It's been 30 years since we last entered the world of the original Ghostbusters. Now, following a well meaning but largely loved reboot, we finally have our first look at the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which will take us back to the world of the original films. The first trailer for the new movie arrived today and in addition to introducing us to a host of new characters, it also included a number of nods to the original film.
Some of them, like the classic ghost trap, proton pack, and of course, Ecto-1, were pretty obvious, others were a bit more, obscure. Either way, the new trailer makes it clear that the new movie will be full of great moments for fans of the original. Here are some of our favorite bits you might have missed.
The Piano Keys
At just past the one minute mark of the trailer, just before you see the name of Jason Reitman, the writer and director of the new film, you hear a few keys on a piano play. The notes are certainly creepy, in fitting with Ghostbusters, but this trailer isn't the first time we've heard them.
In the original film, just before the team meets their first ghost, they find a vertical stack of books on the floor as tall as they are. After examining it, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) gets distracted and calls out "Listen, you smell something?" Just after Ray says "Listen" we hear the exact same arrangement of piano keys that we hear here.
The Original Score
When it comes to Ghostbusters music, the Ray Parker Jr. theme song is certainly the first thing most of think about, but it should be remembered that Elmer Bernstein's score for the movie is remarkably good. If you're not familiar with it, that's ok, as it makes an appearance during the trailer.
During the sequence when Paul Rudd is familiarizing the two kids with the story of the original Ghostbusters and we see scenes from the first movie re-purposed as news footage, you can hear a piece of the score that was used throughout the film to signify ghostly encounters. It's very slight, so it's easy to miss, but it's clearly there.
Spores, Molds, and Fungus
We know from this trailer that rumors we had previously heard, that the new film will follow the family of one of the original Ghostbusters, are officially true. While the trailer does give us the answer to who that is very specifically, it builds us to that moment through a couple of very fun hints first.
We see the young girl use a familiar piece of Ghostbusters equipment to find her way into a a basement full of interesting stuff. In addition to finding a proton pack there, we also see a collection of petri dishes labeled as various microbes. In the original Ghostbusters, Egon Spengler tells Jeanine that he collects "spores molds, and fungus." We just found the collection.
The Jumpsuit
While I'm generally not bothering to include moments in the Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer that specifically show off equipment from the original films. This list is designed to show off the moments you might have missed, and you're not going to miss those. However, one item that falls somewhere in between is Egon Spengler's Ghostbusters jumpsuit.
Certainly, you'll recognize the uniform, but unless you're quick, you might not catch exactly who it belongs too. If you didn't make the connection between the PKE Meter and the fungus collection, then this moment is important as it tells the audience that doesn't have the original Ghostbusters memorized (read: most people) exactly where this story is going.
Shandor Mine
This one is probably the coolest, and most potentially interesting, of the various references in the trailer. We see two kids approaching a sign that reads Shandor Mining Co. Considering that the ghostly presence we see at the beginning of the trailer comes from underground, it seems this is where the center of our story will be focused.
The serious Ghostbusters fan will recognize the name Shandor. Specifically, in the original film, Egon makes reference to Ivo Shandor as the architect behind the apartment building in New York City at the center of the original movie. The question is, is this simply an easter egg for fans to recognize or is it, as seems more likely at this point, exactly how Ghostbusters: Afterlife's plot will connect to the original movie?
"Call it Fate"
At the same time that we see the name Shandor on the screen, we hear a familiar voice. Specifically, it's that of Bill Murray. It's dialogue from early in the first film where Peter Venkman waxes philosophical with Ray Stantz after they're booted from their university.
The line is about how Peter believes things happen for a reason. It strongly implies that means that whatever is going on in Ghostbusters: Afterlife also may be happening for a reason. It again seems to draw a direct connection between this film and the first one, and also hints that, yes, the original Ghostbusters may all be coming back for the new movie in some capacity.
Gozer's Hounds
For a movie about Ghostbusters, one thing that we don't see much of in the first trailer is ghosts. There's a brief glimpse at something that could be Slimer, but I'm guessing not, which is not to say he won't show up in the movie in some capacity. However, another scary little beasty from the first movie does seem to appear. The demon dog who sat at the side of Gozer.
Near the end of the trailer we see a massive claw land on the hood of Paul Rudd's car, and along with it we get a very familiar growling sound. It looks like the monsters that we saw Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis transform into in the first movie may be back. This is also more evidence that Ghostbusters: Afterlife's plot will directly link the first movie with the new outing.
Certainly, we were promised that the new Ghostbusters movie would be a love letter to the original, and so far the trailer has shown that to be true. Fans have to be excited that this movie is looking to be everything they wanted it to be. We'll find out for sure next summer.
