There have been
This is a speculative script of Ghostbusters 3, sort of how it would be if I was the one writing the film. I wrote most of this myself, with help from Dan Davis, Gage Iwaneic, Simone (I don't know his last name), Aaron Holmgren, and other people countless to mention.
As I must, I need to say that this site and script are not affiliated in any way with Columbia/Sony or any branches thereof. Ghostbusters and related characters (Stantz, Venkman, Winston, Janine, Spengler, Louis, Slimer, Oscar, Dana Barrett and Lenny) are © Columbia Pictures 1984, 1989. The concept of Ghostbusters was created by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd.
The characters of Garrett Miller, Roland Jackson, Kylie Griffin, and Eduardo Rivera are © Columbia Pictures 1998.
This spec script is © M. Scott 1998, along with the characters Stubbs, Doreen, Jake and Art. Plus the countless announcers.
To save this to your computer and read it offline (which I suggest you do, as this is truly a Ghostbusters epic), go up to the "File" menu, and use the "Save as..." feature to save this page to your computer as a .txt file. When it is on your computer, feel free to keep it, but make sure you don't pretend it's your own work. Feel free to link to this site.
After you read this story, please make sure to tell me what you think via e-mail. I didn't write this without some desire to see how people react to it.
Thank you, and enjoy!
Ghostbusters 3
by
M. Scott
July 08, 1998
Last revised February 24, 1999
FADE IN:
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING
A fairly attractive woman, DOREEN BOYLE, steps out of a taxicab, her
arms heavy with groceries. She nods to the doorman. He nods back but
does no more.
DOREEN
(exasperated)
Could you open the door for me please, Bill?
The doorman sheepishly opens the door.
DOORMAN
Sorry, Miss Boyle.
She nods a curt thank you and walks in.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING
She walks quickly and confidently across the lobby. Several people tip
their hats, recognizing her. She acknowledges them and crosses to the
elevators.
She fumbles for a moment with the grocery bags, then she drops one.
INSERT - THE BAG
Tumbling in slow motion toward the floor...then a pair of hands whips
out and saves the package from destruction upon the hard marble of the
lobby floor.
BACK TO SCENE
Doreen looks up gratefully. The savior is a good new friend of hers
and a new tenant in the building, HENRY SEDAH. He's a very proper
gentleman, with a very slight British accent but very handsome, "All-
American" features.
DOREEN
(grateful)
Henry, thank God for you.
SEDAH
(grinning)
Aw, shucks ma'am, t'weren't nothin'. The gods
must be on your side today.
DOREEN
Yeah, well, I hope so. Maybe I'll have some
luck contacting Frank tonight.
Sedah's grin falters a little. Doreen doesn't notice.
SEDAH
Doreen, forgive me for forgetting. How long
has Frank been away?
DOREEN
(sighs)
A year so far.
SEDAH
And every time you try to talk to him, he
doesn't talk back?
Doreen doesn't answer but nods semi-sadly.
SEDAH
You want to know what I think? I think you've
gone far too long without male companionship.
What do you say we get together?
Doreen seems reluctant. Sedah pursues.
SEDAH (cont'd)
We'll have great fun together. I promise.
DOREEN
(nods)
All right. I'll think about it.
The elevator arrives with a bell-tone, and Doreen steps on. Sedah
hands her the grocery bag. She yells to him as the doors close.
DOREEN (cont'd)
I guess we can get together some day.
Sedah stands staring at the closed doors for a moment. He turns, and
there is fire dancing in his eyes.
SEDAH
Sooner than you think, my dear. Sooner than
you think.
INT. DOREEN'S APARTMENT (A LITTLE LATER)
Doreen unlocks the door and comes in. She kicks the door shut behind
her. She walks through the living room, pausing to examine the table
to one side.
INT. THE TABLE
On the table is a wood-style Ouija board, possibly but not probably
homemade. Upon it is a plastic planchette, and surrounding it on all
sides are a multitude of black candles, each in various stages of
meltdown.
DOREEN
She sighs and walks through a swinging door on the far side of the
room.
INSERT - CANDLE
Doreen does not see as one candle flickers briefly alight, then
extinguishes itself.
INT. THE KITCHEN (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Doreen sets down the groceries and unpacks a few items. She then sighs
and heads back out of the kitchen.
INSERT - THE FAUCET
Over the kitchen sink, one of the faucet handles turns of its own
accord and blood pours out in a stream.
The faucet turns on the other handle, and the faucet spews water,
washing the blood down. Both handles turn off. All is as it should
be.
INT. THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT (LATER)
It is a few hours later. Doreen takes her hand off the planchette of
the Ouija board and uses it to prop her head up. She stares at the
planchette blankly. Then she begins to blow out the candles.
INT. THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - LATER
She is busy watching the news. A story is on about the upcoming
mayoral election.
T.V. ANNOUNCER
As it is right now, our present mayor, Leonard
"Lenny" Reid, has no immediate threat in his
opposition, newcomer Gary Stockman.
INT. THE LIVING ROOM - NIGHT - POV SHOT
A strange chord of music accompanies the POV: it is a view of Doreen
through someone's--something's--eyes. Its heavy breathing can be
heard, but Doreen seems not to notice. It seems to be behind the
room's other couch.
ANNOUNCER
Even though Reid missed his bid for Governor
several years back by an OVERWHELMING majority,
we need a real man to challenge him, or we may
just see Reid enter an unprecedented FOURTH
four-year term as Mayor.
The eyes focus on the television, absorbing what it's saying, then turn
back to Doreen.
DOREEN
starts to feel as though she is being watched (and she is!). She
fidgets uncomfortably in her seat, looking around nervously.
DOREEN
Is someone there?
No answer, of course.
DOREEN (cont'd)
(to herself)
You're being silly Doreen. Just watch some
T.V. and calm down.
A good suggestion. She seems about to take it...but then the power
goes out.
DOREEN (cont'd)
Just great.
Suddenly, a hissing sound is heard. She looks. A candle on the table
has flared alight. As she watches in horror, all the other candles
flicker on.
They begin to light and extinguish themselves in rapid succession, in
patterns, but even in the flickering of the light, she can see the
Ouija board. She can see it because it is floating in the air. The
planchette is moving across it quickly, spelling one thing out over and
over again: her name.
In case she didn't get the point immediately, the board also goes up in
flames. When it goes out, six letters have arranged themselves in the
center of the board, surrounded by black carbon burn.
D, O, R, E, E, N.
She gets up, to do what God only knows, but then a grunt comes from
behind the other sofa. She stops. Another sound comes, this one an
unearthly snarl.
She scurries behind her sofa, looking for the phone...and immediately
barks her shin on the phone table, knocking the phone to the floor.
She grabs it, stands up, and dials 911 as she moves away from the
couch...and a huge shadowy shape looms up behind her in the moonlight.
911 OPERATOR
(filter)
911 Emergency.
DOREEN
Hello, this is Doreen Boyle. There's been a
blackout in my apartment and I think there's
someone in my apartment with me.
911 OPERATOR
(filter, speaking quickly)
All right, ma'am, please give me your address
and we will dispatch a unit immediately.
But Doreen doesn't hear this. She has dropped the phone, listening
instead to the heavy breathing behind her.
She turns slowly...and screams as a bright light illuminates her face
and an ungodly roar joins her in hellish harmony.
EXT. NEW YORK CITY STREET - GHOSTBUSTERS LOGO - NEXT DAY
The THEME MUSIC kicks in with the view of the familiar "No Ghosts"
symbol -- without the silly two fingers -- painted on the side of the
Ghostbusters' emergency vehicle, the Ectomobile, as it wails down the
street back home to the Ghostbusters firehouse. The electronic
scrolling words mounted on its side read "ANOTHER SUCCESS FOR THE
GHOSTBUSTERS!"
All the Ghostbusters are inside. RAYMOND STANTZ is driving, EGON
SPENGLER is riding shotgun, and WINSTON ZEDDEMORE is in the back with
PETER VENKMAN. But this is not readily visible, because smoke is
pouring out of all the open windows.
INT. FIREHOUSE GARAGE (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
The Ecto pulls in, turning off its siren, and the Ghostbusters
secretary JANINE MELNITZ walks up to it, as Stantz shuts off the
engine. The Ghosbusters pile out frantically, each of them holding a
pair of smoking traps in each hand -- four traps per Ghostbuster.
JANINE
(coughing)
So how was Amityville?
STANTZ
(wearily)
Possessed.
VENKMAN
If I ever again hear someone call it the
"Amityville Hoax," I won't be responsible for
my actions.
WINSTON
It took all of us to hold Jodie down.
JANINE
Jodie's the pig, right?
SPENGLER
(correcting her)
Jodie WAS the pig, yes.
JANINE
(confidentially, to Spengler)
I was reading up on the Amityville Horror while
you guys were away. I'm really proud of you
guys. How did you plug up that well?
SPENGLER
(to Stantz)
Ray, tell her about the well.
STANTZ
The dimensional portal?
Spengler nods.
STANTZ (cont'd)
(to Janine)
The well was filled with black slime. We
thought of reversing the particle flow, but the
gate had been open too long for that to be
effective. So we sealed the well permanently.
JANINE
How'd you do that?
Stantz gestures to the Ecto. Winston has pulled an empty SLIME-BLOWER
out of the back and is taking it back to the armory.
JANINE
Oh...
SPENGLER
We got some very good readings from the well
before we sealed it.
STANTZ
Can we use them?
SPENGLER
Definitely.
VENKMAN
You do that. I'm going to get some sleep. I
had no idea Amityville was that far away. They
really should have called us sooner.
Venkman walks away, AD LIB griping good-naturedly. Janine walks away
after him with a pair of traps, and Spengler looks at Stantz.
SPENGLER
I'm too old for this.
STANTZ
What? Are you kidding me? I saw the way you
held down that one hellspawn. Remember that?
SPENGLER
Yes. But I don't know if I could do it again.
STANTZ
(sighs)
I know, Egon, but we have to keep going. The
world needs the Ghostbusters.
Spengler nods.
SPENGLER
We need some new blood. To keep the business
going after our lifespans end.
STANTZ
That's an idea! I'll have Janine place a "Help
Wanted" ad in the Times.
SPENGLER
I'm going to retire from ghostbusting in
practice. But I will stay on and work on it in
theory. I'll also train the new recruits.
STANTZ
Training. The lucky bastards.
SPENGLER
We can use the old repair area for the fire
trucks as a training area. We'll just have to
seal up the doors for the trucks with concrete.
(snaps his fingers)
(excitedly)
We could use Slimer as a training ghost.
STANTZ
Good. Put the little spud to use. That's a
plan. I'll tell the others.
Spengler nods in agreement and Stantz walks away as fast as he can with
his traps, coughing. Spengler stares at the traps in his hands and
sighs.
SPENGLER
(quietly)
I am going to miss this, though.
He presses a button mounted on the wall and the garage doors rumble
shut.
He leaves the garage.
INT. RECEPTION AREA (CONTINUOUS)
Spengler walks by Janine's desk. He is about to head down to the
containment unit when something on the wall catches his eye. It is a
mirror.
INSERT -- THE MIRROR
Spengler's reflection, tired and worn, is clearly visible in the
mirror.
Above the mirror is written "THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE
TEAM -- SAFETY FIRST!"
Spengler sighs again and leaves.
INT. JANINE'S PHONE (A LITTLE LATER)
It begins ringing. Janine comes up the stairs from the containment
unit and yells, absurdly:
JANINE
I'll get it!
(picks up the phone)
Ghostbusters.
INT. CONTAINMENT UNIT (SAME TIME)
The Ghostbusters are standing around the unit, calmly talking shop over
coffee and donuts.
STANTZ
That was definitely worth the long drive. I
mean, we actually came up against one of the
strongest demonic forces ever to be publicized
and beat it!
He nonchalantly takes a bite of his donut.
VENKMAN
And the pay was pretty good, too.
WINSTON
It wasn't nearly as bad as the books made it
sound.
VENKMAN
Well, the smell was pretty bad.
SPENGLER
But definitely not as bad as Slimer.
SLIMER pokes his head through the wall at the sound of his name.
Venkman looks over.
VENKMAN
I still haven't completely forgiven you for
that slime thing. You know. The little
incident with my roast beef sandwiches last
week.
Slimer frowns. Venkman sighs.
VENKMAN
Oh, hell. Here, have a donut.
Slimer floats over, grabs a donut, and scarfs it down. It falls
through his body and hits the floor. Slimer burps and flies back
through the wall. The Ghostbusters watch him go without interest.
WINSTON
That reminds me. We're out of Mylanta.
Janine yells down the stairs to them.
JANINE
We've got a call, guys!
Stantz groans.
STANTZ
Tell him we just got back from a job. We'll get
there later today.
A beat. And then:
JANINE
They say they won't wait.
VENKMAN
Well, just who the hell do they think they are?
Another pause.
JANINE
The NYPD.
Venkman jumps, caught off guard. He looks at his co-workers. Stantz
looks meaningfully at Spengler. Spengler shrugs.
SPENGLER
I'll retire from field work tomorrow.
Stantz grins and nods.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LATER
The police have all parked around the building. The Ecto pulls up and
the Ghostbusters, tired but official, get out and shoulder their proton
packs. A police detective, DETECTIVE STUBBS, approaches them. He
introduces himself. the Ghostbusters do the same.
STANTZ
What's the deal?
STUBBS
Well, I'm not really sure what we're dealing
with here. We got a 911 distress call at about
ten-thirty last night. The caller dropped the
phone before we could get the address, but we
have a computer that tracks the address just in
case.
STANTZ
What was the call?
STUBBS
A woman caller told the operator that there had
been a blackout and there was someone else in
the apartment with her.
VENKMAN
That sounds like a normal police case.
STUBBS
Yeah, well, it stopped being normal right about
there. No one else reported a blackout and all
the circuts were checked. They've been working
fine.
STANTZ
That's still no reason to call us in.
Stubbs sighs in resignation.
STUBBS
Just check out the apartment for us, okay? My
men have been informed to let you in. Seventh
floor.
Stantz puts a pair of ecto-detection goggles on his head and walks in.
The others follow.
INT. SEVENTH FLOOR HALLWAY (A LITTLE LATER)
The Ghostbusters step off the elevator and look around. A policeman is
interviewing and elderly couple. Across the hall from him stands a
group of policemen outside an apartment. Stantz motions the others
cautiously forward. He is holding a PKE meter. Spengler clutches the
Giga-meter.
INT. THE APARTMENT (CONTINUOUS)
Looking into the apartment, it is instantly obvious why the
Ghostbusters were called. There are large amounts of ectoplasm on the
walls and some behind the couch. The Ouija board and planchette and
candles are all covered in a film of slime.
Both meters instantly indicate high readings. Stantz swallows and puts
on the goggles. He jumps at what he sees and takes them back off.
STANTZ
Something was definitely here.
WINSTON
I don't need those goggles to know that.
STANTZ
Okay, keep on your guard, fellas.
They begin inspecting the room.
INT. SEVENTH FLOOR HALLWAY (LATER)
The policeman has moved further down the hall and is now interviewing
the "distraught" Sedah.
SEDAH
I can't believe it. I just can't. I talked to
her just yesterday!
The policeman attempts to calm Sedah as the Ghostbusters come out of
the apartment.
THE PKE METER on Stantz's belt reads zero -- until they get near Sedah,
at which point the needle leaps into the red.
STANTZ looks at the meter, then at Spengler.
SPENGLER looks at the Giga-meter and switches it on. The needle flies
into the red and the thing begins to click madly.
VENKMAN
What the hell is going on?
SEDAH looks at the Ghostbusters over the policeman's shoulder. He
looks worried, but the policeman dismisses it as worry over Doreen.
SEDAH
(thinking quickly, to the
officer)
Would you come inside? I need to sit down.
The policeman agrees and Sedah closes the door behind him, sparing a
menacing glance toward the Ghostbusters which no one else sees.
Both of the meters on Spengler and Stantz's belts suddenly drop back
into inactivity. They look at each other in surprise. Stantz
swallows.
STANTZ
Must have been a malfunction in the meters.
SPENGLER
I doubt it.
STANTZ
Uh-huh. So do I.
EXT. DETECTIVE STUBBS - LATER
He is watching the Ectomobile as it pulls away from the curb. He
quietly repeats to himself what the Ghostbusters told him.
STUBBS
"You've got PKE activity, but no ghost. We'll
get back to you."
(snorts disapproval)
Some scientists.
He walks into the apartment building.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - NEXT DAY
A young man, JAKE MARLEY, is reading the New York Times on a park
bench.
His friend, ART RADLEY, is busy whistling at women as they pass by.
The newspaper headline is "The Amityville Hustle," with the subtitle
"Ghostbusters Conclude the Famous Demonic Case."
A secondary story is "Reid Up Thirty Percent in Latest Poll."
Jake puts down the front page and picks up the classified section. Art
looks away from the women for a minute.
ART
Why do you look through that paper every damn
day, man?
JAKE
I'm tired of having to ask our parents for
cash. I want to get an easy job that pays.
(excited)
Like this one!
Art peers over his shoulder.
INSERT - CLASSIFIED AD
The ad indicated by Jake's finger is headed by the "No Ghost" symbol.
Beneath is written: "Ghostbusters. Help Wanted. No experience
required. Set up an interview at the number below. 555-2987"
BACK TO SCENE
Art looks unbelievingly at Jake.
ART
GHOSTBUSTERS?!
(picks up front page, points to
headline)
THESE Ghostbusters? Jake, are you crazy?
JAKE
Art, there's no such thing as "ghosts."
ART
Yeah, and -- ?
JAKE
AND, since there's no such thing as ghosts,
ghostBUSTING must be a breeze.
Understanding dawns on Art's face.
ART
Okay, let's find a phone.
INT. FIREHOUSE - NEXT DAY
Stantz and Venkman are standing around with the television on in the
background, discussing the first police case they've ever truly been
involved with.
VENKMAN
Okay, Ray, this just doesn't make sense. You've
researched the building. It doesn't have a
history of paranormal activity. No one died in
that apartment. What's the deal?
STANTZ
Well, I noticed that the woman had been using a
Ouija board. Ouija boards are supposedly a way
of contacting the dead.
VENKMAN
What is it about me that makes everyone think
they have to explain everything to me? Is it
my hair? I KNOW what a Ouija board is.
STANTZ
Okay, okay. But unfortunately by calling for
spirits to manifest, you may be inviting demons
into your life. Like in "The Exorcist."
VENKMAN
Well, that wasn't pea soup all over the walls.
(thinks for a moment)
Was it?
STANTZ
(shakes his head)
No, it was definitely ectoplasmic residue.
(beat)
I think that the tenant woman is the first
person ever to be abducted by the paranormal.
VENKMAN
Unless you count toothless people from Inwood,
Iowa.
STANTZ
I'm going to do some research on the tenant.
That might explain the Ouija board, if nothing
else.
Venkman is about to respond when a huge metallic bang comes through the
open window.
VENKMAN
What the -- ?
He walks over to the window and looks out.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE WINDOW (CONTINUOUS)
Venkman looks out to see a huge cement truck pouring cement down the
ramps which lead down to the unused truck repair center.
VENKMAN
(yelling over the noise)
Hey, what are you doing? We've made all our
payments for this month!
He just now notices Spengler standing next to the truck, watching the
cement pour.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Egon, what the hell are you doing?
Spengler looks up. He motions for the truck driver to keep pouring.
SPENGLER
I'm going to train the new recruits in our
repair garage.
VENKMAN
They get training now?
SPENGLER
If the proton streams hit the doors they would
blast them apart. We need to reinforce the
doors so that no one sues us.
VENKMAN
Why would they be shooting the doors?
SPENGLER
If they're anything like us, they'll be
shooting everything.
INT. THE TELEVISION (SAME TIME)
Venkman and Spengler are arguing in the background, and Stantz is
watching cartoons without interest. The cartoon is interrupted with a
SPECIAL REPORT BULLETIN. The announcer seems a bit shaken by the news
he is about to deliver.
ANNOUNCER
Hello, I'm Trey Holland. Mayoral candidate
Gary Stockman has been found murdered in his
New York home. He was shot in the head
sometime last night.
(a picture of Stockman is shown
onscreen)
Stockman was born and raised in a Brooklyn
home, the only child of a single mother. His
father was killed in the war. This was his
first attempt at any political position. The
police have no leads. We will have a more
fitting tribute to Mr. Stockman tonight at six.
We now return you to your regular programming.
INT. JANINE'S PHONE
It rings and she picks it up.
JANINE
(bored)
Ghostbusters.
(listens)
Uh-huh. Right.
(more excited)
Oh, sure, sure. So, how many arms did you say?
Uh-huh. Okay, just give me the
address...right. They'll be right there.
She hangs up the phone and turns to the button on her desk. It has
written above and below "$$$ CALLS ONLY." She slams her hand down on
the button.
INT. REC ROOM - SAME TIME
The Ghostbusters THEME MUSIC starts and Stantz and Venkman galvanize
into action, riding quickly down the firepole. Winston hurries out of
the bathroom, buckling his belt, and slides down the pole.
INT. FIREHOUSE GARAGE - CONTINUOUS
The Ecto roars and wails out onto the street and the MONTAGE begins.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(fades in)
...whereas the new mayoral candidate, Henry
Sedah, has climbed five percent in the latest
polls.
(changes topic)
But now, on to a less political topic. With
fifteen years of experience under their belt,
the Ghostbusters are still going strong.
Earlier this week they returned from a
successful campaign launched against the spooks
of Amityville.
