Ghostbusters Trailer Tuesday: The Summer of 'Ghostbusters' (1984) and After.

Last week we watched the trailer for 'Ghostbusters' (1984) in all it's glory, but what about after the film came out. 'Ghostbusters' (1984) was a monster success and it's influence was felt long after the summer of '84. This GTT we wanted to look at the TV spots and other associated trailers released in the wake of the 'Ghostbusters' effect.

 We begin with a teaser trailer for the original film. Teaser were relatively new at the time and were still experimenting with the inform-withhold formula.

Video provided by Christopher Stewart

The first thing that sticks out here is the tone of this trailer compared to the theatrical trailer. It's more comedic in nature, playing up its comedy angle. This was probably early in the marketing cycle of the film for Colombia Pictures and they were experimenting with how to present the film to the general public. Also not present in this teaser is the famous Ray Parker Jr theme song. The song that told hold of the country, the song that is engrained in our very souls, is not used in this teaser. Anyway, interesting piece of history marketing.

[For this next video please advance to mark 3:39]  

 Video Provided by Jurassic1993Park

TV spots are one of my favorite things in the world. Not only are they so short they almost deliver no information about the film itself I also indentify them more then theatrical trailers because I was watching television long before I was going to the theater so these were my first exposure to many movies. I failed to connect home viewing and theater viewing together when I was younger. I mean, I knew you would go to a theater to watch movies but I didn't recognize why I couldn't watch the same film at home on TV. There was no seperation yet and TV spots are largely responsible for that I feel. Finally, I love when TV spots end with things like "playing now at the highland mall" or "check your local listings" because it dates and localizes something as national as a large release film. The TV spot that I would see in Florida was probably different then the TV spot someone saw in Ohio. It's a moment in time saved to tape (and then transfered to DVD then uploaded to Youtube). I'm probably being too wistful over something as simple as a TV spot but that's who I am. That's me, that's M.E. Strange.

This spot is short and to the point. Ghosts are real, mean, and here. The Ghostbusters, the best and only, are the only ones who can stop them and are rated PG. That's it. The only new amount of information given to us is that the film is PG. PG! I'll say that again, Ghostbusters was only, and still is, rated PG. You wouldn't think that right?

Video Provided by Ghostbusters.net

Just to take you back, when a film was released in theaters it would take up to a year until the film would come to video and even longer before it came to television, so when a major network (usually ABC) was going to air a movie for the first time it was a big damn deal. I'm not sure the exact date for this showing but it features the ABC Sunday Night Movie bumper from 1987. It also features what sounds like ABC's voice-over announcer for TGIF. Tone is back to comedic, but by this time it was one of the most famous comedies of all time so it makes since. Another great time piece.

 Video Provided by Filmmack

This is another ABC bumper, this time advertising the ABC Movie Special. I'm going to say this is more 90's than 80's. I love how Stay Puft is included in the cast list, as if this was his breakout role.

 Video Provided by I'm Back...

 These seems to be from the same time advertising it's showing on the ABC Movie Special (listed as being aired in Baltimore). Tiny difference but much the same. Moving on.

 Video Provided by Ghostbusters.net

No idea where or when this came out (although released on ABC flagship WABC-TV in New York). What I wanted to feature here was what looks like a station made logo for the film, even with it's own no-ghost logo. Love it. 

 Video Provided by Ghostbusters.net

Ok, ¿por qué presentar un anuncio de Telemundo? Debido a que este es Ghostbusters y trasciende todas las barreras del idioma. Es muy bueno que esto también incluye los descansos de acogida. Por suerte mis tres años de español han dado sus frutos y puedo entender un poco lo que se dice. Me gusta el queso.

 Video Provided by Ghostbusters.net

One last trailer for the road, this one attatched to a VHS for RCA/Columbia Pictures release. No info about whether this was the film's inial video release or a re-release. Including it because I'm a completest.(Super special thanks for Ghostbusters.net also being a completest and collecting so many of these spots).

As you can see the Summer of '84 and beyond was all about the 'Ghostbusters' (1984). All these trailers focus on many of the most well-known scenes in the film but, sadly, lack a lot of Winston for some reason. I don't want to assume I just feel the need to point out. These stand as a moment in time when America was being Ghostbuster bombed (but not yet GB obsessed, that will come later). 1984 must of felt like the year of Ghostbusters and there would not be another Summer like it...well, until the Summer of '89 (but that's a story for next Tuesday).