Ghostbusters on AMC

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  • #1

    Ghostbusters on AMC

    I watched GHOSTBUSTERS last night on AMC and all I could think about was how much better comedic movies used to be.

    Damn Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill.

    You know, you can write comedy without being crude, obscene, vulgar, and stupid.

    I suggest everyone watch EASY MONEY, STRIPES, and GHOSTBUSTERS again.

    It wouldn't hurt if you watched CADDYSHACK again also. You'll watch it, see the brilliance... and like it.

    Great comedic writers don't need to resort to shortcuts.

    Jeff Shurtleff
    Last edited by Jeff_Shurtleff; 04-02-2011, 12:50 PM.
    "Some men see things the way they are and say why? I see things that never were and say, why not?"

    http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...4669871&v=info
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  • #2
    Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

    I agree with you 100%. However, let's not forget that even these movies have a funny sense of vulgar too. In Stripes John Candy has a naked mud-wrestling match with a gang of tough chicks. In Caddyshack, Bill Murray eats what everyone presumes is a turd. And in Ghostbusters, Dan Aykroyd gets a BJ from a ghost. I think there's room for this style of humour to make us laugh, but I completely agree that todays movies rely on it way too much. I'll take 80's comedies any day over today's gross-out laughers.

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    • #3
      Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

      Originally posted by RGF View Post
      I agree with you 100%. However, let's not forget that even these movies have a funny sense of vulgar too. In Stripes John Candy has a naked mud-wrestling match with a gang of tough chicks. In Caddyshack, Bill Murray eats what everyone presumes is a turd. And in Ghostbusters, Dan Aykroyd gets a BJ from a ghost. I think there's room for this style of humour to make us laugh, but I completely agree that todays movies rely on it way too much. I'll take 80's comedies any day over today's gross-out laughers.
      Not just gross-out stuff. Watching "Hero" the other night (hobo Dustin Hoffman reluctantly rescues people from downed airliner), I was surprised how full of F-bombs it was. In spite of the language it ended up in PG-13 territory, but probably just barely. And that was way back in 1992.

      For instance, I suppose I last saw it in the 90's on T.V., and they probably censored it at that time so I just didn't remember anything but the story. For me, it probably could have been left censored, because it was rather tortuous hearing these thunderbolts in what was otherwise a pretty silly, lighthearted farce.

      As screenwriters, we can increase our market considerably by just lightening up a tad on the language, urination scenes, gross-outs, etc.

      I had a lot of F'ers in one of my scripts but was told to tame it a bit given the rest of the story's content. I did so, and was subsequently able to broaden its market -- even re-send it to a few places who'd already seen it when they heard it was "cooled down" a tad.

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      • #4
        Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

        I agree, Jeff. But you can't say Kevin Smith's flicks aren't hilarious... Guy has a way with dialogue.

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        • #5
          Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

          Today's comedies substitute "Stupid" for "Funny". Once in a while stupid or people acting stupid gets a little laugh. Stupid is better for business because anybody can do stupid.

          "Funny" requires talent and very few people can do it. Therefore, it usually costs more.

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          • #6
            Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

            Originally posted by Klenic View Post
            I agree, Jeff. But you can't say Kevin Smith's flicks aren't hilarious... Guy has a way with dialogue.
            I love Kevin Smith's movies.

            You've got to admit he's old school. His reference to JAWS (Bigger boat) in CLERKS was classic.

            Jeff Shurtleff
            "Some men see things the way they are and say why? I see things that never were and say, why not?"

            http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...4669871&v=info

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            • #7
              Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

              Originally posted by Klenic View Post
              I agree, Jeff. But you can't say Kevin Smith's flicks aren't hilarious... Guy has a way with dialogue.
              Well, it's about being profound and profane at the same time (Randal Graves's "don't leave" speech at the end of "Clerks 2" is so poignant, it makes you forget the "donkey show"), and Jeff's right (though I like "Superbad") about today's comedy films.


              Having a lot of cursing or off-the wall gross out antics doesn't make a funny film because you have to give a damn about the story and the characters. I'm surprised how good the original "Porky's" is after nearly 30 years.
              "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

              "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

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              • #8
                Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

                Well, comedies seem to be more aggressively targeted to teenagers than they used to be. Heavy reliance on the fratboy humor. Which is all well and fine as a niche, but it seems to have reached the point that anyone over thirty is ignored.

                Well, at least the ones that grew out of thinking homophobia and scat is funny.

                The odd thing is that comedy can be smart and childish at the same time...but it seems the suits are leery of alienating part of the audience by allowing jokes that will go right over the mouthbreathers' heads. Even if there'd be plenty of other gags they could get...

                Admittedly, that phenomenon is creeping into all genres. Like having a voiceover at the end that explains the subtext.
                "Forget it, Jake. It's Hollywood."

                My YouTube channel.

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                • #9
                  Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

                  Originally posted by Signal30 View Post
                  Well, comedies seem to be more aggressively targeted to teenagers than they used to be. Heavy reliance on the fratboy humor. Which is all well and fine as a niche, but it seems to have reached the point that anyone over thirty is ignored.

                  Well, at least the ones that grew out of thinking homophobia and scat is funny.

                  The odd thing is that comedy can be smart and childish at the same time...but it seems the suits are leery of alienating part of the audience by allowing jokes that will go right over the mouthbreathers' heads. Even if there'd be plenty of other gags they could get...

                  Admittedly, that phenomenon is creeping into all genres. Like having a voiceover at the end that explains the subtext.
                  How true. I'm in my thirties and profane comedies have lost their impact, unless they have something important to say. I find myself interested in Woody Allen work. Then again, I've been a fan of his since high school. Go figure.
                  "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                  "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

                    Originally posted by catcon View Post

                    As screenwriters, we can increase our market considerably by just lightening up a tad on the language, urination scenes, gross-outs, etc.

                    I had a lot of F'ers in one of my scripts but was told to tame it a bit given the rest of the story's content. I did so, and was subsequently able to broaden its market -- even re-send it to a few places who'd already seen it when they heard it was "cooled down" a tad.

                    I don't know about that. You sometimes don't want to second-guess yourself when writing a profane comedy. You're not writing it for the family crowd, but the college crowd. Still, if you want to watch profane and profound raunch flicks, the first "Porky's" and the "Clerks" films are my best choices.
                    "A screenwriter is much like being a fire hydrant with a bunch of dogs lined up around it.- -Frank Miller

                    "A real writer doesn't just want to write; a real writer has to write." -Alan Moore

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Ghostbusters on AMC

                      I miss witty movies like The Man Who Came to Dinner. You just don't see those too much these days.
                      Chicks Who Script podcast

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