EXT. TIMES SQUARE
The Ghostbusters proudly hold up a smoking trap for all the witnesses
to see.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Last night they were spotted at Central Park,
where they did away with a dead old man who
frightened the kiddies with his ghostly
doberman.
And just today they were headed for Radio City
Music Hall to grab the diva that wouldn't leave-
a.
INT. RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
The manager, sobbing, is counting out bills into Venkman's hand.
Behind them, Radio City Music Hall is in total disarray.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(chuckles at his idiotic joke)
Who knows what the Ghostbusters will be up to
next? All I know is that they'd better not
lose steam anytime soon. There're plenty of
people who think they've seen ghosts, and lots
of money to be made. Maybe I should become a
Ghostbuster.
(chuckles again)
On a more serious topic, still no leads as to
the murder of Gary Stockman...
INT. FIREHOUSE REC ROOM - NIGHT
Spengler is busy assembling a huge machine against the wall which faces
the street. He is working under some strain. He wipes sweat off his
forehead with his arm, takes a drink of soda, and sets back to work.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK - DAY
The Ecto takes a sudden detour through the park, sending picnickers and
crack fiends scattering.
EXT. THE BRONX - NIGHT
The Ghostbusters are walking nervously down a dark alley, their proton
guns drawn. Behind them, huddled together in fright, is a gang of the
toughest hoods you've ever seen. With them is a reporter.
A gangster ghost jumps out and pulls a tommy gun on the Ghostbusters.
They fire at him.
INSERT - NEWSPAPER HEADLINE
The headline, with a picture of Stantz firing his weapon, is "Fumble in
the Bronx." The subhead, "Ghost Makes Mistake of Attacking
Ghostbusters."
INT. ELLIS ISLAND
The Ghostbusters are being paid by a greatful groundskeeper.
NEWSPAPER HEADLINE
"Ghostly Immigrant Deported."
INT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING - GIFT SHOP
The gift shop patrons are looking desperate, and they all get into the
elevators as the Ghostbusters get off and take over.
SOUVENEIR EMPIRE STATE BUILDING MODELS
They are picked up by invisible hands and thrown, needles first, at the
Ghostbusters. The Ghostbusters fire, shattering the glass doors and
vaporizing the models.
EXT. THE STREET BELOW - SAME TIME
Onlookers point and gawk at the lightshow being fired in all directions
from the top of the building.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE
The car pulls up a street to confront a very large spectre looming up
in the center of the street. Civilians are scrambling in all
directions.
The spectre roars -- and the Ectomobile fires a strong proton blast at
it. The ghost is snared, the car fires an energy beam at it, and the
ghost is sucked into a trap mounted on top of the car.
INT. THE GHOSTBUSTERS FIREHOUSE
THEME MUSIC fades out. Spengler and Stantz are putting the finishing
tweaks on a huge machine that seems only half-finished. Wires and
hoses are hanging to the ground and some of the metal plates seem only
half-on.
STANTZ
(excited)
This is it, Egon! The first real glimpse of
the spirit realm! We'll go down in history!
SPENGLER
If history continues to exist after our first
test of this equipment.
Stantz frowns but doesn't respond. He walks over to the other side of
the machine, where there is a large switch and a window. Stantz wraps
a hand around the handle of the switch.
STANTZ
(to Spengler)
Turn on the tape.
Spengler flips on a tape recorder.
STANTZ (cont'd)
(loudly, towards the tape)
Test, test.
Spengler stops and plays Stantz's voice back successfully. He rewinds
and switches the tape back on. He then leans in much closer than
necessary and begins to yell into the microphone.
SPENGLER
Test of inter-dimensional apparatus. We are
now preparing to open the gate to worlds beyond
our own. First test.
He nods to Stantz.
STANTZ
(to the recorder)
Subject: Ray Stantz. First living human to
travel to the spirit realm.
(to Spengler)
Okay, I'm going in. Cover me.
He takes a deep breath, holds it, and throws the switch. For a moment
everything gets psychedelic and the world begins to spin. Then, it
comes back into focus.
Stantz is still in the Firehouse...but it's not right. It's older, run-
down, mouldy. Dark. Stantz doesn't notice. He is too intent on what
he sees out the window.
POV - STANTZ
Outside the window, it seems that the world has gone insane within two
seconds.
Two men are walking down the street; one bumps into the other. The
other, without giving it a moment's thought, pulls a gun and shoots the
first man, not missing a step. The first man continues along his way
with a huge hole in the side of his head.
A red cab purposefully swerves out of the center of the road to run
down a pedestrian. The pedestrian passes through the cab, extending
his middle finger to the back of the cab as it drives away.
A bum across the street is panhandling with a skeletal hand. Someone
kicks him and one of his feet clatters down the sidewalk. He gets up
reluctantly and retrieves it.
And just barely visible in the distance is the Statue of Liberty. She
looks terrible. The metal of her body is a charred black. The points
of her crown appear to be curved, like horns. Instead of a torch, she
holds aloft what appears to be a pitchfork.
STANTZ's face is shiny with sweat. He blinks heavily. He is
frightened out of his mind - but he is also exultant. His eyes are
full of terror, but a grin is plastered to his face. His hand is still
on the switch.
Spengler is still behind him, but, like everything else, something is
not quite right about him.
STANTZ
(turning to Spengler)
We did it! Egon, we--
He breaks off as he finishes turning, and comes face-to-rotting-face
with Spengler's decaying doppelganger.
HELLISH SPENGLER's eyes are glazed but intelligent. His skin his a
disgusting green- yellow, and there are places where dirty bone are
visible. Worms and bugs are crawling around in his thin white hair.
It appears at first that he is grinning, but that proves only to be
because his lips have rotted away, baring his teeth in an eternal
sneer.
He reaches out hands from which great gobs of flesh are hanging and
proceeds to throttle Stantz.
Stantz beats at Hellish Spengler with his free hand, and as he readies
his other hand for the fight, he inadvertantly throws the switch back.
Everything swirls, and the world is suddenly back to normal...but
Spengler -- normal Spengler -- still has his hands wrapped around
Stantz's throat. His eyes are squeezed together with the strain.
STANTZ
(choking)
Egon! EGON!
Spengler opens his eyes, and then opens them wider as he sees Stantz.
He lets go, and Stantz falls to the floor. Spengler stares at his
hands. There is slime on the palms.
Stantz rubs his neck. His hand also comes away with slime on it. His
neck is soaked with it. He coughs, then stands up.
STANTZ
What happened?
SPENGLER
(still shocked)
After you threw the switch, you seemed to decay
right in front of me. I tried to talk to
you...it, and it attacked me. I had just
gotten it... subdued...when you reappeared in
my hands.
Stantz looks at the machine, then at Spengler. He wipes his neck and
stares at the slime for a moment. Then he walks over to the tape
recorder, which is still going. He leans in close and speaks softly.
STANTZ
(calmly)
Test successful.
He switches the tape off.
INT. THE FIREHOUSE (LATER)
Stantz is leading Venkman and Winston into the room with the large
machine. Spengler is busy doing his best to complete the machine's
wiring. Stantz, Venkman and Winston are all wearing a proton pack and
each has a trap attached to his belt.
VENKMAN
THIS is why we went all the way to hell and
back in Amityville?
SPENGLER
(to Stantz)
I'm not too sure, but I think that your double
being sent here was a result of equal mass
displacement, something that probably kept the
universe from collapsing on itself the last
time you crossed over. I think that the
connections I've finished making should be
enough to equalize the mass of both dimensions
without someone having to be sent here.
STANTZ
(to Spengler)
Great.
(to the others)
You guys ready?
WINSTON
(hesitantly)
You know, I think this could be a mistake. I
mean, isn't it dangerous to meet the spooks on
their own turf?
Stantz and Spengler exchange glances. Stantz sighs.
STANTZ
Egon and I have been working on some
experiments concerning our ectoplasmic
containment unit. But to continue the
experiments, we have to have a more
concentrated form of ectoplasm.
SPENGLER
We've determined that ectoplasm is less potent
in this world than in its own. For the purpose
of the experiments, I need you to catch a
ghost.
Venkman is considerably less excited at the chance to travel to the
spirit realm than Stantz was.
VENKMAN
Piece of cake. So why do three of us need to
go?
SPENGLER
If the ectoplasm is of a different
concentration in that world, it's almost
impossible to guess how effective the proton
packs will be in that world.
VENKMAN
I heard the word "almost" in that sentence.
Get on your calculator and figure it out. We
have other calls to get to.
STANTZ
Venkman, if our experiment works, there will
never be any calls again!
VENKMAN
And why is that?
STANTZ
I'll explain as soon as we get back.
Venkman rolls his eyes.
INT. THE SWITCH
Stantz walks over to it and grabs hold. He reaches for Venkman's hand.
Venkman takes his hand reluctantly. Winston grabs Venkman's hand.
VENKMAN
So now what? Do we start singing?
WINSTON
Anything but Kumbaya!
Stantz doesn't answer, but instead flips the switch.
INT. HELLISH FIREHOUSE GARAGE - LATER
The Ghostbusters walk by a car that looks very similar to the
Ectomobile.
They don't notice, but the license plate reads BLOOD-1.
Stantz puts a hand up against the button that opens the door
mechanically. At least some things are the same. He breathes deeply
and pushes the button. The firehouse doors rumble open, and the
squeaking of the hinges uncannily resembles a woman's scream. The
Ghostbusters stare out of the open doors.
EXT. THE STREET
It's even worse than Stantz first saw. A vendor across the street is
selling hot dogs -- or rather, human fingers in a bun.
A skeletal bum, not the same one as before, holds a cardboard sign
written in blood: WILL HAUNT FOR FOOD. PLEASE HELP. HADES BLESS YOU.
As the Ghostbusters walk out of the Firehouse, a wandering, crazy old
man with cobwebs for hair accosts Venkman.
CRAZY GUY
Please, miss, can ya tell me the way home?
Venkman makes to pull his gun, but the old man is already wandering
away, singing "Do You Know the Muffin Man?" in a warbled voice.
Venkman swallows.
VENKMAN
There's some in every universe.
EXT. THE SIGN
None of the Ghostbusters notice that the sign on the Firehouse, like
the firehouse itself, is different. Inside a blue prohibition circle
is... a Ghostbuster?
EXT. THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They're looking around for something to bust. Stantz points down the
street. They look.
A PIMP is standing down the block, surrounded by his skeletal
"escorts." On his rotting fingers are rings of all shapes and sizes.
He is wearing sunglasses despite his lack of a nose, and there are
chains made of gold-dipped bone around his neck.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS start down the block, trying to blend in. No one
seems to pay them any notice. Several pedestrians head toward them.
Venkman and Winston dodge out of their beeline, but Stantz isn't fast
enough. He prepares for impact...
...but instead, he passes right through one of the pedestrians. He
feels himself to make sure he's still solid, and then follows the other
two. A red hand covered in scales reaches out from the darkness of an
alley and grabs his ankle.
He looks down and sees a demon bum sitting crosslegged in the alley.
One of the animal horns growing out of his skull is broken, the other
looks infected. He holds out a cup and shakes it. Coins jingle
inside.
DEMON BUM
Can ya spare some?
Stantz, not thinking, prepares to reach into one of his pockets, but
then looks into the cup.
INSERT - THE CUP
It is not filled with coins, as first was inferred. Instead it is
filled with toenails, bones, and even a human eye.
BACK TO SCENE
Stantz recoils and runs to catch up to the others. The demon bum yells
in the background, screaming the worst insult he can think of:
DEMON BUM
Oh yeah? Well, may God's face shine upon you!
The Ghostbusters approach the pimp him, guns drawn. Each one of them
can be heard charging up on his own.
The pimp turns to them.
THE PIMP
Hey, fellas. Can I interest you in some female
companionship?
Venkman looks them over, and he sees one that catches his eye--because
she looks normal. In fact, she looks highly uncomfortable walking
around in her call girl outfit. Venkman points her out, distracting
the pimp as the other two get ready for the entrapment.
VENKMAN
What's her name?
THE PIMP
That little lady there, her name's Rosemary.
Venkman stares at the pimp to see if he's joking or not. He's not.
VENKMAN
I think I know who I want to take home.
The pimp smiles grotesquely.
THE PIMP
Really? Who?
Venkman points at the pimp.
THE PIMP (cont'd)
Hey, man, I don't swing that way.
Venkman nods at the other two, who open up their proton streams on the
pimp. He nearly breaks free, and Venkman opens fire as well. Together
they just barely get him over the trap. Stantz opens and closes the
trap. The trap instantly begins to smoke.
The Ghostbusters smile at a job well done, but then something catches
their attention: the street has gone silent. They look up and down the
street. All the cars have stopped dead in the street. Everyone is
staring at the Ghostbusters.
VENKMAN
Okay, I'm guessing this is probably an ungood
thing.
A moment later, after more silence, and Rosemary points an accusing
finger at the Ghostbusters. She opens her mouth, and an unearthly howl
comes from deep within her.
The howl seems to break the dimension's paralysis, and all of the
people within the city block begin to move slowly in on the
Ghostbusters.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Definitely double-plus ungood.
The Ghostbusters break into a sprint back for the Firehouse. Seeing
that they are about to get away, all the ghouls and ghosts and demons
and banshees begin to run towards them. A few zombies continue to
wander slowly.
The Ghostbusters just start blasting randomly at anything that seems
too close. Venkman stands out in front of the Firehouse with his gun
on full stream.
VENKMAN
(to the others)
Go! I'll catch up to you!
The others don't have to be told twice. They run into the garage, past
Blood-1 and the button that closes the doors.
INSERT - THE BUTTON
It just sits there...then a hands slams down on it. The hand belongs
to Hellish Spengler.
EXT. VENKMAN
He doesn't notice as the doors scream shut behind him, leaving him
trapped alone on the streets of Hellish New York.
A demon with one of his horns pierced reaches menacingly toward
Venkman, but a proton blast knocks him halfway across the street.
Venkman backs up, taunting the citizens of Hellish NYC, then abruptly
switches off his stream, turns tail and, not realizing the doors are
closed, runs --
INT. THE FIREHOUSE GARAGE (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
-- THROUGH one of the Firehouse doors. He blinks at the sudden
gloominess and turns. Stunned to see the Firehouse doors closed before
him, he looks down to assure himself of his own solidity. Then he
reaches out a hand to touch the door...and it goes through as though
Venkman himself were a mere puff of smoke. Venkman stares for a moment
-- and then is yanked through the door.
EXT. HELLISH NYC (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
A cab driver, his mummified head complete with a turban, has Venkman's
arm locked in his own. Venkman concentrates...and the cabbie's hands
come together on themselves, passing through Venkman's arm. Venkman
twiddles his fingers at the demonic throng behind the cabbie, then
ducks back into the Firehouse.
INT. THE FIREHOUSE GARAGE
Venkman stares at the door and listens briefly as the throng beats on
it, trying to get in. Venkman laughs to himself -- then stops as he
hears a grunt behind him. He turns to find Hellish Spengler right
behind him.
Hellish Spengler reaches out, his hands claws, preparing to strangle
Venkman...but they close around thin air as Venkman's tangibility
lessens. Venkman laughs.
VENKMAN
Don't worry. I'm having as much trouble
getting used to it as you are.
(concerned)
You know, that's not a very good look for you.
You might look better with skin, but maybe
that's just me. What you've got going seems to
be the look around here.
Hellish Spengler sneers and turns, plodding angrily away toward the
rusted lockers next to the firepole. Venkman sneers mockingly back and
runs after the other two.
INT. THE STAIRS (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Venkman stares at them. The wood is rotten and warped, crumbling. No
one is standing on them, yet they creak and groan consistently.
Venkman takes a deep breath and starts up.
He gets about halfway up before one of his feet plunges down into the
darkness below the stairs. He pulls it up...but then it is pulled down
again by a hand. He steps up onto a more stable step and peers down
into the darkness. What he sees unnerves him.
INT. UNDER THE STAIRS
There are about three people under the stairs, from what Venkman can
see...human, living people. Their faces are dirty and frightened. A
woman speaks to Venkman. She is familiar.
WOMAN
Help us...please help...
Venkman swallows. He tries to speak bravely and heroically, and he
does a fair job of it.
VENKMAN
There's nothing I can do right now, but I swear
that you'll get out of here. Hang in there.
Amazingly, the woman nods bravely and sits down. Venkman runs up the
stairs. The stairs moan in protest, but none of them break.
INT. THE UPPER ROOM (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Stantz is making sure all the switches are in the right position.
Venkman accosts him.
VENKMAN
There are people under the stairs. We need to
come back for them or something.
STANTZ
We have a bigger problem on our hands, Pete.
VENKMAN
(unbelieving)
What?
STANTZ
(RE: the machine)
Our doubles. They didn't open the gate on this
side. That means they might be away right now.
VENKMAN
Can we get back?
STANTZ
Well, yeah, but --
VENKMAN
(interrupting)
But WHAT?!
STANTZ
-- but that means that they could open the gate
and cross over on their own!
(to himself)
Spengler and I will have to make some
adjustments as soon as we get back. I'm trying
to make the same adjustments on this gate, but
the wiring is different.
Venkman opens his mouth to answer, but stops as a huge glob of slime
splats onto the machine from behind him. He jumps and turns. Hellish
Spengler is pointing a plasma pack gun at him. He flicks the trigger
switch and Venkman is drenched with slime. Winston and Stantz fire
their own guns, but, like themselves, the beams pass through Hellish
Spengler.
VENKMAN
Get us back!
STANTZ
(panicked)
No! I'm not finished!
Venkman grabs Stantz's elbow. Winston grabs the other. Venkman grabs
for the switch...and his hand passes through it. Another blast of
slime shoots by. Venkman concentrates...and grabs the switch. He
throws it, the world swirls...
INT. THE MANHATTAN CITY BANK (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
...and comes back into focus with the Ghostbusters standing in the
Lobby of the bank. They don't notice.
Venkman looks down at himself, covered with slime.
VENKMAN
Just like the old days. Or last week. Good
old Slimer.
Stantz smiles a small smile, but it is wiped off his face with the bang
of a gun and the whine of a ricocheting bullet. The bullet catches
their undivided attention, and they realize with a shock where they
are.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Why aren't we in the Firehouse?
Stantz prepares to answer, but a policeman on a bullhorn interrupts.
POLICEMAN
(over the bullhorn)
I repeat: holster your weapons and put your
hands up!
Venkman, Stantz and Winston hook their guns to their belts and put
their hands reluctantly into the air.
Venkman looks around in a more detailed search and notices that there
is a frightened security guard pinned to the wall by a huge glob of
slime.
Several other bankers are scattered behind desks and chairs, beginning
to poke their heads up to see how their hostage situation is going to
end. Large blotches of slime discolor the walls and floor. A thick
mixture of slime and dollar bills drips slowly from one of the
chandeliers. Policemen stand on the second-story balcony, guns drawn
and pointed at the Ghostbusters.
VENKMAN
(persuasively)
Oh, okay, I get it! You think WE did this!
He begins to step forward to explain, but a bullet hits the ground near
his feet and he wisely backs off.
VENKMAN
You don't understand! We're the good guys!
POLICEMAN
(over the bullhorn)
Save it. I'm gonna read you your rights now.
You'll probably want to pay attention. "You
have the right to remain silent. Anything you
say can and will be used against you in a court
of law..."
INT. THE GHOSTBUSTER'S UNDERGROUND TRAINING CENTER - NEXT DAY
Spengler is in the office that is off to the side of the center. The
center is a huge room, cleared of almost everything -- the only things
in the room are a table, upon which are two proton packs and a trap,
and a camera in the corner of the room.
Spengler is tweaking a very large machine -- not anywhere near the size
of the dimensional gate, but still fairly large. It's a chamber of
some sort. He twists a screw carefully...ever so carefully into
place...and then Janine's voice comes in loudly over the intercom.
JANINE
(filter, over the intercom)
Egon! Is this thing working? EGON!
He jumps, and the screw falls to the floor, rolling away. He sighs and
walks over to his desk. He presses a button on the phone.
SPENGLER
(with as much politeness
as he can muster)
You're coming in fine, Janine. What is it?
JANINE
(filter, over the intercom)
The trainees are here.
SPENGLER
That's great. Send them down.
He leaves the office, closing the door behind him. He stands by the
equipment table, looking expectantly but blandly up the stairs. There
is a buzzing noise, it fills the empty training hall, and the door
clicks open. The two trainees, Jake and Art, come down the stairs.
SPENGLER
Welcome. I am Doctor Egon Spengler, a
scientist and co-founder of the Ghostbusters.
JAKE
(amused at Spengler's
seriousness)
Yeah.
(indicating himself and
Art)
We've seen you guys on T.V. We saw your ad in
the paper a few days ago and we thought we'd
check it out.
SPENGLER
Welcome aboard.
He observes the look of surprise on the trainees' faces, nods in
satisfaction, and continues.
SPENGLER
I trust Janine has already screened you?
ART
You mean that secretary chick upstairs? Yeah,
she asked us this long question about whether
we believed in a whole bunch of crazy stuff; we
told her yes.
JAKE
(grinning shamelessly)
But we kinda lied 'cause we need the job. We
don't believe in ghosts.
Spengler tries to hide a smile of his own as he gets back to the set
routine.
SPENGLER
You will need to learn how to use the equipment
here on the table.
(points them out)
The proton pack...and the ghost trap. By using
this equipment, you will be able to catch and
hold a ghost indefinitely.
ART
Hey, he just told you, we don't believe --
Spengler waves him off, interrupting as he continues.
SPENGLER
To aid you in your learning, our resident
spectre Slimer will create a realistic capture.
On cue, Slimer flies in through a far wall, leaving a dark glob of
ectoplasmic residue behind him. He zips over and hovers beside
Spengler.
The eyes of the trainees are wide with terror. They are gaping like
fish, trying to scream.
Slimer stares at them curiously for a moment, then smiles. It's an
endearing smile, but it might be considered frightening by the
uninitiated.
Now the trainees scream at the top of their lungs and bolt for the
stairs, pushing and shoving to get to the top first. Jake jiggles the
handle.
Locked. They begin pounding on the door.
Spengler and Slimer look at each other and shrug nonchalantly.
INT. JANINE AT HER DESK
She is talking on the phone with a potential client. She raises her
voice over the pounding but pays it no other mind.
JANINE
Does it ask specifically for coins? Do you
know of anyone recently deceased who you might
have stolen coins from?
(covers the mouthpiece;
to the trainees)
SHUT UP!!
(back to the client)
What was that? Well don't tell ME you're
sorry, just give them back.
(she switches to another line)
Ghostbusters.
INT. THE TRAINING CENTER
The trainees realize there's no way out. They turn around slowly and
walk back down the stairs warily. They are trying to look cool but
their eyes are still huge and watching Slimer carefully.
SPENGLER
Why don't you three get acquainted while I make
the preparations for the training session?
Spengler walks away and into his office. Jake hesitantly sticks his
hand out. Slimer takes it in his small fist and pumps it twice,
confidently.
Jake smiles, also hesitantly, as he wipes his slime-covered hand off
unthinkingly on his T-shirt. Art grunts non-committally and grabs
Slimer's hand.
INT. THE OFFICE
Spengler is watching from behind the one-way glass of his office and
nodding, a small smile on his face. He walks to the door and opens it,
stepping back out.
INT. THE TRAINING CENTER (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Spengler walks back to the table, where Slimer and the trainees are
amusing each other.
SPENGLER
All right. Let's get started. I need you boys
to first put on the proton packs. I do need to
warn you that the proton packs are very heavy,
and the protons themselves have a large mass,
adding weight when you shoot. So, do either of
you have spinal problems or a history of such
in your families?
Jake and Art exchange glances and shake their heads.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
You're both quite sure?
They nod. Spengler breathes deeply and nods as well.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
All right. Put them on.
The trainees struggle into the proton packs as Slimer looks on,
giggling. Spengler looks them over. They stand uncomfortably and
without a great deal of balance, but he nods anyway. They reach back
and pull the guns, looking at them curiously.
SPENGLER
These packs each produce a solid stream of
positively-charged ions. Each pack has a high
disruptive power and is fully licensed by the
state of New York. To turn on the pack, you
hit the switch here.
He points it out. The trainees try to flick the switches quickly and
their fingers slip. They try again, and with a bit of effort get the
switch to move. They strain for a moment under a new weight, then
quickly equalize. Spengler nods approval.
SPENGLER
To lock and load the barrel, give the front
grip a quick quarter turn clockwise and back
again.
Jake locks the barrel easily into place. Art struggles for a moment,
then looks down the barrel, searching for an obstruction as he tries
again. Spengler knocks the gun away from Art's face, narrowly saving
Art from being poked in the eye with the extending barrel.
SPENGLER
(to Art, semi-angry)
These are guns. NEVER look down the barrel of
a loaded gun.
Art has a hurt expression on his face. Spengler sighs.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
We'll work on it.
Art brightens a little. Spengler gets back to the routine he's created
for the training.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Ready your guns by flicking the switch in the
middle of the gun's chassis.
(notices their blank
stares)
The body of the gun.
They flick the switch and the guns light up.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Lastly, to fire your guns, flick the switch
directly above the switch which turns on the
pack.
He sees their thumbs move toward the switch. He and Slimer back up.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Don't touch them yet!
Their thumbs move away. Spengler sighs in relief and holds up a finger
for emphasis on his next point.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Listen carefully, this is very important: don't
cross the ion streams.
ART
(instantly)
Why not?
Spengler stares at him for a moment, surprised into deja vu.
SPENGLER
It would be bad.
JAKE
You know, I didn't used to think ghosts
existed, and now I find out I'm wrong. I'm
confused about everything now. What do you
mean "bad"?
Spengler looks from Art to Jake and back again, blinking slowly. He
mumbles quietly to himself.
SPENGLER
You've got to be kidding me.
(sarcastically)
Two more Venkmans. How wonderful.
JAKE
What?
Instead of answering Jake's second question, he answers Jake's first,
by rote.
SPENGLER
Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping
instantaneously and every molecule in your body
exploding at the speed of light.
Art gives a low whistle.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Right. It's something we refer to as "total
protonic reversal." THAT'S bad.
JAKE
(breathless)
Yeah, no shit.
Spengler lets this go.
SPENGLER
The object of this exercise is to snare Slimer
in your ion streams and get him here, into the
trap. To use the trap, slide it underneath the
snared ghost and hit the button once with your
foot to open it. To bind the ghost and close
the trap, hit the button again. If you're
really having trouble and need a quick
entrapment, stomp hard once, but I strongly
recommend that you do this sparingly. Make sure
when you close the trap that you shut off your
streams and do not look directly into the trap.
JAKE
Why not?
Spengler locks eyes with Jake.
SPENGLER
It would be bad.
Jake nods and bites his lower lip, understanding fully.
ART
So, how do we catch a ghost again?
Spengler stares at him. Art tries again.
ART (cont'd)
I mean, how do we "snare" it? If our streams
go straight, then what can we do to grab it?
SPENGLER
Just try and get the beam to hit the ghost and
it will wrap itself around the ghost, keeping
it in place. You'll see that the beams rarely
move in a straight line.
(remembers something)
To shorten or elongate your streams, which you
will need to do if you need to bring a ghost
low over the trap, turn this black knob.
Clockwise for more stream, counter-clockwise to
shorten it.
He points to a black knob near the barrel of the gun, next to a red
button.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
For this exercise, you will be going full
stream.
Jake raises his hand. Spengler, feeling mixed amusement and annoyance,
acknowledges him.
JAKE
Oh, um, see, this sounds cool and everything,
but you said these beams can really mess things
up. Slimer's cool -- well he kinda stinks, but
you could sorta get used to it -- and, uh, I
don't want to hurt him.
Spengler smiles now.
SPENGLER
Being a ghost, he has no nerve endings and thus
feels no pain.
To demonstrate, Spengler sticks his hand into Slimer's lower torso.
His hand is semi-visible within Slimer. Slimer doesn't react.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
The only reason most of our cases put up a
fight is because they don't want to be taken
from their haunt.
He removes his hand from Slimer and wipes the ectoplasmic residue
absently on his clothes.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
I will watch you from my office and record your
progress on the camera.
(he points it out)
Let's get started.
(to Slimer)
Go easy on them.
Slimer raises his hand to his brow in salute and flies off through the
wall. Spengler walks into his office, closing the door behind him.
JAKE
(to Art)
You believe this?
Art nods solemnly. Jake nods back.
JAKE
Yeah, me too.
The lights flicker. A light wind picks up in the closed space. Their
thumbs go to the firing switches.
ART
What the --
He stops as Slimer flies back through the far wall. He does not look
like the same spectre that just left. His face is a mask of
malevolence and his eyes, normally a soft yellow, are a harsh and
bright red. Jake screams and fires at him. Art just looks on in
shock.
JAKE
(yelling)
Egon! I think Slimer went rabid or something!
Jake struggles under more weight in his pack. The power of the proton
blast is like a fire hose, and he stumbles backward. His proton stream
tears smoking black loops into the wall.
Slimer dodges the stream and skirts over to the other side of the room,
by the one-way glass -- or two-way mirror, depending on how you look at
it. Jake swings his beam over toward Slimer. Slimer dodges, and the
proton stream ricochets off the mirrored wall and hits the camera in
the opposite corner dead-on.
The camera explodes violently.
JAKE
Aww, damn.
(to Art)
I could use some help here!
Art opens fire, but the stream is more powerful than he is prepared
for, and his gun swings out of control for a moment. His stream comes
very close to crossing Jake's, and Jake pulls his stream frantically
away, doing extensive damage to the walls and ceiling.
INT. THE OFFICE (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Spengler is sitting comfortably in a chair, trying to put that screw in
again. The walls of the office are heavily soundproofed, and the only
audible noise is some soft music playing over Spengler's stereo.
However, through the glass, Jake and Art are clearly visible,
frantically firing their streams and causing general havoc as they
attempt to apprehend Slimer. Spengler spares a glance to the glass,
nods approvingly, and sets back to work with the screw.
INT. THE TRAINING CENTER
Art's beam slices through the air, cutting the table with the trap
still on it cleanly in half. The trap clatters to its side on the
floor.
Slimer still looks frighteningly malignant, but then he disappears.
The trainees shut off their streams, still yelling for a moment, and
look at each other apprehensively.
INSERT - THE TRAP
Pushed by Slimer's invisible hands, it rights itself onto its wheels.
The button places itself down properly.
BACK TO SCENE
The trainees are scanning the room, their fingers itching on the
trigger switches, and a huge sound comes from the left side of the
room. With a war-cry, they turn and fire at nothing. Slimer raises up
from the floor behind them and roars. They turn slowly and try to box
him in. He weaves down.
Art tries to move in closer and his foot ends up kicking the trap. It
rolls out to the end of its cord and sits.
Jake's stream wraps itself around Slimer. Jake whoops with joy, but
Slimer puts up one hell of a fight. Jake sees the trap on the floor.
JAKE
Art, get the trap ready!
Art nods and stands over the trap button. He sees Slimer about to
escape Jake's beam and fires his own, reinforcing Jake's stream and
trapping Slimer efficiently. Jake begins to get Slimer positioned over
the trap.
He bumps into the wall with Slimer still too far to one side. For a
moment, hopelessness crosses his face, then he brightens and reaches
for the knob that shortens his stream. Art sees and does the same.
They get Slimer over the trap and Art tromps once on the button.
The trap doors open and the trainees, thinking that the trap is about
to close, both shut off their beams. Slimer escapes and the trap sits
open on the floor.
ART
SHIT!!
Slimer is on the other side of the room, panting. Irritation comes
over Jake's face and he takes charge without even realizing it.
JAKE
Full stream!
They blast at Slimer full stream.
JAKE (cont'd)
Get him over the trap! Move him!
They begin to force him toward the trap.
INT. THE OFFICE (CONTINUOUS ACTION)
Spengler is no longer working on the machine. He is staring out the
glass at the trainees, smiling intently and nodding slowly.
INT. THE TRAINING CENTER (CONTINUOUS)
Jake and Art have Slimer moving quickly toward the trap. Jake screams -
-
JAKE
NOW!!
-- and Art stomps on the button. They both shut off their streams and
turn their heads. An inverted pyramid of light flies out of the trap,
engulfing Slimer and sucking him down. The trap shuts and a green LED
light begins blinking as the trap beeps twice.
The trainees stare at the trap unbelievingly. Someone starts clapping
slowly, and they turn their guns impulsively on Spengler. He backs off
for a moment, then begins laughing. They also begin laughing, a high
sound on the verge of hysteria. It tapers off, and Jake points with
his gun to the trap.
JAKE
What's the little blinking green light mean?
SPENGLER
It means two things. One: the blinking means
that a ghost is incarcerated inside. Two: the
fact that it is green means that it is a
training trap. Used in these simulations.
Art seems surprised.
ART
Simulation. Right.
He stomps on the button and they all look away. When they look back,
Slimer--his own, pleasant self--is floating above it.
SPENGLER
The training trap releases Slimer easily. The
real traps, with blinking red lights, can only
be emptied into our Containment Unit in another
part of this basement.
Jake nods in semi-comprehension. Art now addresses the question being
pondered by all.
ART
What happened to Slimer just now? He scared
the crap out of me!
Slimer giggles. Spengler's grin broadens.
SPENGLER
Slimer can alter his appearance at will.
Although I didn't ask him to do it, he made his
visage more frightening and thus prepared you
better for more realistic cases.
Janine's voice comes in through the open door of the office. Even from
this distance, it is very loud.
JANINE
(filter, over the intercom)
Egon!
Spengler walks into his office. Jake speaks briefly to Slimer --
JAKE
He said go easy on us, man!
-- and follows. Art follows as well.
INT. THE OFFICE (CONTINUOUS)
Spengler presses the intercom button -- after he turns down the volume
on his phone.
SPENGLER
Yes, Janine?
JANINE
(filter, over the intercom)
There's a free repeater in Brooklyn. I've got
the address written down up here. The others
are still away. Do you want to handle it?
SPENGLER
(without looking up)
No, I think this is a good one for our new
recruits to warm up on.
JANINE
(filter, over the intercom)
Fine.
Spengler addresses the gaping trainees calmly.
SPENGLER
I think you can handle it.
JAKE
You think we -- Were you WATCHING just now?
Spengler ignores the question and continues.
SPENGLER
The keys to the Ecto are in the ignition. I
trust that at least one of you has his license?
JAKE
Well, yeah, but--
ART
(breaking in)
We just barely trained for the first time!
Spengler laughs without much humor.
SPENGLER
That's one time more than we ever trained. Our
first job was our training. The Sedgewick
Hotel. That's where we first met Slimer,
incidentally. Go upstairs and get the address
from Janine. What size clothes do you wear?
JAKE
Large.
ART
Ditto.
SPENGLER
Perfect. Go upstairs and grab one of my old
uniforms, each of you. There should be proton
packs and a trap in the back of the car. Make
sure. Then get going.
The trainees, still shocked, walk out of the office and up the stairs,
saying good-bye to Slimer without realizing it. Slimer waves after
them.
Spengler runs out of his office.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Oh, by the way: what are your names?
INT. COURTROOM - DEFENSE TABLE - NEXT DAY
The courtroom is filled with murmuring spectators as Venkman, Stantz,
and Winston prepare to stand trial against the bank.
STANTZ
I'm having the strangest feeling of deja vu.
VENKMAN
No, last time we were on for violation of a
judicial restraining order. This time we're
being tried for criminal assault.
(to Winston)
You missed the last one. This is just for you.
Have fun.
LOUIS TULLY, lawyer, CPA, former demonic possession victim and honorary
Ghostbuster, is seated with them at the table, clenching and
unclenching his fists anxiously.
LOUIS
(very nervous)
Guys, this is only the second time I've done
this. I've never tried to get a criminal off
the hook.
Venkman leans over to Stantz.
VENKMAN
(quietly)
Maybe we should have taken them up on that
offer to give us one of their own lawyers.
Stantz nods.
THE BAILIFF calls the court to order.
BAILIFF
All rise.
(pauses)
The trial of the Manhattan City Bank
against...the Ghostbusters...will now begin.
The honorable Judge Wexler presiding.
Stantz looks at Venkman.
STANTZ
WEXLER?
THE JUDGE comes out of his chamber. He is the same Judge as in the
previous film. He gets halfway up the stairs, then looks for the first
time at the suspects.
INSERT - DEFENSE TABLE - JUDGE'S POV
Venkman twiddles his fingers at the Judge discreetly.
BACK TO SCENE
THE JUDGE blanches and turns around without reaching the stand. He
retreats back into his chambers.
JUDGE
(yelling)
Not guilty! Case dismissed!
The court falls into an uproar as the bailiff goes to retrieve the
Judge.
AT THE DEFENSE TABLE, Venkman starts to walk away.
VENKMAN
Okay guys, that's it, let's go.
LOUIS
We can't.
VENKMAN
(angry)
Why not? We were just acquitted!
LOUIS
He didn't bang...
(forgets the name in his
nervousness)
...that wooden thing. It doesn't count.
Venkman rolls his eyes and stands still.
The Bailiff drags the Judge back out of his chambers.
JUDGE
(moaning)
We just had the ceiling renovated.
The Bailiff helps him (forces him) onto the stand. The Judge waves him
off and takes a deep drink of water.
INT. COURTROOM - WITNESS STAND (LATER)
The bank SECURITY GUARD is testifying. The Guard is absurdly
attempting to look like a professional officer and consistently tries
to use legal lingo. This is the man who was pinned to the wall by
slime. The PROSECUTOR is questioning him.
PROSECUTOR
Mr. Jenson, could you please tell the court --
in your own words -- what happened on the
afternoon of August 12?
GUARD
Well, I was at the front door of the bank, like
always. Just makin' sure everything was in
order, you know.
PROSECUTOR
And was everything in order?
GUARD
Well, yeah. Until about five o'clock.
PROSECUTOR
That was when the suspects arrived.
GUARD
Yeah.
PROSECUTOR
Please continue.
GUARD
Well, at about five -- I was just about to
close the bank, so I remember the time -- I saw
the suspects coming toward the bank.
PROSECUTOR
(disdainfully)
The "Ghostbusters."
GUARD
I thought so.
PROSECUTOR
So you let them in.
GUARD
Yeah.
PROSECUTOR
Why? Why would you let the suspects in if they
had no business there?
GUARD
Well, there's an ATM at the bank that
malfunctions sometimes. We joke around with
the new people that the thing is haunted.
(chuckles)
I guess I thought someone took us seriously and
called the Ghostbusters. Maybe the new rookie,
Thomas.
(suddenly on a tangent)
You know, we told that fool boy that the
automatic flushers in the bathrooms only worked
if you danced in front of them, and one day we
found him doing the Lambada or some kinda --
PROSECUTOR
(interrupting)
Mr. Jenson.
GUARD
Please excuse me.
PROSECUTOR
So you let the "Ghostbusters" in.
GUARD
Yeah.
PROSECUTOR
Then what happened?
GUARD
Immediately after I opened the door, one of the
suspects shot me with his gun. A large wad of
plasm shot out and pinned me to the wall.
INT. EXHIBIT TABLE
The exhibit table is adorned with the three proton packs and particle
throwers. The trap holding the pimp is conspicuously absent.
PROSECUTOR
Mr. Jenson, are these the "guns" that were
confiscated from the suspects at the scene of
the crime?
GUARD
Yeah.
PROSECUTOR
And you were shot by one of these guns?
GUARD
No.
PROSECUTOR
(caught off-guard)
No?
GUARD
No. The ones the suspects shot me with were
different. They looked older. Or something.
PROSECUTOR
You seem very sure, Mr. Jenson. Did you get a
good look at the suspects?
GUARD
Yes, very good.
The Prosecutor points out the Ghostbusters.
PROSECUTOR
And are these men the suspects you saw?
GUARD
No. Yes. I'm not sure.
PROSECUTOR
You said you got a good look at the suspects.
GUARD
I did.
PROSECUTOR
And yet you are unsure.
GUARD
Yes.
PROSECUTOR
How can you be unsure?
GUARD
Well, those guys --
(indicates the) Ghostbusters)
-- sorta look like the suspects, but they also
sorta don't. The suspects looked like zombie
versions of them.
PROSECUTOR
Mr. Jenson, these are the only suspects. They
were apprehended at the scene.
GUARD
But I don't think they did it.
The court murmurs. The Judge bangs for order.
PROSECUTOR
(Re: the proton packs)
And these are the only weapons confiscated at
the scene. Aside from a "trap" that was
allowed to be sent back to their place of
business.
JUDGE
That is VERY unorthodox. I assume that there
is a reason you allowed evidence to be taken?
PROSECUTOR
Yes sir.
JUDGE
Well...?
PROSECUTOR
(hesitant)
Well, sir...
BAILIFF
It made the cop car smell like shit, your
honor.
Uproar in the courtroom. The Judge bangs his gavel.
JUDGE
(to the Prosecutor)
Proceed.
PROSECUTOR
As I was saying, these are the only weapons
taken from the scene.
(in an "Isn't it obvious?" tone)
These MUST be the guns that you allege coated
you with slime.
GUARD
(confused)
Yeah, yeah, I guess so.
DEFENSE TABLE
Louis stands up.
LOUIS
Objection, your Honor!
JUDGE
On what grounds?
LOUIS
(to Stantz)
Why?
Stantz whispers in Louis's ear. Louis nods and tries to reiterate, but
it ends up being a lot like the child game "Telephone."
LOUIS
Because those guns only shoot concentrating eon
beams with high destructive plausibility.
(obviously adding on his own)
They don't shoot slime.
Stantz whispers something else in Louis's ear.
LOUIS (cont'd)
If the court will permit my clients, they would
be happy to demonstrate.
More murmuring. The Judge bangs his gavel frantically.
JUDGE
Permission denied! Objection sustained!
(to the Prosecutor)
Do you have anything to add?
PROSECUTOR
No further questions, Your Honor.
(to Louis)
Your witness.
Louis stands up and leafs, panicky, through his notes.
LOUIS
(finally)
No questions, Your Honor.
INT. COURTROOM - WITNESS STAND - LATER
Another security guard, GUARD #2, is testifying. He looks very prim
and proper in his suit -- annoyingly so. He also looks extremely
nervous, as though he were testifying against a group of dangerous
murderers rather than the Ghostbusters.
PROSECUTOR
So, Mr. Williams, you are in charge of the
video surveillance at the Manhattan City Bank?
GUARD #2
Yes, that's right.
PROSECUTOR
And were you on duty when the suspects entered
the bank?
GUARD #2
Yes. I'm the one who called the police.
PROSECUTOR
And, can you please tell the court, in your own
words, what happened?
GUARD #2
Well, I've brought with me the tape of the
suspects entering and attacking the bank. If
the court will permit me...
JUDGE
(waves him on)
Proceed.
Guard #2 hands a tape to the bailiff, who inserts it into the court
VCR.
INSERT - TV SCREEN
INT. MANHATTAN CITY BANK (SURVEILLANCE VIDEO)
The video is playing without sound, but the sound isn't necessary. We
now get our first glimpse of the other HELLISH GHOSTBUSTERS as they
walk into the bank. True to the first guard's story, one of them,
HELLISH STANTZ, blasts the guard with slime immediately after he walks
in the door.
The spectators in the courtroom gasp.
Guard #2 begins narrating over the tape.
GUARD #2 (V.O.)
Here you can see a completely unprovoked attack
by the suspects on Mr. Jenson. I called the
police immediately.
HELLISH VENKMAN and HELLISH WINSTON begin attacking the few people left
in line for the bank tellers. The spectators gasp again.
A small package flies into the air.
INT. THE JUDGE
He motions to the TV.
JUDGE
Rewind it.
The bailiff does so. The Judge watches the tape again.
JUDGE (cont'd)
(RE: package)
Stop. Right there. What's that?
GUARD #2
One of our tellers anticipated a demand by the
suspects for money. He put a large sum of
money into a bag and threw it to the suspects.
(to the bailiff)
Continue the tape.
The bailiff switches the tape to PLAY.
INT. SURVEILLANCE VIDEO
Hellish Venkman turns and blasts the money bag with his plasma weapon.
The bag explodes and the money mixes with the slime, some of it
settling on the chandelier.
GUARD #2 (V.O.)
Approximately five hundred dollars were adhered
to the chandelier by what Mr. Jenson has
referred to as "plasm."
(pauses)
At this point the police arrived.
INT. WITNESS STAND
The Judge leans forward.
JUDGE
How did they arrive so quickly?
GUARD #2
The precinct station is only a block from the
bank. These officers came on foot.
(pauses)
At this point Officer Lavey asked the suspects
to holster their weapons and surrender. Watch
how they respond.
On the TV, the Hellish Ghostbusters turn and fire at the police,
spreading slime across the walls and ceiling. The spectators murmur
excitedly.
Suddenly, a cloud swirls around the Hellish Ghostbusters. Guard #2
nods and the bailiff turns off the tape.
GUARD #2
(nervously)
Here, there was a small interference on the
tape. But I think what we've seen proves
without a doubt that the suspects are indeed
guilty.
PROSECUTOR
Thank you, Mr. Williams. No further questions,
your Honor.
(to Louis)
Your witness.
Louis stands up shakily and walks over to the witness stand.
LOUIS
Mr. -- Uh, Mr. -- Williams. What's on the
rest of that tape?
GUARD #2
(shrugs)
Basically just the surrender and apprehension
of the suspects.
LOUIS
(to the Judge)
Could we watch the rest of the tape?
JUDGE
Proceed.
The bailiff switches on the tape. The cloud wraps around the Hellish
Ghostbusters and, when it disappears, the human Ghostbusters are
looking around confusedly.
LOUIS
Did you see that? When that "interference"
showed up, it covered only the suspects, in the
middle. When it disappeared, my clients were
in the middle.
INT. DEFENSE TABLE
Winston bangs his head on the table. Stantz covers his face with his
hands. Venkman leans over to him.
VENKMAN
Louis makes a great Prosecutor, don't you
think?
INT. WITNESS STAND
GUARD #2
Yes. As I said, it is conclusive evidence.
LOUIS
But didn't they look different before and after
the interference?
GUARD #2
What do you mean?
Louis has the bailiff rewind and replay the tape.
GUARD #2 (cont'd)
I guess they looked a little different. Those
were some Halloween masks, I guess.
LOUIS
But where did the masks go after the
interference?
The guard gapes, not able to answer conclusively.
LOUIS (cont'd)
The suspects and my clients had different
appearances. Do you think that, if it was just
video interference, they would be able to
change appearance so quickly?
GUARD #2
It's definitely possible.
LOUIS
But if it was only video interference like you
say, how would they KNOW the exact moment to
make the change?
The guard is once again at a loss for words.
LOUIS (cont'd)
So, faced with all this, can you actually say
that the tape is conclusive?
GUARD #2
I -- I guess not.
LOUIS
(confidently)
No further questions.
He returns to the defense table, where the Ghostbusters are staring at
him at an equal loss for words. Stantz speaks first.
STANTZ
Wow. That was good.
Louis's inhibitions return and he flushes in embarrassment.
VENKMAN
I didn't know those confidence-building tapes
really worked. I should have given them to you
a long time before last Christmas. They were
going to waste on my closet shelf.
LOUIS
Gee, guys, it was nothing.
Winston pats Louis on the back. Louis turns even redder.
INT. COURTROOM - WITNESS STAND - LATER
Stantz is sitting uncomfortably on the stand. He is being questioned
by Louis. Apparently the confidence was a one-time thing, because
Louis fidgets nervously the whole short time.
LOUIS
So, uh, how'd you get into the bank?
STANTZ
I can't be sure, but I think it may be a result
of equal mass displacement --
Louis can't take it any more.
LOUIS
No further questions your Honor.
He scurries back to the defense table, quickly informing the
prosecution that Stantz is their witness.
AT THE DEFENSE TABLE
VENKMAN
(quietly, to Louis)
Guess you blew YOUR containment unit this time,
huh?
LOUIS
(pitifully)
I'm only on the third tape so far.
INT. WITNESS STAND
The Prosecutor begins to question Stantz.
PROSECUTOR
Dr. Stantz, you said that you were in the bank
as a result of -- ?
She turns to the court STENOGRAPHER. The Stenographer reads back the
words.
STENOGRAPHER
"Equal mass displacement."
PROSECUTOR
Can you please tell me what high school physics
has to do with your charge of criminal assault?
Scattered laughter from the spectators. Stantz looks over to his
partners. They nod the go-ahead. Stantz takes a deep breath and goes
ahead.
STANTZ
My partners and I were testing an experimental
machine, an inter-dimensional gate. But by
travelling to a parallel universe, an equal
mass -- or parallel versions of us -- had to
be sent to this universe to keep things
balanced. They were in the bank, and to keep
the balance, we were in the bank when we
crossed back over...
Stantz trails off and stops as he hears nothing. Everyone is silent
and staring at him. Even the stenographer has stopped typing and is
looking at him with undisguised incredulity.
PROSECUTOR
(stunned)
No further questions, your Honor.
INT. COURTROOM - LATER
The trial is winding down. The Judge prepares to read the sentence.
JUDGE
Raymond Stantz, Peter Venkman, Winston
Zeddemore, stand up.
They do.
JUDGE (cont'd)
I find you not guilty on the charge of criminal
assault. I do, however, find you guilty of
negligence. Allowing supposed "doubles" to run
amok is an endangerment of innocent civilians.
I hereby order you pay fines to the Manhattan
City Bank in the amount of $2,500 each and
sentence you to a two-month prison sentence.
Bail is posted at $500 each.
(almost bangs his gavel,
then stops)
And I also order this "gate" of yours shut down
permanently.
(bangs his gavel)
Case dismissed.
INT. THE ECTOMOBILE - DUSK
Jake is driving along in silence. Suddenly, Janine's voice cuts the
silence over the CB radio mounted to the dash.
JANINE
Jake?! Damn it, are they out of range?
Art searches frantically for the CB transmitter as Janine continues
uninhibited.
JANINE (cont'd)
JAKE!! ART!!
ART
Why don't they tell us about these damn things?
I mean, how are we supposed to know?
(finds it)
We're here, Janine. What's up?
JANINE
Egon just wanted me to remind you that there's
proton packs and a trap in the trunk.
Spengler can be heard but not understood in the background.
JANINE (cont'd)
He also says there's a PKE meter in the glove
box. It'll tell you if there's a ghost around.
ART
Okay, cool. We won't let you guys down. Over
and out.
He sits back and sees Jake staring at him.
ART
What? I've always wanted to say "Over and
out."
Art pops open the glove box. The PKE meter tumbles out. Art picks it
up.
ART (cont'd)
Whoa.
EXT. BROOKLYN - DUSK
The Ecto pulls up to a fairly nice house and the two trainees jump out.
They shoulder their proton packs and Jake grabs a trap.
INT. LIVING ROOM - SAME TIME
The WIFE is looking out the window at the new Ghostbusters anxiously.
WIFE
(to her husband)
They're here.
(looking out the window)
But these ones don't look like the ones on TV.
They look new.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
The two trainees start up the walk and are welcomed by the man of the
house, the HUSBAND.
HUSBAND
Hi. You're the Ghostbusters, right?
Jake looks at the man for a moment. Then back at the car. Thenat
their outfits and proton packs. Then at the man again. He decides
that the man is distraught and not stupid, so he answers.
JAKE
Yeah, that's us. Somebody call?
The husband leads them up the walk and into the house wordlessly.
ART
(aside to Jake)
I guess that's a yes.
INT. THE HOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The two KIDS are in the living room. The oldest, a boy, is about
seven. The other is a baby of about seven months. The little boy comes
running up to them immediately. Unlike his parents, he is energetic
and happy.
KID
Are you here to get rid of the TV ghost?
JAKE
Who?
KID
Starch-man.
ART
Who's Starch-man? Is he a new superhero or
something?
WIFE
(exhausted)
That's what he calls the ghost. He says he saw
it on TV. I don't know. We don't watch TV
much.
The baby starts giggling. Jake and Art look over.
THE BABY is giggling happily -- but it's also floating in the middle of
the air.
Jake, startled, points the PKE meter at the baby. The needle shows
moderate readings.
THE WIFE looks at her watch.
WIFE
(to her Husband)
Honey, we'd better go. It's eight-thirty
already.
HUSBAND
Are you sure? Is Bobby floating?
WIFE
Yes, dear.
The husband comes out of the kitchen, plucks the baby easily and calmly
out of the air. He puts on his coat as his wife does the same and
helps the little boy into his.
HUSBAND
(to the trainees)
We'll get out of your way. We're staying in a
hotel for the evening. The number's on the
counter in the kitchen by the phone. Room
2064. Call us when you're done. You've got
about half an hour before things get crazy.
(beat)
Hey, you guys seem a little young. You done
this before?
JAKE
(lying automatically)
Sure. We do this all the time.
He begins to take PKE readings of the living room's exotic fish tank.
The husband nods unsurely and leaves.
ART
What'd you lie to him for?
JAKE
You want to do this or don't you?
ART
(smiles uneasily)
You know, it's funny, but I really do want to
do this.
JAKE
(grins openly)
Me, too. I think this is a job I could get
used to.
Neither of them notice as the PKE needle, set at zero, begins to twitch
just the slightest bit.
INT. NYPD LOCK-UP - NIGHT
Venkman, Winston, and Stantz are all together in one cell. Their
cellmate is sleeping and has been since they got in.
STANTZ
At least he's a believer now and he believed us
about the gate.
WINSTON
I've been here before. You guys didn't need to
take this "be a part of us" thing as far as
this.
Venkman is standing on his bunk, tickling their cellmate's nose with a
feather from his pillow.
VENKMAN
(to Winston)
Oh, come on. You know you love it.
(turns back to the tickling)
And if I can wake up our friend here, we can
have a full-blown party.
STANTZ
He was sleeping before we got here. We didn't
even wake him up when we went into lockdown.
What makes you think a feather will do it?
VENKMAN
The pen is mightier than the sword.
WINSTON
So?
VENKMAN
They used to make pens out of feathers.
WINSTON
I don't know if you should wake him up, Pete.
The guard said he's been in for the past
fifteen years on a charge of willful
endangerment.
VENKMAN
Fifteen years? All the fight's gone out of
him. You didn't get to enjoy this the last
time.
WINSTON
Yeah, and why WAS I in jail, anyway? Because
some dick named Peck --
VENKMAN
(correcting him)
"Pecker."
WINSTON
(continuing)
-- blew the containment unit and I just
happened to work for you.
STANTZ
I wonder what happened to Peck, anyway?
His question is answered as their cellmate, WALTER PECK, awakens and
sits up. His eyes widen as he sees Venkman.
PECK
Venkman? VENKMAN?!
Venkman begins waving his arms about crazily.
VENKMAN
(wavering)
It's just a dreeeam. Go back to sleep.
Peck leaps out of the bunk on top of Venkman and begins swinging.
PECK
I'll put you to sleep, you son of a bitch! Put
me in jail for fifteen years, will you?
VENKMAN
(dodging)
Aww, isn't that cute, he REMEMBERS me!
Stantz runs to the bars.
STANTZ
GUARD!! GUARD!!
The guards rush over and pry Peck off Venkman's back. One of them
pulls a syringe and injects Peck with a sedative. Gradually the fight
goes out of him.
VENKMAN
(unscathed and undaunted)
So THAT'S why he was sleeping like a brick. I
always wondered where he went. I wonder if he
ever got that fruit basket.
Peck, unconscious, starts mumbling something about "the storage
facility" and "the magic word."
INT. BROOKLYN - THE HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - LATER
Jake and Art are looking around tensely. The clock on the wall
indicates that the time is eight fifty-six.
They jump at the sound of smashing dishes in the kitchen. Jake grabs
the PKE meter and heads to the kitchen.
INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Jake walks in and, although the sound of crashing porcelain is still
heard, there is no one in the kitchen, no dishes on the floor. He
takes readings. They are fairly low. He is about to leave when he
hears a faint voice, a woman's voice, within the smashing dishes.
WOMAN'S VOICE
(fading in and out)
...NOT going to let you hurt him anymore...
...never does anything, and you just...
A man's voice responds.
MAN'S VOICE
(similarly fading)
...wouldn't spoil him like you do, maybe
he'd... ...DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME...my son
now, too...
WOMAN'S VOICE
...old son of a bitch DRUNK...
A slapping sound, not at all faint, resounds through the kitchen. The
woman's voice begin's to sob.
MAN'S VOICE
...TALK TO ME LIKE THAT...digusting WHORE...
Jake has to leave. He can't take it. He has the perfect excuse as he
hears things shattering back in the living room.
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Art is kneeling by the shattered fish tank, scooping up exotic fish and
putting them back in what's left of the tank's water. His gun has been
set down on the floor beside him. He sees Jake and points to a dark
spot on the wall.
ART
He went that way.
Jake starts to leave, but Art stops him.
ART
He looked familiar. He was that guy who was
running for mayor and got murdered.
(swallows)
The news never said how bad he had it growing
up.
JAKE
I don't think the news knows.
(RE: the fish tank)
Did he do that?
ART
(pats his gun)
Indirectly.
Art continues to scoop up fish. Jake starts walking through the house
taking PKE valences.
INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Jake comes upon the little boy's bedroom -- and nearly jumps out of his
skin as he sees the ghost of GARY STOCKMAN sitting calmly, waiting for
him.
STOCKMAN
I guess you're here to get rid of me. Well, go
ahead. I want to leave and never come back.
You've seen my memories. This is my old house.
Jake is taken aback even further. He seems to debate whether or not to
talk to the ghost. He decides yes.
JAKE
That thing in the kitchen? The fight?
Stockman's ghost nods.
STOCKMAN
My mother and her boyfriend. Arguing over me.
How I needed to be beaten. I had front row
seats to the REAL fight of the century.
(looks Jake over)
So where's the trap? I want to get out of
here.
JAKE
Then why don't you just leave on your own?
STOCKMAN
I would if I could. But I can't, so I shan't.
(laughs bitterly)
Every time I try to leave this personal Hell of
mine, something holds me back right at the
perimeter. So. Let's get this over with.
Jake calls Art.
Art trundles up the stairs, and is so keyed up that he fires at
Stockman the instant he sees him. He hits a lamp behind and to the
left of Stockman. Stockman doesn't flinch.
JAKE
Hey! He wants to go. Turn off the gun!
Art shuts it off.
JAKE (cont'd)
(to the ghost)
Uh, Mr. Stockman, could you please stand up?
Stockman stands on his semi-transparent feet. Art places the trap on
the floor. Stockman stands over it.
ART
You ready?
Stockman nods. Art hits the button. The trap pops open.
STOCKMAN
Please find my killer.
Art hits the button and they turn their faces away. An inverted
pyramid of light blazes in the small room. Stockman's wispy body is
sucked into the trap -- but his final word escapes the vortex.
STOCKMAN (cont'd)
Sedah.
The trap snaps closed and the red light begins blinking. Jake turns to
Art.
JAKE
You know, even though he didn't put up a fight
like Slimer, I think this one was harder.
Art nods agreement.
ART
What'd he say last?
JAKE
I think he said "seder."
ART
What's that?
JAKE
A Jewish holiday or something. I don't
remember.
ART
Why would he say that? I always heard he was a
Catholic.
Jake shrugs. Then he remembers he has to make a phone call.
INT. PHONE NOOK - CONTINUOUS
He picks up the phone and dials.
JAKE
Hey, Janine? How much do I charge for this
one?
INT. THE ECTOMOBILE - LATER
Jake and Art are leaving, driving slowly out of Brooklyn on the
Brooklyn Bridge. The strobes on top of the Ecto are flashing. It
isn't that late, but the bridge is pretty deserted. Art lights a
cigarette and takes a deep drag.
JAKE
Art, what the hell are you doing? You don't
smoke.
Art hacks and wretches the smoke out of his lungs. He throws the
cigarette out the window.
ART
I know. The pain distracts me from what just
happened.
JAKE
That was pretty damn creepy, wasn't it?
ART
(changing the subject)
Let's listen to some music.
Jake nods. Art flips on the radio. A news clip fades in.
ANNOUNCER
...When confronted with the possibility of a
win for Reid, leading mayoral candidate Sedah
had this to say: "Nothing personal, but it'll
be a cold day in Hell before he gets re-
elected." Cryptically, he added, "Believe me,
I know."
(switches topics)
On an unrelated topic, large black splotches
have appeared on the green skin of Lady Liberty
out on Liberty Island.
Behind the Ectomobile, a set of headlights comes on, not seeming to
switch on but rather open like eyes. The trainees do not notice.
ANNOUNCER (cont'd)
The head of the statue curators would say it
was something they didn't quite understand, but
refused to comment any further.
(a song starts playing)
(during the intro)
Well, this is the end of my broadcast this
evening. Bruce Perker is up next. I'm Ed
Afterson for W-NYC, saying good night and God
bless.
All the while the headlights behind the car have been getting closer
and closer. The trainees drive along briefly in peace for a little
while... not noticing as the radio begins to crackle...not seeing as
the PKE meter on the dashboard climbs into dangerously high readings
...not noticing as a group of purple and white lights, mounted to the
other car, begins to flash.
But then the other car skirts by on the left side at high speed, the
wind rocking the Ectomobile on its shocks. Jake yells to the back of
the car.
JAKE
Hey, buddy! Where's the fire?
ART
Jake, doesn't that car look kind of familiar?
JAKE
Yeah, it looks kinda like...this car we're in
right now. What's the license plate?
ART
(squints)
"Blood-1". Doesn't look like a New York
license plate, Jake.
JAKE
Well, I don't care what it is. I'm gonna pass
it and just be done with it.
He tries to pass Blood-1, but the black version of the Ecto swerves
into whatever lane Jake tries to pass in. It continues this way for a
moment, but then Blood-1 falls back.
JAKE
(to Art)
There, see? No prob --
Jake is cut off as Blood-1, riding alongside the Ecto at the same
speed, swerves into the Ecto's lane and rams the car with its side.
ART
What the hell is he doing?
JAKE
(scared now)
I think he's trying to run us off the bridge.
As if hearing Jake, Blood-1 slams the Ecto a powerful blow. Again and
again. The Ecto swerves and comes very close to slamming into the side
of the bridge.
All seems about lost...but then Blood-1 speeds away down the bridge.
Jake and Art breathe a simultaneous sigh of relief.
JAKE
I guess it was just a bunch of drunk guys who
got tired of the chase.
They pass a sign: Bridgework Ahead -- ALL LANES MERGE RIGHT.
ART
And not a moment too...
Art trails off as he looks in the distance. The brake lights of the
Blood-1 -- blue brake lights -- have turned on. The car's headlights
and strobes can be seen in the darkness as the driver makes a U-turn --
to the left -- and heads back for the Ecto.
Right at the same second, the lanes of traffic merge to the right. The
road to the left of the Ecto has been blocked off and torn up, exposing
a ragged, gaping hole that leads to the water below. On the right is
the edge of the bridge. Nowhere to go. Blood-1 keeps coming.
ART
Stop the car, Jake! Stop the car!
Jake tries to take his foot off the gas or turn the wheel. His hands
and feet seem glued to the spot.
He begins to frantically thrash about, but the wheel stays firmly
forward and the car continues at high speed.
JAKE
(panicky)
Hail Mary full of grace and give us this day
our daily bread Our Father who art in heaven --
Art, interrupting, sums it up best as it gets to about three seconds to
impact:
ART
Ohhhhh, SHIT!!
The front ends of the Ecto and Blood-1 meet -- but as they do, Blood-
1's front peels away in curls of smoke.
The Ectomobile, with Jake and Art screaming inside, passes through the
other car, dispersing it in a huge cloud of ectoplasmic smoke.
INT. PKE METER - SAME TIME
The needle goes absolutely berserk, and the glass of the indicator
cracks.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
The lanes of traffic become two again. Jake pulls the car over in
front of the construction zone and the trainees get out and look at the
Ecto.
The entire outside body is covered with ectoplasm. There are dents in
the driver's side door where Blood-1 bumped the car.
JAKE
(dazed)
Hey, Art?
ART
(equally dazed)
Yeah?
JAKE
You know what?
ART
No. What?
JAKE
I take it back.
ART
Take what back?
JAKE
(shakes his head for emphasis)
I'm never gonna get used to this.
INT. FIREHOUSE OFFICE - NIGHT
Janine is sitting at her desk, talking on the phone with the police.
JANINE
Yes, officer, I understand. Yes. All right.
Good-bye.
She hangs up and turns to the intercom.
JANINE (cont'd)
(yelling)
Egon!
Spengler responds, and the irritation in his voice is not so well-
concealed as before.
SPENGLER
Yes, Janine?
JANINE
The police just called. The other three have
been convicted of negligence and are spending
the night in NYPD lock-up. Bail is $500 each.
You want me to bail them out?
Spengler thinks for a long time.
SPENGLER
Sure. Charge it to the company and take it out
of their salaries.
JANINE
Okay, but could you come up here and man the
phones for me?
SPENGLER
Janine, I'm very busy.
JANINE
Yeah, well, it sounds like you could use a
break.
Another long pause. Spengler comes back on, sounding apologetic.
SPENGLER
I'm sorry, Janine. Go on. I'll take the
phones.
JANINE
Okay. I'll be back in about twenty minutes.
INT. CON ED TRUCK - SAME TIME
Two CON ED GUYS are sitting in the truck, across the street from the
Firehouse. One is watching the Firehouse carefully. The other is
asleep.
Guy 1 turns to the man in the back, a COP.
GUY 1
Why don't we just go in? We have a court
order.
COP
It's easier to do it when there's no one
inside. Trust me.
They watch as Janine comes out and calls for a taxi. The cop indicates
Guy 2.
COP
Could you wake him up? I don't think he even
knows what we're doing here.
Guy 1 shakes Guy 2 awake.
GUY 1
Hey, we're here.
GUY 2
Where's here?
GUY 1
(hesitant)
The Ghostbusters.
Guy 2 sits up violently in his seat and looks at the Firehouse. He's
been here before.
GUY 2
No. Uh-uh. I am not shutting anything down in
that building. It's dangerous.
They continue to try to persuade him, both the cop and Guy 1, but he is
adamant and they go without him.
INT. FIREHOUSE - REC ROOM - LATER
Spengler is arguing with the cop as Guy 1 tries to figure out how to
shut down the gate.
SPENGLER
I am warning you, shutting this down would have
extremely severe consequences. The last time
something was shut down in this building the
explosion could be heard for two miles.
COP
(showing him the court order)
Yeah, well, I got a responsibility given by
Judge Wexler that says I need to shut this
thing down.
GUY 1
Found it!
SPENGLER
DON'T TOUCH IT. I'm warning you.
INT. TAXI CAB - NIGHT
Janine remembers something.
JANINE
(to the cabbie)
Hey, could you take me back for a minute? I
forgot my purse.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - NIGHT
They're almost back to the Firehouse.
JAKE
Let's ask Egon about that other Ecto. Blood-1.
Maybe he'll know something about it.
Art still looks stunned by the whole thing.
INT. FIREHOUSE - REC ROOM - SAME TIME
COP
(to Guy 1)
Just shut it off so I can go home. I'm hungry.
SPENGLER
This is an inter-dimensional gate. The
consequences of what might happen if you shut
this down are unfathomable.
GUY 1
Nothin' personal.
(he shuts down the gate)
Just doing my job.
An alarm begins to sound in the rec room. The gate begins making
noises that do not sound at all good.
The cop and Guy 1 look on in fright. Spengler runs to the machine and
tries to fix their mistake.
SPENGLER
(yelling)
Get out now!
The cop and Guy 1 run down the stairs. Spengler keeps trying to fix
the problem, but realizes soon that it's hopeless and runs for the
stairs.
He is halfway down before the gate EXPLODES.
Spengler is thrown down the stairs.
INT. TAXI CAB - SAME TIME
Janine watches the second floor wall expand and shatter like glass,
spreading debris.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
It just barely turns the corner at the same time, allowing Jake and Art
to watch helplessly as a huge fireball licks out of the hole in the
second floor.
INT. NYPD LOCK-UP - SAME TIME
Venkman, Stantz and Winston all listen to the explosion.
WINSTON
I really don't like the sound of that.
EXT. FIREHOUSE - SAME TIME
Both the cab and Ecto pull up in front of the Firehouse. The trainees
and Janine leap out and rush inside. The cabbie gets out angrily and
follows for his money.
INT. FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The trainees and Janine hurry in, only to discover Spengler's
motionless body at the foot of the stairs.
INT. CON ED TRUCK - SAME TIME
The cop and Guy 1 leap in and start the truck. Guy 2, who has been
watching the explosion, is laughing, a low, wheezy laugh.
GUY 2
I told you! Didn't I tell you?
Guy 1 starts the truck and drives away without answering.
INT. FIREHOUSE - SAME TIME
JAKE
Oh, my God! I don't think he's breathing!
ART
Call an ambulance!
JANINE
There's no time!
(has an idea)
Get the stuff out of the back of the Ecto! It
used to be an ambulance! Take him in the back
of the Ecto! I'll tell them you're coming. Go!
She runs to the phone and dials 911.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE - A LITTLE LATER
It leaps from the curb, sirens wailing, as it heads for the hospital.
Janine runs out and into the cab with the cabbie in tow.
CABBIE
(in broken English)
You want go to hospital?
JANINE
No. Take me to the New York Police Department.
I need to bail out some friends in lock-up.
CABBIE
Got purse?
JANINE
Yes! Drive!
The cab peels away from the curb and speeds to the lock-up.
INT. NYPD LOCK-UP - LATER
A cop addresses the Ghostbusters, opening the sliding door. Venkman
stops poking Peck's unconscious body.
COP
"Ghostbusters?"
STANTZ
(resigned)
Yeah?
COP
You're free to go. Bail's been paid.
VENKMAN
Are we on Candid Camera or something? Is this
a joke? Who posted it?
COP
Some weird chick with a bad attitude.
GHOSTBUSTERS
(together)
Janine!
INT. TAXI CAB - LATER
Stantz, Venkman and Winston are all shocked to hear the news about
Spengler. Somehow they have the same cabbie.
VENKMAN
Is he going to be okay?
JANINE
I don't know. Jake and Art took him to the
hospital.
WINSTON
Who?
JANINE
The new Ghostbusters. They were hired while
you guys were in the spirit realm.
CABBIE
(mumbling to his air freshener)
Ghostbusters. Spirit realm. Why I always get
weirdos?
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
Jake and Art are standing outside of Spengler's room, staring in at the
machinery. Stantz, Venkman, Winston and Janine approach them.
STANTZ
You the new recruits?
ART
Yeah.
STANTZ
(sticks his hand out)
Ray Stantz. This is Peter Venkman and Winston
Zeddemore.
Introductions all around.
WINSTON
(RE: Spengler)
Is he gonna be all right?
JAKE
Don't know. The doctors say he's comatose.
Might be hours, days, weeks...
He trails off. We can guess what comes after.
VENKMAN
Keep him on life support. We have to go on
with our work. Hopefully he'll come out of it
soon.
Jake nods. Stantz volunteers to stay with him. The others leave and
Stantz watches sadly as Spengler keeps sleeping.
INT. FIREHOUSE - OFFICE - NEXT DAY
Janine picks up the phone without interest. She's preoccupied with her
thoughts.
JANINE
Ghostbusters.
(listens)
Yes, they're real. Do you have a ghost
problem?
She listens for a moment then seems a little surprised.
JANINE (cont'd)
Yes, I guess you should put him on, if that's
what he wants.
She listens, her eyes widening. She drops the phone in shock.
INT. CONTAINMENT UNIT - SAME TIME
Venkman, Stantz, Winston and Jake are standing around, quietly taking
their coffee break. Slimer is eating a donut slowly and sadly.
Janine runs to the top of the stairs and yells down.
JANINE
There's a call!
VENKMAN
(sighs)
We'll get to it later.
JANINE
You don't understand; I've got the ghost on the
line right now!
STANTZ
(surprised)
That's definitely odd.
JANINE
Ray -- it's Egon!
INT. OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
Stantz bolts out of the basement and snatches the phone off the desk.
STANTZ
EGON?!
SPENGLER
(filter, on the phone)
Yes, Ray, it's me.
INT. APARTMENT - SAME TIME
Spengler is standing in the kitchen of an apartment -- Doreen Boyle's
apartment. It has been remodeled almost to the point of nonrecognition
and the new owners are peering anxiously around the corner.
Spengler is in fact a semi-transparent ghost. His clothes are the same
as those in which he fell down the stairs.
STANTZ
(filter)
Where are you?
SPENGLER
This is very strange, Ray. I'm in the
apartment of our abductee. I can't understand
why I might have come here in the event of my
death, but --
STANTZ
(filter, scared)
Your DEATH?! Stay on the line.
Spengler is put on hold. He looks at his hand, then at the kitchen
cabinet. He hesitantly passes his hand through it, expecting to be
unable.
He is quite able, to his surprise, and he makes a mental note.
One of the new apartment owners, a very proper LADY, comes into the
kitchen. Spengler's back is to her.
LADY
Excuse me, sir? Could we get our phone back?
We also need to make some calls.
Spengler turns to her. His face is a horrid visage of monstrosity and
he roars at her. She backs out of the room, screaming.
Spengler's face changes back to normal and he laughs to himself, making
another mental note.
INT. FIREHOUSE OFFICE - SAME TIME
Stantz is on the phone with Art, who is at Spengler's bedside.
STANTZ
And you're sure he's alive, Art?
ART
(filter)
I told you, I'm looking at him right now. All
the monitors are bleeping and sh...
(changes mid-swear)
...tuff.
STANTZ
All right. Stay there.
(switches lines)
Egon, you still there?
INT. APARTMENT - SAME TIME
Spengler pulls his hand guiltily out of the counter.
SPENGLER
I'm still here, Ray.
STANTZ
(filter)
You can't be! You're still alive!
Spengler shoves his hand through the side of a toaster.
SPENGLER
What proof do you have of that?
STANTZ
(filter)
Your body is at the hospital! Alive!
A piece of toast floats out of the toaster, held by Spengler's ethereal
hand.
SPENGLER
Well, this is definitely not just an out-of-
body experience. It is well documented that
the out-of-body person cannot be seen in his
non-physical form.
He takes a bite of the toast. It falls through him to the floor.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
(not excited at all)
This is very exciting, Ray.
Actual proof of a soul. My body is alive, I am
separated from it, and yet I am still myself.
We could win another Nobel Prize.
INTERCUT STANTZ AND SPENGLER
STANTZ
Well, what do we do about it? Can you get to
the hospital and back together with your body?
SPENGLER
No. I can't even leave this apartment.
STANTZ
Well, great, what do we do?
SPENGLER
(pauses)
Our experiment, Ray. You were a little hasty
in telling Venkman that there would never be
any calls again, but as long as my body is kept
alive it should work.
STANTZ
Were you able to get all the readings you need?
SPENGLER
(longer pause)
No. I need readings off a person who actually
has returned from an extended stay in the
spirit realm and lived to tell about it.
STANTZ
Well, sure, I could take the readings off
myself --
SPENGLER
No, you couldn't. You were only in the realm
for an hour or so. The effects would also have
worn off by now. I need someone fresh off the
ethereal plane after a week-long or longer
stay.
STANTZ
(Venkman-ish)
Are you sure you only need one?
SPENGLER
I hope so.
Stantz sighs, on the literal verge of frustrated tears.
STANTZ
How the hell are we going to get someone alive
off the ethereal plane? It's im -- Wait a
second. Wait just a damn second.
He doesn't bother to put the phone on hold. He throws the phone on
Janine's desk and bolts for the containment area. He yells down.
STANTZ (cont'd)
Venkman! Do you remember saying there were
people in the "other" Firehouse?
VENKMAN
Yeah. People alive, like us. Three of 'em under
the stairs.
But Stantz has already sprinted back to the phone.
STANTZ
We can do it!! Don't go anywhere!!
He hangs up without waiting for a response.
Spengler looks at the dead phone in his hand.
SPENGLER
Where could I go?
INT. FIREHOUSE - REC ROOM - LATER
Venkman, Winston, Stantz and Jake are all suited up and ready for
action.
Jake's name tag now reads MARLEY instead of SPENGLER.
Each has a proton pack on his back. Stantz is re-wiring the gate to
over-ride the shutdown. Jake looks around the rec room and at the
machine.
JAKE
That was a damn big fireball. It didn't seem to
do as much damage to the room and machine as it
did to the wall.
A large tarp hangs over the hole in the wall.
STANTZ
(offhand)
Psychic explosion. Slightly ethereal. Doesn't
do much damage to anything unless the thing's
at ground zero. The machine was within the
"eye" of the explosion. The shock wave must
have knocked Spengler down the stairs.
(finishes)
There. That's a temporary shutdown over-ride.
We'll have about twenty minutes to get in and
out before the gate shuts down again. The way
I've wired it, our doubles will NOT be thrown
into this universe in our place, so be on your
guards.
VENKMAN
Could this get any worse? I mean, at all?
Could you possibly throw in some poison gas or
something?
STANTZ
Well, we are violating another court order.
Wexler said this gate was never to be opened
again. But it shouldn't take too long. Just
get in, pull them out from under the stairs,
get out.
WINSTON
Sure, piece of cake.
Stantz swallows hard and holds the switch. He stretches out his hand,
and Venkman takes it. Jake takes Venkman's hand. Winston takes
Jake's. Winston looks at a stopwatch in his hand.
Stantz throws the switch. Winston starts the stopwatch.
Instead of the world swirling, a VORTEX opens in front of the
Ghostbusters. Through it, like a window, they can see the decrepit
Firehouse walls that lie in the spirit realm. The Ghostbusters step
into the vortex.
INT. HELLISH FIREHOUSE - REC ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The Ghostbusters hurry out and over to the stairs, the same ones that
Spengler, in a different realm, was thrown down. Venkman looks down
into the darkness.
INSERT - UNDER THE STAIRS
Nothing there.
BACK TO SCENE
Venkman is suddenly frightened.
VENKMAN
(yelling)
Hello? You still there?
The woman runs out from the darkness suddenly.
WOMAN
We're here! We're here! Thank God for you!
Someone laughs bitterly at this in the darkness. Venkman ignores it.
VENKMAN
We're going to get you out, okay?
WOMAN
Okay.
Venkman turns to the others.
VENKMAN
(confidentially)
How do we get them out? Who brought the rope?
Winston, Stantz, and Jake look at each other, unable to answer.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
This could definitely be a problem.
(to Stantz)
No wonder you didn't make the Boy Scouts.
STANTZ
I guess we just grab them one by one and yank
them out.
VENKMAN
It's a thought.
(to Winston)
How much longer?
WINSTON
Been five minutes so far.
Venkman nods and lays down on the stair above the open hole.
VENKMAN
Somebody hold my feet.
Jake lays down and grabs his ankles. Stantz grabs Jake's ankles for
extra support. Venkman stretches out his hand. The woman reaches for
it, makes it...and her hand passes through his.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Ray, she's passing through me.
STANTZ
Damn! I was afraid of this!
WINSTON
(looking at the stopwatch)
Seven minutes.
VENKMAN
Afraid of what?
STANTZ
We're not ethereal in this realm yet. The gate
slows down the process of intangibility. It
took us almost an hour to get down to their
level last time.
VENKMAN
Well, we don't have an hour, Ray. We have
about ten minutes to get out. Any suggestions?
STANTZ
I don't know -- try to force it.
VENKMAN
What?
STANTZ
Will-power. Force yourself onto the ethereal
plane!
Venkman concentrates and reaches out again. The woman's hand once more
passes through him. He puts all his effort into it, and this time the
woman's grasp meets his hand firmly.
INSERT - VENKMAN'S ANKLES
At the same time, he becomes ethereal to the others. Jake's hands pass
through Venkman's ankles, and Venkman tumbles into the hole.
JAKE
Crap!
He walks over to the stair that Venkman had been leaning on, Stantz and
Winston in tow. Under their considerable, non-ethereal weight, the
stairs break and they plummet into the darkness below the stairs.
STANTZ
(urgently)
Winston!
WINSTON
Ten minutes in, ten minutes left.
JAKE
Things are going much faster in this universe.
VENKMAN
Time flies when your life is done.
Venkman looks up. The stairs toward the top are completely gone. The
rec room's ledge is clearly visible about eight feet above.
The three living prisoners are huddled silently away from the
Ghostbusters, who begin arguing about the siuation.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Okay, let's worry about this. How do we get
back up?
WINSTON
Eleven minutes in.
VENKMAN
(strung out)
Would you STOP THAT?
STANTZ
Well, I could boost you and Jake up.
Venkman shakes his head.
VENKMAN
Before we do anything, I think you all should
probably meet me on this plane of existance.
They all begin concentrating, attempting to shake hands with Venkman.
At first their hands pass through, but eventually Winston and Stantz
both give Venkman's hand a hearty shake. Jake grabs Venkman's hand and
compulsively begins a complex handshake that Venkman eventually waves
off.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
I'll boost you guys up. Then I'll help with
the others.
Stantz nods. Venkman stands up, laces his fingers, and Stantz steps
on. Venkman can't hold him, and they both fall.
STANTZ
(really panicked now)
Too heavy!
VENKMAN
I told you. Being even slightly overweight
will get you in trouble. Didn't I tell you?
WINSTON
Thirteen minutes.
VENKMAN
That's my lucky number! Everything will be
okay!
JAKE
Can anyone think of a way to lose weight fast?
Stantz brightens with an idea.
STANTZ
Take off the packs.
No one questions this. They struggle out of the proton packs and set
them down under the stairs. Venkman easily boosts Stantz and Jake out.
He helps Winston up and then waves the three prisoners over. Two of
them come.
The woman is first. She kisses Venkman briefly on the cheek and climbs
out. The second person, a MAN, looks at Venkman.
VENKMAN
Don't even think about it.
The man climbs out. Venkman begins waving over the third, who is
huddled in the darkness.
WINSTON (O.S.)
Fifteen minutes.
Venkman goes over to the other person, who turns out to be a young BOY
of about ten or eleven. The boy is conscious but does not move. He is
hugging his knees to his chest in a fetal position.
VENKMAN
I'm gonna need some help with this one.
The picks the boy up with some difficulty and carries him to the ledge,
where Stantz is lying down, his arms out. Stantz and Venkman get the
boy up, eventually, and Stantz begins to pull Venkman up.
WINSTON (O.S.)
Seventeen --
JAKE (O.S.)
(interrupting)
Holy shit!
Jake runs over, lays down, and begins helping Venkman out.
JAKE
(yelling)
It's closing! The gate's closing!
They pull frantically. Venkman finally gets over the edge.
INT. REC ROOM - CONTINUOUS
The vortex is indeed shrinking steadily. The woman and man stand on
the other side of it, calling silently through the window.
WINSTON
Two minutes left.
VENKMAN
Go! All of you! I'll help the kid through.
Stantz, Jake, and Winston go through. They watch anxiously from the
other side as Venkman turns to the boy. The boy is still in a fetal
position. Venkman picks him up and walks quickly to the gate.
He is almost through when the boy's catatonic state is broken and he
begins fighting Venkman. In his surprise, Venkman drops the boy, who
springs to his feet and tries to run. Venkman grabs his arm.
On the other side of the gate, Winston hold up a finger, indicating one
minute left.
VENKMAN
What are you doing, kid?
BOY
I invoke the power of Lord Hades! Begone,
subcreature!
VENKMAN
I'm not going without you!
BOY
(incredulous)
You dare to abduct the heir of Lord Hades?
VENKMAN
Is that you?
BOY
(proud)
Yes.
VENKMAN
Then I do.
Venkman swings around and throws the kid, almost violently, through the
vortex, which is now about four feet in diameter, and shrinking fast.
Venkman runs, leaps, and DIVES through. The vortex closes on the toe
of one of his boots, slicing it off.
INT. FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Venkman looks around. Stantz and Jake are trying to restrain the boy,
who is thrashing wildy and begging to go back. The man and woman are
watching the rodeo with horrified interest. And Winston is staring at
Venkman's foot.
INSERT - VENKMAN'S FOOT
The toe of the boot, left in the other realm, has been sheared off.
The edges of the cut are smoking. The sock has also been cut. The
closing vortex missed Venkman's toe by a hair's width.
BACK TO SCENE
Venkman looks calmly at his foot, then at Winston.
VENKMAN
Piece of cake.
He pats Winston on the shoulder and walks away.
The huge machine suddenly spews sparks three feet, and the wiring
bursts into flames. Winston, the only person not really busy, runs
over to the fire extinguisher and puts out the flames.
INT. REC ROOM - LATER
Louis comes up the stairs and into the room.
LOUIS
I came as soon as you called, guys. What's up?
(sees the burned machine)
Oh.
STANTZ
We're going to question these people. I wanted
you to be an eyewitness just in case something
happens and we have to go back to court.
Venkman sits across the table from the woman, who has been cleaned up
and calmed down. He is questioning her. Simultaneously, Stantz is
taking PKE readings and writing them down at odd intervals. Jake,
Winston, and the man are all flanking the boy, who is no longer
fighting but still visibly angry.
VENKMAN
Okay, ma'am, we're trying to figure out just
what's going down here. We know it's something
big but other than that we're in the dark.
We're going to be recording this interview.
We'll start easy. What is your name?
WOMAN
Doreen Boyle.
STANTZ
DOREEN BOYLE?!
WOMAN (DOREEN)
(surprised at the reaction)
Yes.
Venkman flashes an angry look at Stantz. Stantz goes back to his
readings.
VENKMAN
How old are you -- and please don't lie?
DOREEN
I don't lie. I'm thirty-nine and proud of it.
VENKMAN
Okay. Um, have you or has anyone near you been
dabbling in the occult?
DOREEN
(hesitant)
Yes...I've been using a Ouija board.
(suddenly defensive)
I was only trying to contact my husband! He's
been dead for a year and I miss him so much.
