters without Janine!
8. And it wouldn't be Ghostbusters without the Ecto-1...
9. Or Slimer!
10. Or... Winston's amazing red long johns?
11. In the sequel, Louis is basically the worst attorney ever.
12. But he's not so bad with the ladies...
And with the return of the Ghostbusters comes...
13. This new and even more awkward Ghostbusters commercial...
Running a business and fighting ghosts is crucial to the wellbeing of New York. But these scientists have their own individual interests...
14. Like Pete Venkman's World of the Psychic program...
(Set yourself a reminder that the end of the world is coming Valentine's Day, 2016. This, according to the aliens at the Paramus Holiday Inn.)
When he's not busting ghosts...
15. Egon is obsessed with other people's misery.
16. Including Dana's...
17. And Ray is peddling occult books
... including "Magical Paths to Fortune and Power."
18. But let's move on to the problem at hand. Vigo.
(You are like the buzzing of flies to him.)
19. Dana's boss Janosz has an unnatural obsession with him.
20. Ray was also prone to Vigo-obsession...
21. But not Venkman.
In fact, Pete had a few choice words to say to the Carpathian...
22. And then there's Louis, the hero...
...who avoided Vigo completely but demonstrated that to be a hero, you need to stay fit, keep sharp and make good decisions.
Meanwhile, Ghostbusters II had Winston demonstrating...
23. That he's the stop-stare-scream type in the face of imminent danger.
"I think that was the old New York Central "City of Albany"! Derailed in 1920! Killed hundreds of people!..."
24. "Did you catch the number on the locomotive?"
25. She's not the Stay Puft Marshmallow man but Lady Liberty's a harbor chick...
...and she's the perfect symbol to rally New Yorkers behind.
Keep kickin', Libby!
Bonus flashback! Because sometimes, shit happens...
We've collected some Ghostbusters II trivia! Find out what became of Baby Oscar(s) and more after the jump! The museum where Dana worked is the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. It's now the National Museum of the American Indian and also the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.
Harold Ramis admitted they were reluctant to make a sequel to the film because the first one was so big. On the subject of sequels, Bill Murray went on record as saying, "The reason most people do sequels is greed. But if you do it for business reasons, you should be put to death.' In the end, he did the sequel because "working on the first Ghostbusters was the most fun any of us had."
Exterior shots were done in New York, while much of the film was shot in Los Angeles.
Of the pink goo that played such a huge role in the movie, Harold Ramis said "Slime is our metaphor for the human condition."
Baby Oscar was played by twins Will and Hank Deutschendorf, who are now in their twenties and running a Martial Arts school in San Diego called West Coast Martial Arts Academy:
(photo credit: WCMAASD.com).
Though Ghostbusters II received mixed reviews from critics (and a Rotten 51% at RT), the film performed well at the box office, breaking records for the biggest non-holiday weekend opening, with an opening weekend that $29.5 million in ticket sales in its first three days in theaters. Ghostbusters II went on to rank #7 among the top grossing films of 1989. At the top: Batman, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Lethal Weapon 2, Look Who's Talking, and another Rick Moranis film popular among the kids back then, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.
Coming in right above Ghostbusters II, Back to the Future II.
Harold Ramis has unfortunately passed away, and Bill Murray is not on board for a sequel, but Ghostbusters III is still said to be in the works.
