The new Ghostbusters movie looks great, but it’s doing one thing wrong
SonyIt’s early days, but the new Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire trailer has us excited to see what’s next for New York’s premiere paranormal exterminators. That said, there’s one thing about the marketing for Frozen Empire that’s driving us as gaga as Gozer.
Yes, I hate to provoke the mood slime bubbling away under our feet by being negative, but the marketing team is doing something very wrong. Sony (or the team responsible for the comedy movie’s trailers) isn’t using Ray Parker Jr’s Ghostbusters theme in their trailers, and it’s getting under my skin.
There’s something Strange in the neighborhood
Every time I watch the teasers, I expect to hear a triumphant burst of Parker’s iconic music. Unfortunately, every time, I’m as disappointed as Walter Peck’s wife presumably is in her life choices.
It’s a small thing, yes, but it’s a really irritating one. All the other ingredients are there to trigger a rush of dopamine in my brain – the screech of Ecto-1’s horns, the roar of the proton packs, and Janine’s exemplary phone answering skills – but without Parker’s music, I’m left feeling like it’s all foreplay, no ectoplasm.
Of course, I know teasers are meant to titillate, but Afterlife didn’t use the song (except in the credits), and I’m worried Frozen Empire will pull the same trick.
I’m not the only one to think so, either. Parker told CinemaBlend he believes Sony is trying to bury the song. “It seems like after the original Ghostbusters film that they’ve been trying to bury the song,” Parker said. “They don’t really use the song like I thought they were going to use it. I would think they would use it at the beginning or like the library scene to get the crowd up and cheering the song, but for some reason, they keep trying to get some–they keep wanting some new music. So, I’m not sure.”
Anyway, that’s enough moaning like a banshee on the moors, though; let’s address some positives because if you’re a Ghostbusters fan, we’ve been eating as well as Muncher at a scrap yard recently. Sure, Afterlife was divisive, but it’s revitalized the franchise and proven the Ghostbusters films aren’t ready to be consigned to the containment unit any time soon. Even better, Frozen Empire looks to be taking the series to exciting places.
SonyThe Real Ghostbusters
The coolest thing (pun not intended) in the trailer is the film’s unique ghosts. In particular, I like the terrifying design of the new main villain. They look like what would happen if Slender Man and a fridge freezer wearing a Viking helmet could finally resolve their obvious sexual tension, and I’m a big fan of that.
I think what makes this chilling villain so impressive is how it seemingly abandons the design philosophy of the original ’84s movie – or Afterlife, which literally just reused Gozer and the Terror Dogs. Instead, this icy apparition is clearly influenced by the more cartoony ghosts, ghouls, and gods from the animated series The Real Ghostbusters.
SonyIt’s a brilliant move that’ll hopefully allow the series to step out of the shadow of its predecessors and embrace the series’ potential to explore the weird and wonderful. Director Gil Kenan seems to share this sentiment, promising Empire Magazine that Frozen Empire would bring “[The Real Ghostbusters’] looseness and fearlessness to [the] movie.”
As a counterpoint to the sheer oddness of this snowy specter, Kenan has brought some comfortable familiarity back to the series. Frozen Empire looks like it’ll reestablish the new Ghostbusters in the old firehouse and reunite the original team (Hudson, Venkman, Stantz, and Potts) for another chilly adventure. Even better, the Ghostbuster’s original nemesis, Walter Peck, is back to be humiliated all over again, and Slimer’s there to… slime on things, I guess.
Overall, I’m feeling pretty optimistic about Frozen Empire. I know I’ll be there on opening night with my Proton Pack Popcorn Pot (patent pending), ready to watch the team deal with something strange in their neighborhood. Our only request, Mr Sony – if you’re reading this –is that you give the people what they want. Give us the Ghostbuster’s theme.