STANTZ
We understand, Miss Doyle --
DOREEN
Boyle.
STANTZ
-- but Ouija boards are NOT a reliable contact
in the spirit realm. They are an invitation of
the demonic into a person's life.
Venkman's angry stare more than flashes at Stantz.
VENKMAN
Can you think of any OTHER way that you may
have invited demons into your life?
DOREEN
No...I can't.
VENKMAN
What happened? How did you get into the spirit
realm without the use of our equipment?
DOREEN
Well, the last night I can remember being in
THIS world, I had tried to contact Frank --
he's my husband. I was watching the polls on
the election -- Has Stockman lost?
JAKE
Big time.
DOREEN
(shrugs, not getting it)
Anyway, the TV and power went out. I called
the police, because someone was in my
apartment. It was the most horrible creature I
had ever seen. It was like...it was like it was
so horrible I couldn't quite see it for what it
really was. It immobilized me -- I don't know
exactly how -- and the next thing I remember
happening was I ended up under the stairs. The
walls and underneath the stairs were coated
with this... uh, slime.
VENKMAN
Ray, do you have a theory about the slime?
STANTZ
(glad to be useful)
Well, since we as people become intangible in
that world, able to pass through things, I
guess that the slime is some sort of
tangibility solution.
VENKMAN
Can you tell me exactly when you became a poor
man's Mr. Wizard?
STANTZ
Since they can't touch us, I guess those slime-
packs of theirs make it possible to catch and
hold us. It stuck to you when you had reached
their ethereal plane, remember?
VENKMAN
(not getting it)
Yeah...?
STANTZ
We can't float when we're ethereal. By coating
the insides of the stairs with the slime, our
doubles made it impossible for them to pass
through the stairs and thus impossible for them
to escape.
VENKMAN
Wow. Has Egon possessed you or something?
Doreen raises her hand and waves to get their attention.
DOREEN
Hi. Remember me? I'd just like to know what's
going on.
VENKMAN
So would we, ma'am. But this will have to do
for now. Can you remember anything else
significant? Anything at all?
DOREEN
I vaguely remember something about a throne,
and marriage, but nothing specific.
VENKMAN
I'd say that's significant. Okay, thanks. I
guess you should get some rest.
Doreen walks away. Venkman confers with Stantz.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Was she the lady who was taken from her
apartment about a month ago?
Stantz nods.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Okay. Did you get the readings you needed?
Stantz nods again.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
All right. I'm gonna talk to the man now. Can
you bring him over?
Stantz leads the man to the table and sits him down. The man looks at
Venkman reluctantly.
VENKMAN
I'm gonna ask you some questions now. That
okay?
The man nods.
INSERT - THE BOY
He rolls his eyes. Winston and Jake do not see.
BACK TO SCENE
Venkman leans over to the man.
VENKMAN
Sir, can you tell me your name?
The man stares blankly at him.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
(repeats himself)
Sir, could you please state your name?
The man only stares at him. A chilling laughter rings out in the rec
room. The boy is laughing.
BOY
(standing up)
He can't talk. He hasn't been able to for
weeks. He couldn't take it.
Winston and Jake briefly restrain him, but Venkman tells them to let
him go.
The man scurries away from the boy, who sits down in the chair.
VENKMAN
What are you talking about?
BOY
All three of us were taken for a purpose. The
woman was to be made queen of the Underworld's
new home, alongside Hades. I was to be his
heir, Prince of the Underworld. The man was to
be the earthly vessel of Lord Hades. It drove
him mad.
VENKMAN
Miss Boyle invited the demonic into her life by
using a Ouija board. What did you do?
BOY
(shrugs)
I worshipped Satan. The true Dark Lord soon
took notice of me, and wished me rule in any
event of his absence. All was going well until
the interloping of such subcreatures as you.
VENKMAN
Jeez, who writes your dialogue, kid? You got a
name?
BOY
Yes. Demon-spawn.
VENKMAN
(humoring him)
That's good, Dimmy. Do you have a Christian
name?
The boy recoils from the word "Christian" and snarls. Stantz, taking
readings, flinches a little. Venkman is unphased.
VENKMAN
Well?
The boy's face crinkles in disgust as he says the name.
BOY
Oscar. Oscar Barrett.
Stantz stops taking readings. Winston's jaw drops. Venkman bangs his
head on the table with a thump. There's another thump as Louis falls
into a dead faint.
VENKMAN
(not looking up)
Would your mother's name happen to be Dana?
BOY (OSCAR)
(a little uncomfortable now)
Yeah. What of it?
VENKMAN
(standing up)
Would you excuse me, please?
He confers with Stantz and Winston. Jake attempts to wake Louis up.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
What the hell is this?
STANTZ
We save him from being possessed once, and he
turns around and sets it up again.
WINSTON
What do we do?
VENKMAN
Clients of the Ghostbusters are clients for
life. We've gotta keep whatever's happening
from happening.
WINSTON
How? That thing with Vigo didn't seem to
change his mind any.
STANTZ
He was a year old when that happened. He
doesn't remember it. Do you think Dana would
have told him about it?
VENKMAN
I guess she left that to us.
(turning to Oscar)
Does your mother know about all this?
OSCAR
(contemptuously)
What, the Whore of Jersey? Of course not --
Before the others can stop him, Venkman has hit Oscar in the mouth. As
the pull him away, Oscar, incredibly, begins to laugh.
VENKMAN
Don't you EVER talk about your mother that way.
OSCAR
I guess you knew her, huh? Fair enough. I
don't think she knows. I ran away from home
awhile ago. She wouldn't have understood how
her wonderful little boy could be inclined to
evil.
STANTZ
I think she would have understood.
OSCAR
What's that supposed to mean?
VENKMAN
Fifteen years ago, your mother was taken into
possession by Zuul, Gatekeeper of Gozer. Our
friend Louis over there --
Venkman points him out. Louis is still unconscious.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
-- was possessed by the Keymaster. Together
they opened the portal to the realm of Gozer.
Then they turned into demon dogs. We destroyed
Gozer's gate and got them both back.
STANTZ
Five years later we discovered a river of
psychomagnetheric slime --
VENKMAN
(interrupting)
Mood slime.
STANTZ
(continuing)
-- leading to the museum where your mother
worked. In that museum was a painting of the
16th Century tyrant Vigo. Vigo planned to use
the slime to help him take over the world. He
planned to use the body of Dana's baby to
return from death.
OSCAR
(scared now)
But, that was me.
STANTZ
(continuing)
We cracked the slime shell of the museum by
generating positive energy. We did that by
taking the Statue of Liberty out for a walk.
We saved you, I got possessed, and Vigo was
sent back to where he came from.
VENKMAN
So I don't want to hear this bull about you
worshipping Satan or wanting to be the heir of
Hades.
Oscar is absolutely shocked.
VENKMAN
Maybe you should sleep on it. We'll talk in
the morning.
Oscar gets up, still with a stunned expression on his face, and leaves
the rec room in the direction of the dorm. Jake comes over to the
others. Louis follows, moaning quietly.
JAKE
Hey, was all that true?
WINSTON
Yeah. Those were our two biggest cases. We
saved the world.
JAKE
(to Louis)
You turned into a dog once?
LOUIS
Yeah.
Jake moves slightly away from Louis.
VENKMAN
And now we'll have to do it again, I guess.
JAKE
But this time, you got help.
STANTZ
Well, I've got the readings I needed. Tomorrow
we can get Egon. Get some sleep tonight.
INT. DORM - NEXT DAY
Stantz wakes the others up. After a moment's thought, he also wakes
Louis.
INT. REC ROOM - A LITTLE LATER
Stantz is giving everyone the game plan.
STANTZ
All right, this shouldn't be too hard. Egon
wants to come with us. There's some extra
proton packs in the armory. Each of us will
take one.
(to Louis)
Except for you. You'll be in charge of the
training trap Jake brought up from the training
center. Jake will teach you how to use it.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE - LATER
The Ectomobile pulls up in front of the apartment building where Doreen
Boyle used to live. The Ghostbusters pile out and head inside.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - HALLWAY - LATER
The Ghostbusters walk up to the apartment that was previously inspected
-- apartment 706 -- and knock on the door. The Lady who was previously
peeking around the kitchen corner opens the door. She sees the
Ghostbusters with quite a bit of surprise.
LADY
Back so soon?
VENKMAN
(wary)
What do you mean?
LADY
You just left about half an hour ago with that
awful ghost.
JAKE
No; no we didn't.
She opens the door a little wider. There are smoking streaks of black
on the walls. Ion stream marks.
LADY
I'm very sure you did. Aren't you the
GhostMashers?
Everyone blinks in surprise.
STANTZ
No, ma'am. We're the Ghostbusters.
LADY
Oh. Oh, dear, I'm sorry. They did look very
much like you. Their faces, I mean.
(indicating the proton packs)
They each had one of those, too. I just
thought --
STANTZ
No, that's quite all right. Can you tell us
where we can get in touch with them?
LADY
No, I'm sorry. You see, I'm not entirely sure
how they knew to come here. I didn't call
them. I'll ask my husband when he gets home.
STANTZ
Thank you for your time.
LADY
Of course.
She closes the door.
WINSTON
GhostMashers?
VENKMAN
Of course. That way they can't get sued.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - LATER
Stantz is driving, Winston is shotgun, Jake and Venkman are in the back
with Louis. Louis has set down the training trap in a row with all the
other traps. They are desperately trying to figure out what's going
on.
STANTZ
Okay, the lady said they looked like us.
VENKMAN
They had proton packs.
WINSTON
They took Egon.
JAKE
What's going on around here?
It clicks for Stantz.
STANTZ
They've crossed over.
WINSTON
Who?
STANTZ
Our doubles. We left our proton packs in the
spirit realm where they could easily get to
them. They obviously don't know how to use
them well yet.
VENKMAN
Neither do we. So?
JAKE
We need to get those things back. Who makes
'em?
STANTZ
Egon.
WINSTON
Do we have a patent on them?
STANTZ
Mmmmhmmm.
JAKE
Well, that's it. We can sue.
VENKMAN
And tell the judge what? Huh? We violated a
court order by opening the gate, pretty much
trespassed and destroyed property, and left the
packs there which made them public domain.
(to Louis)
Am I right?
LOUIS
Pretty much.
VENKMAN
Sure, it was a lot of fun, too, but --
STANTZ
(finishes Venkman's thought)
I doubt we could even intimidate Wexler into
letting us go.
JAKE
(angry)
So what DO we do?
STANTZ
We wait and see.
INT. REC ROOM - NIGHT
Stantz is watching the television. Winston is not present. He's with
Spengler. Venkman is chatting with Jake and Art. Oscar and Doreen are
also listening.
Oscar is much less demonic than the night before. His clothes are even
colorful. The unknown man stands in the corner, looking out the
window. The news is being broadcast.
ART
Why DO you call him Slimer, anyway?
VENKMAN
It was our first job, at the Sedgewick Hotel.
He came right at me down a hallway and covered
me with slime. He came back to the Firehouse
after the first containment unit exploded and
Ray decided to annoy me by naming him Slimer
and constantly reminding me.
OSCAR
Were you scared when he slimed you?
VENKMAN
(scoffs)
I don't know the meaning of scared.
STANTZ
He's a Ghostbuster. He can't afford a
dictionary.
Everyone laughs, and Oscar runs happily over to the TV couch and sits
next to Stantz.
JAKE
(confidentially)
Hey, what'd you do to that kid? Yesterday he
was creepier'n anything I've seen.
VENKMAN
Yeah, well, you remember how we turned that guy
Johnny from the museum back to normal?
ART
Yeah, you sprayed him with good slime.
Venkman says no more, but nods. Everyone gets it.
INSERT - TV SCREEN
ANNOUNCER
Leading candidate Henry Sedah has been
questioned today by the NYPD concerning a
reporter's allegations that Sedah hit the
reporter unprovoked.
PICTURE CUTS to Sedah being interviewed by the basic press, microphones
pressed toward his face at all angles. Flashbulbs go off eratically.
Suddenly, someone reaches over and grabs Sedah's left shoulder. Sedah
reacts violently, hitting the owner of the hand.
ANNOUNCER (cont'd)
Sedah maintains that he suffered a trauma in a
war and that the punch was a reflex. Yet, in
our most recent poll, Sedah has not suffered.
In fact, some people in our great city have
actually changed their minds in FAVOR of Sedah
since this allegation came to light. In a
related story, Sedah has been relieved of
charges concerning his possible facilitation of
last week's massive jailbreak from the NYPD
lockdown. No other suspects have been found.
(shuffles his papers; bad
segueway)
And now here's ANOTHER story of competition.
Gayle Henderson reports.
PICTURE CUTS to GAYLE outside the GHOSTMASHERS STATION. A large sign
with red letters announces it: GHOSTMASHERS. They have a fluorescent
sign very similar to that of the Ghostbusters, except the prohibition
circle is blue and the ghost within looks very much like an ethereal
Ghostbuster.
BACK TO SCENE
Stantz begins yelling to the others.
STANTZ
Hey, something about the GhostMashers!
They crowd around. A toilet flushes in the background and Louis rushes
out of the bathroom, buckling his belt frantically up. Even the silent
man comes close enough to see.
INSERT - TV SCREEN
GAYLE
Hello, I'm Gayle Henderson. The building
behind me used to be the 33rd Precinct.
But as of today, it's the headquarters of New
York's newest band of Paranormal Investigators
and Eliminators. Move over, Ghostbusters.
It's the GhostMashers.
PICTURE CUTS to the GhostMashers getting out of their vehicle -- a
black version of the Ectomobile with blue taillights.
BACK TO SCENE
Jake and Art are practically jumping up and down with excitement and
frustration.
JAKE
That's it!
ART
That's the car that tried to run us off-road!
The others silence them and turn back to the TV.
INSERT - TV SCREEN
The GhostMashers do look very much like the Ghostbusters, each in turn.
Their faces, however, are very surly.
GAYLE (O.S.)
The GhostMashers team consists of Trey Stamen,
(Stantz's double)
Robert Tankmin,
(Venkman's double)
Erick Sauldemoure,
(Winston's double)
and Gilette Salmer.
(Spengler's double)
The GhostMashers seem to have sprung up
overnight in the abandoned police station, and
over the course of this one day they have
captured and removed ghosts from over twenty
houses.
PICTURE CUTS to a very ugly HOUSEWIFE being interviewed earlier on the
street. A superimposed message tells us that she is PAT BURWELL -
GHOSTMASHERS CLIENT.
HOUSEWIFE
Well, it was real simple. They didn't really
do too much with them backpack gadgets of
theirs. They were real commanding. They told
the ghost to come with them, and it DID! I
don't really recall calling them, though.
PICTURE CUTS to Gayle on the street.
GAYLE
But can these new Exorcists for Hire bust the
Ghostbusters? In the one day that they've been
in business, many have become convinced that
the answer is yes. The GhostMashers are even
hiring. For WKRR New York, I'm Gayle
Henderson. Back to you, Fred.
BACK TO SCENE
Stantz clicks the television angrily off and looks worriedly at his co-
workers.
VENKMAN
Okay. They've got Egon and we're being laughed
at by the entire tri-state area. Something has
got to be done.
STANTZ
The report said they were hiring. Someone
should go on a spy mission.
Everyone looks at Louis.
LOUIS
Oh boy.
EXT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - LATE AFTERNOON - NEXT DAY
Louis gets out of the conspicuous Ectomobile. He looks very
unprofessional -- a look that apparently took him some work. He is not
wearing his glasses and he blinks heavily and constantly. He nods to
Jake and walks in.
INT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - CONTINUOUS
Louis walks up to the dispatchers desk, where a woman not unlike Janine
sits behind the phone. The audience should recognize her as ROSEMARY
of HNYC (Hellish New York City). She looks at Louis expectantly.
ROSEMARY
Yes?
Louis jumps and stops walking, looking blindly for the owner of the
voice.
LOUIS
Um, hi. I'm here about the job opportunity.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
Jake and Art are sitting in the driver's seat of the car, just up the
street from the station, listening to Louis and Rosemary over the
microphone hidden in Louis' lapel.
ROSEMARY
(filter)
Do you have any previous experience?
JAKE
I hope he doesn't blow our cover.
ART
I just hope the others get back before we have
to do anything.
INT. SUBWAY STATION - SAME TIME
Stantz, Winston and Venkman come down the stairs of the station just as
a train hisses away, proton packs and all. Stantz has a trap hooked to
his belt.
They look up and down the track, ignoring the stares of the people
waiting for the next train, then, satisfied, jump onto the tracks and
head down in the direction of the train. A couple of PASSENGERS
discuss it.
FIRST PASSENGER
Did you see that?
SECOND PASSENGER
Weirdos.
FIRST PASSENGER
Did you see those things on their backs?
SECOND PASSENGER
Musta been rat poison. They grow them suckers
big down here.
(turns to a THIRD)
What do you think?
THIRD PASSENGER
(shakes his head)
I didn't see nothin'.
INT. SUBWAY TUNNEL - SAME TIME
The Ghostbusters walk cautiously down the track, flashlights in hand.
A light comes into view up ahead. They proceed cautiously. Rounding a
corner, they find, stopped on the track, the subway car that has just
passed.
But it can't be the same one, because it is amazingly decrepit.
Stantz checks the PKE meter, Winston the Giga-meter. Their eyes widen
at the readings. They approach the door -- which looks like the door
of an Iron Maiden -- and open it.
INT. SUBWAY TRAIN - CONTINUOUS
A blast of noxious air hits the Ghostbusters as they stare in awe at
what the subway train has somehow become. Implements of torture -- the
rack, red hot pokers, whips and cats o' nine tails are spread around.
VENKMAN
They've started to be a little less subtle
about the pain of riding the subway, don't you
think?
They press forward, moving from car to car, finding more of the same.
Finally, they find one car towards the front which is half-normal.
Half, because a demon is slowly walking down the length of the car,
chanting gibberish and waving his hands at the walls. They slowly
decay as he passes them.
The demon has not noticed the Ghostbusters yet. Its back is to them.
They pull their guns -- quietly -- find the switch...and flick them
slowly on. The guns power up noisily.
WINSTON
Oh, damn it...
The demon stops and turns around. His face has a horrid grin upon it.
He continues chanting...but this time waves his hands at the
Ghostbusters.
The Ghostbusters stare in amazement as they slowly begin to transform
into... something else. Venkman calmly fires a burst of energy at the
demon.
The blast collides with the demon, knocking it off its feet. The
Ghostbusters revert immediately back to normal. Stantz rolls out the
trap. The demon stands up.
They quickly wrestle the demon, via proton streams, of course, over the
trap. Stantz opens and closes it, and the demon is sucked in.
VENKMAN
Piece of cake.
None of them notice that the blinking light on top of the trap is
green.
They exit the subway train, which slowly reverts back to its normal
state.
INT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - SAME TIME
The GhostMashers have converted the station's lockdown into a massive
containment unit. Louis, having been welcomed aboard, is being taught
by TREY STAMIN (Stantz's double).
STAMIN
This is where we keep all of the "ghosts" --
(he pronounces the word
with disgust)
-- which we catch. This is the killswitch. in
an emergency, the unit can be shut down by
typing in the code and turning off the switch.
The containment grid will be shut down, and our
comr -- the GHOSTS will escape.
He describes the escape with thinly desguised glee. It's obvious that
he wants the ghosts to get out -- maybe even by Louis's hand. What he
says next clenches that theory.
STAMIN (cont'd)
The code is 666. That's six hundred sixty-six.
Now, let me show you where you will be
sleeping...
He walks away. Louis follows. The keypad sits ominously against the
lockdown unit. The number six on the keypad is prominent, large, and
of a different color than the rest of the numbers on the keypad.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - NIGHT - LATER
All the Ghostbusters are inside -- except of course Spengler -- looking
out the window.
STANTZ
How long's he been in there?
JAKE
A long time.
ART
I heard a girl's voice in there. You don't
think he's...you KNOW...
VENKMAN
LOUIS?! Not in a million years. Well, except
for that one time...but he was possessed by a
dog, and they hump everything.
WINSTON
(points to the window)
Look!
EXT. WINDOW
Lights can be seen blinking in rapid succession.
INT. ECTOMOBILE
STANTZ
That's the signal!
VENKMAN
Or faulty wiring.
STANTZ
(to Art and Jake)
You set up the trap grid.
The new recruits nod. Venkman, Stantz, and Winston get out and
shoulder their proton packs, while Jake and Art grab many traps, all
connected by wire, from the back. They begin walking across the street
in full uniform.
VENKMAN
Act casual.
INT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - DORM - SAME TIME
A part of the station has been set aside for the living quarters of the
GhostMashers -- a temporary setup, we can tell. Louis is flicking the
lightswitch on and off rapidly. Gillette Salmer comes out of the
restroom with a towel draped around his shoulders.
The towel seems to be a prop, for no illusion of moisture is seen. He
glares at Louis, who doesn't see him until he is too close to avoid.
LOUIS
(lamely)
I never had electricity when I was a kid.
Salmer shakes his head and lays down. Louis goes, looks out the
window, but of course he can't see anything. He squints repeatedly,
but nothing becomes clearer. He turns to Salmer.
LOUIS
Are there any showers unoccupied?
Salmer shakes his head rudely. Louis sighs very convincingly.
LOUIS (cont'd)
Fine. I'm going for a walk. You want to come?
Salmer shakes his head rudely and vehemently no. Louis exits.
INT. STAIRWELL - SHORTLY AFTER
Louis tumbles blindly down the stairs, stands up and flattens himself
to the wall, trying to be sneaky after all that racket. He walks
slowly along to a corner, peers around, squints as hard as he can
without actually closing his eyes, and looks.
He sees Rosemary and ducks back around the corner. Her high heels soon
signal her departure, and he goes around the corner.
INT. HENRY SEDAH ELECTION CENTER - SAME TIME
Henry Sedah's Public Relations work on this place to gain supporters
for Sedah, and the walls are plastered with P.R. posters.
Hanging from the ceiling is a giant poster of Sedah with his arms up
and the palms of his hands, empty, turned to the viewer.
The caption is, NOTHING TO HIDE. VOTE SEDAH.
Keen observers will notice, however, that the palms of both his hands
are devoid of the lines and swirls that serve as identification. They
are totally smooth.
Sedah stands before his P.R. MANAGER, who's sitting at his desk.
P.R. MANAGER
I'm tellin' ya, Henry, it's a done deal. Reid
is completely inadequate in the eyes of the Big
Apple.
SEDAH
It means nothing until I win!
MANAGER
Don't worry about it. When this thing's over,
you'll practically OWN New York.
Sedah looks over with a gleam in his eyes that makes even a man such as
the ratty Manager squirm.
SEDAH
"Practically"?
INT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - GHOSTLY LOCKDOWN - SAME TIME
Louis walks over to the killswitch, squints, taps the six three times,
and throws the switch. An alarm begins to sound.
EXT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - SAME TIME
Stantz stops.
STANTZ
You hear that?
Very, very softly, the alarm can be heard from inside the station. The
Ghostbusters pull their guns, charge them, and hurry forward.
INT. ELECTION CENTER - SAME TIME
The Manager is still talking.
MANAGER
Of course, if you want me to bribe some people,
I can always --
He is cut off as Sedah holds up his hand for silence. The palm is
indeed smooth. Impossibly, he hears, far in the distance, the alarm
going off.
MANAGER (cont'd)
What is it?
Sedah turns red with fury, his eyes once again blazing. When he
speaks, it is not in one voice, but ten, all resonating and deep.
SEDAH
NO!! IT'S TOO EARLY!! FAR TOO EARLY!!
The Manager holds up his hands in a gesture of peace.
MANAGER
Okay, okay. Sheesh. I'll save the bribery for
later.
Sedah turns back around. He is "normal" again.
MANAGER (cont'd)
Henry, I think you need a drink.
(pauses, thinking, staring at
Sedah suspiciously)
I know I do.
INT. GHOSTLY LOCKDOWN - SAME TIME
The alarm is still going and Louis scrambles frantically away from the
lockdown unit. He bolts across the front lobby area, and falls over a
chair that he doesn't see.
INT. DORM - SAME TIME
The GhostMashers have all run out of the bathroom. We can see
passingly that, while retaining facial similarity to the Ghostbusters,
they are in much better shape.
Venkman's double, Robert Tankmin, hurries toward the outside wall,
bangs violently into it, and falls, clutching his head and howling in
pain. Stamen turns his head skyward and closes his eyes.
STAMEN
My lord, please help us.
INT. ELECTION CENTER - SAME TIME
Sedah is locking up and about to leave when Stamen's voice echoes
softly without giving the impression that it is heard anywhere but in
Sedah's head.
Sedah looks for someone who may be watching him and, finding none,
concentrates hard. His All-American features begin to wrinkle and move
-- to change.
INT. GHOSTMASHERS DORM - SAME TIME
The GhostMashers look at themselves carefully, for they are now once
more the Hellish Ghostbusters. Their bodies, athletic and taut just
moments before, have now decayed beyond the limits of living beings.
They inspect their rotting flesh and that of each other, then walk out
the wall which just before refused to yield to Tankmin's rush.
INT. DOWNSTAIRS LOBBY - SAME TIME
Louis struggles to his feet and gets to the door, falling again.
ON THE MACHINE, a gauge marked "Lockdown Field Power" is slowly going
down to zero. The alarm becomes more urgent.
Louis hurries to the door, opens it...and is thrown out and across the
street as the lockdown EXPLODES.
EXT. GHOSTMASHERS STATION - ROOF - SAME TIME
The roof explodes up and out in a grenade blast of debris. Innumerable
spooks begin pouring up and out of the hole.
EXT. THE STREET - SAME TIME
They turn on their guns and begin firing at the ghosts. The street has
been littered with a pattern of ghost traps, and each Ghostbuster
stands to one side, prodding the ghosts over the traps. Jake and Art
are tending to Louis.
STANTZ
Don't let any of them get away!
VENKMAN
I've got Spengler!
True enough, the ethereal Spengler has been ensnared in Venkman's beam.
He is panicked and does not seem to be aware of where or who he is.
Venkman pulls him away from the trap grid below and yells --
VENKMAN (cont'd)
NOW!!
Stantz, Winston, Jake, Art, and the revived Louis all stomp trap
pedals. The traps on the street open, shooting a brilliant pattern of
lights into the night sky, a pattern which is visible from Sedah's taxi
cab. The ghosts are all sucked in.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Where's the training trap?
STANTZ
(to Winston)
Is the one closest to the door. Not the one
with the demon!
Winston retrieves the trap.
STANTZ (cont'd)
Okay, get him over...over...shut off the
stream...NOW!!
Spengler is sucked into a trap. Stantz picks it up and sets it in the
back with the others. No one notices that the LED light on Spengler's
trap is blinking red.
INT. ECTO-CONTAINMENT UNIT - LATER
The Ghostbusters, fatigue, are loading traps one by one into the
containment unit.
VENKMAN
How're they getting along in there?
Winston goes to a monitor and flicks it on. He peers in.
WINSTON
Plenty of elbow room.
Suddenly one trap begins to buck and jump in Stantz's hands.
STANTZ
What the -- ?
They all help him load it in.
INT. TRAINING CENTER - LATER
The Ghostbusters, still tired, have the training trap in the center of
the room, green LED flashing brightly.
STANTZ
When he comes out, he might be a little
confused. What we'll need to do is hold him
down until he comes to his senses.
VENKMAN
He doesn't have much practice with this ghost
thing. It shouldn't be a problem.
STANTZ
We'll go half-stream on this one. We don't
want to accidentally destroy anything right
now.
They adjust their streams. Everyone at the ready, Stantz opens the
trap --
INT. THE TRAP
-- which flies open with preternatural force as the demon from the
subway bursts out. The Ghostbusters fire, but their streams fall just
short, waving in the air like out-of-control fire hoses.
The demon favors them with a throaty laugh of contempt, then flies up
through the ceiling, leaving ectoplasmic scorch marks.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS run up the stairs and, closing the reinforced door
behind them, look around at the amazing spectacle before them.
Spots of the Firehouse garage/reception area, erratic patterns, have
turned moldy and old-looking. Several parts of the Ecto have turned
completely black, much like Blood-1. The doors have been knocked off
their hinges and the street outside has become as Hellish as the inside
of the Firehouse in splashes of decay.
STANTZ
(to Art, RE: the Ecto)
Take that outside and see if you can get it
cleaned off.
Janine comes out from under her desk.
JANINE
What the hell was that? Did anything else
escape the containment unit?
A moment of contemplative silence. The phone rings. Janine screams
and picks it up.
JANINE (cont'd)
Ghostbusters.
STANTZ
(to the others)
We probably SHOULD check out the containment
unit.
They go downstairs. Art takes the car outside.
INT. CONTAINMENT UNIT - CONTINUOUS
Winston goes over to the monitor and switches it back on. He looks in.
WINSTON
Shit.
The others crowd around to see.
INSERT - THE MONITOR
This is the first real look inside the containment unit. The monitor
is black and white, and the realistic, "security camera" graininess of
the picture is disturbing. Souls and spirits of all species crowd
around. Some are looking for a way out, flitting in and out of a mist,
but others simply lean back like veteran convicts, accepting their
fate. This is a sad, bleak and frightening side of ghostbusting.
Then, through a break in the spirits, Spengler is clearly seen, sitting
on nothing and holding his head in despair.
BACK TO SCENE
The Ghostbusters look hopelessly at each other.
VENKMAN
What the hell do we do?
Stantz shrugs, but his eyes wander to the shutdown switch for the
containment unit. The others get the hint and head toward the stairs,
pulling the new recruits along.
JAKE
What? What's going on?
Stantz grabs the switch.
INT. JANINE'S DESK - SAME TIME
Janine is still talking with the customer.
JANINE
...well then don't go in there.
The Ghostbusters fly out of the stairwell to the containment unit.
Smoke pours from the door and a rasping alarm signals the emminent
shutdown of the containment unit.
STANTZ
(running)
GET OUT NOW!!
JANINE
(to the customer)
I'll have to call you back.
She throws down the phone and runs.
EXT. FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
The containment unit lets go, but this time ten years' worth of spooks,
specters and phantoms come pouring from the hole in the containment
unit in a steady and surreal stream, flying high into the sky in a
glowing pillar that can be seen by each of the five boroughs.
BEGIN GHOST ATTACK MONTAGE
INT. CAPITOL BUILDING - WASHINGTON, D.C. - CATAFAULK - SAME TIME
A lone SECURITY GUARD makes his rounds. As he walks around a corner, he
hears a cat meow. On the floor, coming towards him, is a glowing
white, purring cat.
As it walks towards him, it grows, larger and larger, until the purring
becomes a fierce growl.
The cat, now bigger than the hugest lion, leaps with a hideous,
deafening roar. The security guard screams and covers his ears,
squeezing his eyes tight against the painful death he knows is coming.
Nothing happens.
He opens his eyes and looks around. No sign of any cat. He decides
his rounds are done.
INT. DISNEYWORLD - ORLANDO, FL - HAUNTED MANSION - SAME TIME
A group of tourists are riding around in their "doom buggies," booing
the cheesy ghost effects and making a ruckus.
Suddenly, the ride stops and a low moan pervades the buildings.
A flurry of ghosts fly through the building on all sides, passing
through each other, screaming, and wreaking general havoc.
Then it stops. The ride continues. For a moment, the tourists sit
stunned. Then they applaud and hoot at the most incredible experience
of their lives.
TOURIST
WAY better than last time.
INT. DESERT - BORDER OF TEXAS AND MEXICO - SAME TIME
A lone gunman walks through the night. His skeletal fingers hover over
the six shooter which is held to his pelvis bone by cowhide leather.
INT. SALT LAKE CITY SKI RESORT - UTAH - SAME TIME
A skier slides down the slopes, passing several other night skiers in
his flight.
SKIER 1
Hey, watch it!
SKIER 2
Hey, you! Look out for that --
The careening skier hits and passes through a huge tree headfirst.
SKIER 2
-- tree?
They notice that the skier left no tracks.
INT. CONDO - CALIFORNIA - SAME TIME
A young man is awakened by the sound of music being played on the piano
downstairs. He gets up to check it out.
When he gets there, he discovers that the keys seem to be moving by
themselves.
INT. SHACK - MEXICO - SAME TIME
A drunken man is awakened by the sound of clothing rustling in the
breeze outside. He looks out the window, confronted suddenly with the
faceless La Llorona -- the White Lady of Mexico.
INT. HOUSE - SUBURBS - SAME TIME
A little boy is calling to his father desperately.
BOY
Daddy! Daddy!
His father thunders in.
FATHER
What? What is it?
The boy points at his closet.
BOY
He's in there.
FATHER
Who?
BOY
(simply)
Boogeyman.
FATHER
Goodnight, Timmy.
He leaves and turns off the light. Timmy, scared, watches in the
moonlight as the closet door's knob turns and the door begins to creak
open.
TIMMY
DADDY!!
His father comes back in, switching on the light. The closet door
clicks closed.
FATHER
What IS IT, Timmy?
TIMMY
He's in the closet, Daddy! Do something!
FATHER
(exasperated)
Look, Timmy, I'm going to show you once and for
all.
He walks toward the closet door, mumbling to himself.
FATHER (cont'd)
Kids. Kids and TV, that's where the problem
lies, the idiot box.
He grabs the closet doorknob firmly.
FATHER (cont'd)
Look, Timmy --
(throws open closet door)
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE --
He stops as a gigantic DEMON rears out of the closet and ROARS. The
tough father screams.
INT. SHACK
The man screams.
INT. CONDO - SAME TIME
The young man screams.
EXT. SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SKYLINE SHOT - SAME TIME
With the famous Sydney Opera House in the foreground, the screams of
citizens pierce the night.
EXT. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - SEARS TOWER FOREGROUND - SAME TIME
More screaming.
EXT. LONDON, ENGLAND - BIG BEN FOREGROUND - SAME TIME
And more.
EXT. PARIS, FRANCE - EIFFEL TOWER FOREGROUND - SAME TIME
And more.
EXT. NEW YORK - EMPIRE STATE BUILDING FOREGROUND - SAME TIME
The entire island of Manhattan is screaming in pure mortal terror as
the irridescent column continues to spew from the roof of the
Ghostbusters' Firehouse.
EXT. ON THE STREET - SAME TIME
The Ghostbusters, shielding their eyes, watch in awe. Their proton
packs are on their backs, the guns are drawn, and they search vainly
for Spengler.
VENKMAN
Remember what happened the last time the unit
exploded?
WINSTON
I'm trying very hard not to.
STANTZ
I see him!
They blast into the string of ghosts, shortening their streams and
eventually drawing forth Spengler. He is no longer struggling.
The stream of ghosts just stops, as if at a switch, with a sucking
sound. The ghosts go their separate ways.
Those in New York not awakened by the explosion are now awake -- and
screaming.
VENKMAN
My children of the night! What music they
make!
SPENGLER
That really isn't funny, Peter.
Venkman starts at Spengler's voice, which is as rational and ALIVE as
ever. Just slightly transparent. Spectral Spengler stands calmly on
the street, much to the apparent astonishment of everyone else.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
(continuing)
We have a very big problem on our hands.
VENKMAN
You amaze me, Egon. Dead and STILL a party-
pooper.
SPENGLER
I am not legally dead, and if you follow me
you'll see I won't be for a long time.
He turns to the Firehouse.
STANTZ
Wait, we need your body for it to work!
Spengler snaps his fingers.
SPENGLER
It's still at the hospital, I assume. Well,
someone had better go get it.
(listens for a moment)
And they need to go now.
Silent communication goes on for an instant, and the two new recruits
jump in the Ecto.
A moment later, a POLICE CHOPPER lands on the street in front of the
Ghostbusters. Venkman steps forward as a policeman gets out.
VENKMAN
You can't park that here! Read the signs!
(recognizes the officer)
Detective Stubbs! What a pleasant surprise!
If I'd known we were having company, I would
have cleaned up the place. The Firehouse is
just a total mess.
STUBBS
So I'm being told. We've had reports from this
neighborhood about everything from fireworks to
air strikes. On top of that, I'm being told on
the radio that we're having the most "ghost"
reports since New Year's '89. Now, truthfully,
what the hell is going on?
STANTZ
Well, we are having a small ghost problem
ourselves.
STUBBS
Cut the bull, okay? I don't believe in ghosts.
The only reason I called you in in the first
place was because my superior officer told me
to. HE believes in ghosts.
WINSTON
Well, before you go any further, I think you
should talk to our friend.
VENKMAN
Oh, Egon...?
INT. FIREHOUSE - SHORTLY AFTER
There is a huge, gaping hole in the floor and ceiling of the garage,
extending through all the upper floors to the roof, and down to the
original place for the containment unit.
The Ghostbusters skirt nonchalantly by it -- except for Spengler, who
walks over it as though the floor was still there. Venkman and Winston
are dragging Stubbs along.
WINSTON
I've never seen a grown man cry or faint
before.
VENKMAN
I've never seen ANYONE do both at once.
Stantz picks up the CB radio transmitter on Janine's desk -- the gap in
the floor halts about six inches from the front legs of Janine's desk.
He turns it on and tests it.
JAKE
(filter, over radio)
You're coming in clear, Ray. What's up?
STANTZ
Well, we have an unconscious officer on our
hands and a very large problem in the making
regarding our license renewal. Over.
JAKE
Well, we're about five, maybe seven minutes
from the hospital. We'll update you then. Uh,
over.
STANTZ
Copy that. Over and out.
Stubbs is beginning to come to. He awakens and sees Venkman conversing
AD LIB with Spengler as though Spengler weren't a ghost and freaks out.
STUBBS
A g-ghost! Do something! Bust it!
VENKMAN
Doesn't he look familiar to you at all?
Stubbs looks closely.
STUBBS
Elvis? Is that you?
WINSTON
No, it's not Elvis! He was one of us, working
on that case!
STUBBS
Which case? The Doreen Boyle case?
Spengler nods.
A look of surprise and uneasy horror crosses Stubbs' face.
STUBBS
Oh, God. I should never have gotten you
involved and not provided you guys with police
protection.
VENKMAN
We all make mistakes. Besides, the justice
system is pretty much responsible for what
we've got going here.
STUBBS
Does anyone have a cup of coffee? Black?
VENKMAN
I'll get you one.
(walks to the stairwell)
Hey, Spud! Grab a cup of coffee!
(to Stubbs)
Anything else?
STUBBS
No.
(a beat)
Who's Spud?
INT. TRAINING CENTER - A LITTLE LATER
Venkman and Winston are again trying to revive the unconscious Stubbs,
while Slimer peeks over Venkman's shoulder. Spengler and Stantz are
talking.
STANTZ
So what was the deal with the struggling you
put up?
SPENGLER
It was beautiful in there, Ray. The
GhostMashers' containment unit was the most
wonderful place a ghost could ask for. Being
from the spirit realm themselves, I suppose the
"GhostMashers" wanted all ghosts to be happy
where they were.
STANTZ
An act of mercy?
Stubbs wakes up in the background and starts at Slimer's close
proximity. They begin to interact in the background.
SPENGLER
I'd say it was more like rallying the troops,
actually. They seemed to be trying to get us
all on their side -- it almost worked for me.
STANTZ
We all noticed.
SPENGLER
But our containment unit, on the other hand.
Ours. A desolate wasteland and a horrible
place to confine the ghosts for all eternity.
When I rebuild the containment unit, it will be
different.
VENKMAN
(coming over)
I hate to be the one to break this to you,
Egon, but you're dead. How are you going to
build anything?
SPENGLER
On the contrary, Peter, my body -- my living
vehicle -- is still very much alive.
VENKMAN
So?
SPENGLER
Remember our "experiment" that Ray told you
about a while back?
VENKMAN
Ye-es...
SPENGLER
Our "experiment" was a chamber that we could
use to re-infuse a person's spirit with his
body, to complete during his "new lease on
life" the unfinished business that forced him
to return to Earth as a ghost. This is why we
needed a ghost directly from its own realm.
The crossing-over process forces them onto
another, ethereal plane, and --
VENKMAN
I understand the ethereal stuff. Skip it.
SPENGLER
The idea was to keep the containment unit from
getting full. We soon realized that, in the
case of most ghosts, a body was too rarely
found or too advanced in stages of decay. The
project was about to officially be scrapped
when my "accident" occured.
VENKMAN
Why was I not informed until now? You could
have put us out of business!
SPENGLER
It doesn't matter. As soon as we get my body,
I can get back in.
VENKMAN
You couldn't just climb in?
SPENGLER
All the readings used for that machine
indicated that the body would simply repel or
"reject" the ectoplasmic entity unless fused
through the machine.
A short, contemplative pause. Then:
VENKMAN
If we called this fusion, do you think we could
win a Nobel Prize?
Before Spengler can answer, Art's voice crackles over the CB radio
upstairs.
ART
(filter)
Ray, Peter, Winston! Somebody! Damn it!
Over!
Stantz bolts upstairs and snatches the CB radio transmitter up.
STANTZ
What is it? Over.
ART
They took him! They took Egon! Over!
STANTZ
Who? Who took him? Over.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
ART
THE GHOSTMASHERS!!
STANTZ
(filter)
WHAT?!
ART
They took him out of the hospital a few minutes
before we got there. We're trying to track
them. The R.N. pointed us this way. Over.
INTERCUT STANTZ AND ART
VENKMAN
(b.g.)
Will this evening never end?
STANTZ
Which way are they headed? Over.
Art shuffles through some maps, looks at them. His face falls and he
goes pale.
STANTZ (cont'd)
Where are they going? Over.
ART
(quietly, shocked)
The Brooklyn Bridge.
STANTZ
What? Come again?
ART
THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE!! They're going to dump
him off the Brooklyn Bridge! There's a huge
construction job going on and it left a hole in
the bridge!
Stantz pales.
STANTZ
Can you stop them?
ART
I don't know. We might not in the car, but we
can't on foot. We're not fast enough! Maybe
if this car could FLY. Over.
VENKMAN
We haven't checked all the buttons yet.
STANTZ
(to Venkman)
The car can't fly.
Still, Venkman looks hopefully to Spengler, who shakes his head.
Stantz thinks, then looks at Stubbs, who is interacting absentmindedly
with Slimer. Everyone else looks at him. Stubbs notices.
STUBBS
What?
EXT. THE STREET OUTSIDE THE FIREHOUSE - LATER
The chopper takes off from the street, rising unsteadily into the air.
This is because the CHOPPER PILOT is standing on the street next to
Detective Stubbs.
PILOT
Do they know what they're doing?
STUBBS
I hope they do. I sure as hell don't.
PILOT
We just painted the "DANGER" signs on this
morning.
STUBBS
They don't look like sign-readers to me.
Janine comes out of the Firehouse with a cup of coffee for Stubbs and
the pilot. She is trailed by Slimer. The pilot and Stubbs drink
wordlessly.
A cab pulls up to the Firehouse and Oscar, Doreen, and the unknown man
step out. Doreen leans into the window.
DOREEN
How much?
The cabbie, the same one as picked up Janine from the Firehouse several
nights before, looks over her shoulder and sees the Firehouse. He
freaks out --
CABBIE
No charge!
-- and tears violently off down the street, hitting and passing through
Slimer. The cabbie can be heard screaming as his cab swerves crazily.
It finally rights itself and disappears into the night. Oscar runs into
the Firehouse.
INT. THE FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Oscar, distracted, bolts in and toward the edge of the hole. Janine
rushes in just in time, calling his name, and wraps her arm around his
chest to keep him from plummeting into the hole.
He sees the hole for the first time and goes into shock. Janine drags
him out of the Firehouse.
EXT. FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
Doreen is being questioned by Detective Stubbs. The silent man and
Slimer are eyeing each other. They look remarkably alike facially.
STUBBS
And where were you when all this took place,
Miss Doyle?
DOREEN
Mrs. BOYLE. I was on Broadway watching The
Phantom of the Opera. Oscar and --
(RE: unknown man)
-- Whoever were with me.
STUBBS
"Whoever?"
DOREEN
He can't talk and he has no identification at
all. He doesn't even have fingerprints. We
don't know what --
STUBBS
Wait. No FINGERPRINTS?
DOREEN
His hands are completely smooth.
STUBBS
(closes his notebook)
Well, Miss Boyle, your reappearance has just
closed a case. But you've also just become
part of an OPEN case. Be careful.
DOREEN
Why?
Stubbs turns to Janine.
STUBBS
Go get Dr. Spengler.
DOREEN
Who?
INT. POLICE CHOPPER - LATER
Venkman looks around the inside restlessly. He eyes the stenciled red
"DANGER" above the door handle, then looks down at the can of paint
which painted it, still in the chopper.
Venkman straps on a harness and wire, grabs the can, tests it, and,
before he can be stopped, he opens the door, leans out, and paints a
large but uneven prohibition sign on the side of the chopper.
VENKMAN
Now it's official.
STANTZ
Hey, Venkman? What's the CB frequency in the
Ecto?
VENKMAN
34, I think.
Stantz makes the proper adjustments and calls on the CB radio. Art
answers.
ART
We're right behind them. They're speeding
through all the stoplights, but we were able to
push Ecto and we've almost caught up.
STANTZ
Through stop signs? Has anybody been hurt?
ART
No, it's too late for too many people to be on
the streets.
(beat)
Where are you?
Stantz looks.
STANTZ
Hey, we're right above you!
INT. ECTOMOBILE - SAME TIME
Jake, intent on Blood-1, flicks a glance at Art and the CB transmitter.
JAKE
What'd he say?
ART
He said they're right above us.
JAKE
What? How?
The instant he says it, a bright white floodlight comes down from the
sky, momentarily blinding him. He screeches on the brakes while Blood-
1 roars ahead. The spotlight begins swinging loopily over the street.
INT. POLICE CHOPPER - SAME TIME
Venkman is playing with the spotlight controls. Finally, he centers it
on Blood-1, which is coming up to the Brooklyn Bridge.
Blood-1 roars onto the bridge in the wrong direction, with the Ecto and
chopper in not-so-hot pursuit. Blood-1 approaches the ragged hole in
the bridge.
Venkman tires of the floodlight and turns his attention to another set
of controls. He begins to mess around with them, and then he pulls a
trigger. The chaingun on the front of the chopper fires rapidly,
denting and scarring Blood-1's roof and shattering one of the flashing
strobes.
VENKMAN
Neat!
Blood-1, in apparent surprise, hits the brakes and twirls out of
control. Dark shapes in the floodlight come THROUGH the sides of Blood-
1 and float away quickly. Blood-1 comes to rest with the nose tilting
into the hole in the bridge.
STANTZ
It's going over!
Winston, searching frantically for something, anything, finds a panel
that says "AIRLIFT" with up-down controls. He hits the DOWN button.
EXT. CHOPPER
A hook on high-tension cable lowers a little bit.
INT. CHOPPER
Winston, hearing the motor, takes his hand off the button. He shows
Venkman.
EXT. BRIDGE
The Ecto pulls up beside Blood-1. Jake and Art get out.
INTERCUT CHOPPER AND BRIDGE
Venkman tests a bullhorn, then leans out the window and uses it.
VENKMAN
(bullhorn)
We're going to drop down a hook. We need you
guys to hook it to the inside of the car so we
can pull it out of the hole.
The hook lowers. Jake and Art grab it, then go over to Blood-1. The
car creaks slowly as it sways, dipping its nose further into the hole,
leaning back out. Slowly, Jake and Art open the back door.
The weight shifts too abruptly for the car and its metal underside
shrieks maddeningly, as it tips very far into the hole before righting
itself. Jake and Art look in.
Spengler -- or his body -- has been strapped to a hospital stretcher --
strapped in such a way as to prevent escape, it looks.
Jake puts the point of the hook in the rounded corner where the back of
the car meets the roof and waves his hands in wide arcs.
Venkman turns to Stantz.
VENKMAN
Ready.
Stantz pulls up on the controls, trying to make the chopper ascend. The
hook and cable pull taut, and for a moment, it seems perfectly
triumphant. The back of the black car begins to lift, up -- but then
the weight shifts and the car abruptly angles down towards the water.
The chopper cannot handle the excess weight.
VENKMAN
(bullhorn)
It's too heavy! Try hooking it to something
else!
The chopper lowers, and the hook loosens from the roof of Blood-1.
Winston lets out more cable, enough to coil up on the ground. For one
horrible instant, the car seems about to go down, but then it rights
itself. Jake looks desperately for something to hook onto.
Art is suddenly nowhere to be seen.
Jake's eye settles upon the straps binding Spengler. He hooks the hook
to the leather strap around Spengler's immobile waist.
In leaning in, the weight is once again imbalanced, and Blood-1 tilts,
holds in a perpendicular position, and drops.
EXT. SLOW MOTION SHOT OF BLOOD-1
As it falls toward the water, the front slowly begins to peel away
again, like smoke, curling away until nothing is left of the car.
Three proton packs, once contained within Blood-1, fall into the river,
the car having been stripped away around them.
ON THE BRIDGE, the cable draws taut. We see that Art is on the ground,
fainted.
Stantz slowly pulls the helicopter up, and eventually Jake and Spengler
come into view, Jake clutching Spengler's motionless body with all his
heart and soul. The strap and cable both hold.
VENKMAN
(bullhorn)
Jake! Are you okay?
JAKE
(yelling)
No, I'm not okay! I'M PISSED!!
VENKMAN
(bullhorn)
Just hold on! We're going to set you down
beside the Ecto. Do you think you can drive it
back?
JAKE
(yelling)
Sure! No problem!
INT. CHOPPER
Venkman leans back and turns to Stantz.
VENKMAN
You see? This is what comes of building
dimensional portals.
EXT. FIREHOUSE - LATER
The Ectomobile comes to a halt just outside the door, and the chopper
lands in a blast of wind that sends paper and small debris scattering.
Stubbs runs out of the Firehouse, excited, pointing at the silent man,
who is trailing behind him.
STUBBS
Gregory Hampton! His name is Gregory Hampton!
He disappeared two years ago! We found a
basement full of voodoo objects!
Venkman turns to the silent man (HAMPTON).
VENKMAN
Were those yours?
Hampton nods sadly.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
Well, you can just forget about dessert
tonight, young man!
Hampton hangs his head and slinks off.
Stubbs and the chopper pilot climb into the chopper and fly off.
STANTZ
They were ticked.
VENKMAN
Wait'll they find out I changed all their radio
settings.
INT. TRAINING CENTER - LATER
Spengler's body is propped up in the fusion chamber. The training
center was untouched by the explosion of the containment unit.
Spengler (ethereal) steps into the chamber.
STANTZ
I hope this works.
VENKMAN
You'd better.
Stantz reaches forward, presses a large black button. A green light on
top of the machine blinks on. The machine starts to make soothing
humming sounds.
Humming sounds which unexpectedly become rasping sounds, much like an
alarm, as a red light atop the machine begins to flash.
Stantz, panicked, hits a red "ABORT" button, which does nothing at all.
Jake runs to the top of the stairs only to find it locked.
He begins screaming to Janine for help -- forgetting that Janine is in
the training center with them.
Everyone backs as far to the wall as they can, as the machine quite
certainly becomes ready to explode.
Everything instantly stops, and a bell chimes, like a microwave. DING.
The door to the chamber opens and, amidst a flow of mist, Spengler,
whole and alive, steps out of the machine. Janine embraces him. He
awkwardly hugs her, not sure what to do with his hands.
VENKMAN
What the hell was that? I thought for sure we
were all ka-boom.
SPENGLER
If you are referring to the red light, that was
only something I wired in to tell me that the
process had actually gone to far to safely
abort.
Stantz's eyes widen.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
But I never got the chance to hook up the abort
function anyway.
VENKMAN
Why does everything around here have to be so
DIFFICULT?!
JAKE
(by the exit)
It's not over yet, Pete. The door won't open.
SPENGLER
Which way are you turning the knob?
Jake turns the knob the other way. The door opens easily.
INT. FIREHOUSE REC ROOM - LATER
The Rec Room and Dorm were left untouched by the massive explosion,
along with the reception area and some of the sub-basement.
Venkman is in his seat, alone, watching the news, which is talking
about "massive reports of unidentified lights in the sky all over the
world." He clicks it off and heads into the Dorm.
INT. DORM - FIRST FIVE BEDS
Spengler, Stantz, Winston, Jake, and Art are all sound asleep.
Spengler is snoring brackishly.
VENKMAN
(quietly)
I could have done without THAT.
INT. SIXTH BED
Doreen is sleeping with quiet dignity. Before he knows what he's
doing, he brushes back her hair and kisses her temple. She squirms a
little, but a faint smile comes up on her lips.
INT. APARTMENT - SAME TIME
Henry Sedah, in bed, wakes up suddenly. He narrows his eyes and
clenches his fist.
INT. FIREHOUSE - SEVENTH BED - SAME TIME
Oscar is sprawled across the entire bed. As Sedah clenches his fist in
a far away apartment, his face contorts in a grimace of fear and is
soon slick with sweat. His face and body twitch sporadically.
Venkman sits on the side of Oscar's bed, and strokes his hair in a
fatherly gesture.
Oscar slowly calms down into a more peaceful type of sleep.
Again, before realizing what he's doing, Venkman leans over and plants
a paternal kiss on Oscar's forehead. Oscar smiles a little, too.
INT. APARTMENT
Sedah, with eyes of raging infernos, sits up violently in bed. With a
howl of fury, he brings his fist down on his bedside table, which
explodes in wooden shrapnel.
INT. FIREHOUSE - EIGHTH BED
The man who is now known as Hampton is sleeping, curled up like a
child.
Venkman looks at him for a moment, then pats him chummily on the
shoulder. Hampton squirms in his bed and farts.
INT. LAST BED
The bed closest to the window. It is empty. This is Venkman's bed.
Venkman lays down and closes his eyes.
VENKMAN
(to himself)
Good night at last.
He sleeps.
INT. APARTMENT
Sedah pulls a HUGE shard of wood out of the back of his hand. No blood
comes out. He gets up and walks over to the balcony of his apartment,
looking over the city.
SEDAH
Good night indeed. There will be precious few
where I'm taking this city, Doctor Venkman.
BEGIN FIREHOUSE RE-CONSTRUCTION MONTAGE
INT. HARDWARE STORE
Stantz, Venkman, and Winston all push carts to the front check-out,
each one carrying wood, cement mix, etc.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Since the explosion of last night, which has
been attributed to everything from alien
invasion, to an Iraqi air strike, to an attack
on the city by the convicts who escaped NYPD
lockdown barely a week ago --
VARIOUS SHOTS of hammer falling, saw sawing, drill drilling.
ANNOUNCER (cont'd)
-- the question on everyone's lips is: where
are the Ghostbusters?
EXT. FIREHOUSE
Oscar is running back and forth in front of a fountain of water in
front of the Firehouse, excited to cool off on a hot day.
We PULL BACK and see a fire hydrant busted over on the ground, next to
which is a large steel beam. The Ghostbusters are arguing
simultaneously with a police officer and a crane operator.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
The sign on the door of their Headquarters says
"CLOSED FOR RENOVATION," but even when they re-
open, if ever they do, how can they possibly
handle all the ghost reports that are lighting
up switchboards all over the Tri-State area?
INT. REC ROOM - NIGHT
Spengler is working at his table on a piece of equipment-- two of them.
One is completed, the other not. The equipment in question is a small
contraption with a handle and a cylinder mounted on top. The cylinder
is open at one end, and the handle has a trigger on it.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
I know that this is not one of my usual topics,
and my actual topic for today was GOING to be
tomorrow's mayoral election: Reid vs. Sedah.
However, I myself spent three hours talking to
my deceased father last night on the subject of
why I was still single.
EXT. FIREHOUSE
A workman polishes the neon NO-GHOST LOGO.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
Surprisingly, my own switchboard has lit up
like those at central dispatch over this topic.
Hello, caller, you're on the air so keep it
clean.
(she fades)
EXT. FIREHOUSE
END MONTAGE. The Firehouse has been completely re-built, and the
Ghostbusters (all six of them) along with Oscar, Doreen, Hampton,
Louis, and Janine, stand outside admiring it.
VENKMAN
Isn't it beautiful?
Everyone nods.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
(to Stantz and Spengler)
Nothing EXPLOSIVE anymore, understood?
SPENGLER
When I re-build the containment unit, I will
try not to make it destructible.
VENKMAN
Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.
STANTZ
Hey, that reminds me. Who's up to see the
"Star Wars" prequel tonight? It looks pretty
cool.
VENKMAN
Are they STILL making Star Wars movies? What's
the big deal about sequels, anyway? They're
just re-hashes of the original.
STANTZ
Some sequels can be very original.
Everyone laughs and goes inside.
INT. FIREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
They walk across the brand new floor to the reception area, still
laughing, where Venkman plugs in Janine's phone. Immediately all the
buttons light up. Janine, surprised, presses one.
JANINE
Ghostbusters.
(listens)
No, we don't just cater to New York City.
(beat)
Is this a joke?
WINSTON
What?
JANINE
He says he's from Montreal!
VENKMAN
Tell him to call back later.
JANINE
(into the phone)
Call back later.
(switches lines)
Ghostbusters.
(a beat)
Sydney?! How did you get this number?
Venkman takes the phone from her.
VENKMAN
(into the phone)
We'll get back to you.
(he hangs up and begins dialing)
(to the others)
I have some business to take care of.
(into the phone)
Yes, information? I'd like the number for Dana
Barrett.
Oscar blanches.
OSCAR
Mom?
VENKMAN
Yep. It's been real, kid, but it's time for
you to go home.
Louis pipes up.
LOUIS
Tell her I said hi.
VENKMAN
Yes, please put me through.
(waits)
Yes, hello, is Dana there?
(listens)
Tell her Peter Venkman is calling, it's about
her son Oscar.
(beat)
That's right, Peter Venkman.
(listens a moment, then pales)
I see. Yes, yes, of course I'll tell him.
Thank you for your condolences.
He hangs up and turns to Oscar. Tears are welling up in Oscar's eyes.
OSCAR
(trying to be tough)
So? What about her?
VENKMAN
She was in a car accident. She, uh, she died
on the way to the hospital.
Oscar breaks down and falls to his knees on the new floor. Venkman
hugs him tightly.
OSCAR
(blubbering)
I didn't even get to say goodbye!! I never
even said "I love you"!! I was taken by Hades
and I LET IT HAPPEN, and now I'll never go home
again, and...
Doreen bends down and holds Oscar's hand. Oscar buries his face in
Venkman's shoulder.
VENKMAN
You are home.
He lifts Oscar's face up and points his eyes toward the others.
Janine, Spengler, Stantz, Winston, all are crying. Jake and Art are
completely dismayed. Louis is almost hysterical.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
We all loved her. We risked our lives for her,
twice. But we also risked our lives for YOU,
and so you don't have to be alone. THIS is
your home now.
Oscar puts his face back against Venkman's shoulder and cries quietly.
Everyone else bows their heads as they silently weep. Both Janine and
Louis throw themselves into Spengler's arms for comfort.
INT. REC ROOM - NEXT DAY
Spengler is sitting at the table, working on the new equipment. Oscar
comes quietly upstairs and over to the table, looking at it.
OSCAR
What's that?
Spengler jumps.
SPENGLER
You startled me.
OSCAR
Duh.
SPENGLER
Where is everybody?
OSCAR
Voting. I'm too young. Aren't you going to
vote?
SPENGLER
No. The scientific probabilities are too far
against the person I vote for actually winning.
(beat)
Besides, I don't like either candidate.
Lenny's a jerk and Sedah's creepy. Why didn't
you go along?
OSCAR
(offhand, engrossed in the
equipment)
Pop wasn't going.
SPENGLER
Who?
OSCAR
Uh, PETE. Dr. Venkman. He wasn't going.
(defensive)
Besides, I didn't want to go anyway.
SPENGLER
(peaceably)
Okay.
OSCAR
Whatcha doing?
SPENGLER
Building some new equipment, in case it ever
comes to the point where someone can't carry
the heavy proton packs anymore.
Spengler's eyes flicker toward Oscar. Oscar doesn't notice.
SPENGLER (cont'd)
Or if someone can't carry a pack YET.
OSCAR
What are they?
SPENGLER
Proton pistols. They emit less powerful
streams of energy, and are thus less heavy.
They can also be set to emit a single strong
blast at once that can incapacitate a ghost
momentarily.
OSCAR
Like a bullet?
SPENGLER
Yes, I suppose so.
OSCAR
How many are you making?
SPENGLER
Just this one.
Oscar gives him a look that says, "I know you're smarter than me, but I
also know two when I see it." Spengler explains.
SPENGLER
I made this one --
(the complete one)
-- to figure out the dimensions. It doesn't
function. The one I'm building will work.
(twists a few more screws)
Done.
OSCAR
Can I test it?
SPENGLER
Come with me to the training center. We'll
test it out on Slimer.
OSCAR
Okay.
They leave, Oscar once more bright and cheery. Outside the window,
dark clouds begin rolling in slowly.
EXT. FIREHOUSE - NIGHT
The brick is blood red, and up above, black and dark red clouds swirl
lazily above NYC.
INT. REC ROOM - NIGHT
The clouds outside are rumbling, threatening rain but not bringing it.
Spengler, Venkman, Winston, and Stantz are sitting on stools by the
window, looking out over the city.
STANTZ
I'm really worried, Egon. Ever since the
confrontation in the subway with the demon, and
its release, we've had a strange feeling deep
inside --
ON THE TABLE, the proton pistol is grabbed by a hand into the darkness
-- a hand which pauses as, by the window, Stantz undergoes a
frightening transformation. His hair disappears, his skin becomes
blue, his ears and teeth lenghten and sharpen to points. His voice
becomes inhuman and he continues his sentence without missing a beat.
STANTZ (cont'd)
(inhuman)
-- like nothing is the same --
He reverts back, again without pause.
STANTZ (cont'd)
-- as it should be.
The hand draws back in a hurry, taking, after a moment's hesitation,
the prototype pistol with it. Spengler stares unbelievingly at Stantz,
as do the other Ghostbusters.
STANTZ
(noticing the stares)
What?
VENKMAN
While you were talking, you --
His skin turns red and droops off his bones, his hair becomes a
writhing mass of worms, his eyes turn yellow and the pupils become cat-
like slits, and his teeth lengthen and curve inward. He continues his
sentence uninhibited.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
(inhuman)
-- turned into a monster --
He reverts back without pause.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
-- without even noticing it!
WINSTON
Yeah, you looked like --
Winston undergoes his own hideous transformation.
WINSTON (cont'd)
(inhuman)
-- you were possessed --
He reverts back.
WINSTON (cont'd)
-- by Vigo again.
Spengler is now VERY scared.
SPENGLER
(nervously)
This may be a direct result of the spell you
say the demon put upon you. The long-term
effects of demons who facilitate dimensional
cross-overs are not exactly well-documented.
VENKMAN
Well, that's just great.
SPENGLER
Have either Jake or Art mentioned these
feelings -- or turned into monsters?
WINSTON
Not that we know of.
VENKMAN
Although you wouldn't think it'd be easy to
miss something like that.
STANTZ
They weren't in the subway with us. Neither
were you.
WINSTON
That's why we came to you.
VENKMAN
That and you're smart.
SPENGLER
Well, I'm afraid I won't be able to do anything
right away. I'll get to work on it tomorrow.
Tonight I think we should all get some sleep.
STANTZ
Tomorrow is the day the mayor gets sworn in.
Maybe we should go and see who we'll have to go
to with our problems for the next four years.
SPENGLER
It will get our minds off this cross-over
business for a while, at least.
They all agree that this is the best course of action.
EXT. CITY HALL - NEXT DAY
The Ectomobile pulls up to the courthouse. Venkman, Winston, Stantz,
and Art, in civilian clothing, climb out and walk up the stairs,
squeezing into the crowded building. Oscar and Doreen are with them.
INT. CITY HALL - CONTINUOUS
The group begins to slowly push its way into the hall. They
accidentally are shoved into a group of four GEN-Xers: EDUARDO RIVERA,
KYLIE GRIFFEN, ROLAND JACKSON and GARRETT MILLER.
KYLIE
Hey! Watch it!
EDUARDO
Yeah.
He puts his hands on Kylie's shoulders.
EDUARDO (cont'd)
You're upsetting my woman.
Kylie rolls her eyes and shrugs him off.
GARRETT
(stepping aside)
Careful.
ROLAND
Slow down, guys.
Henry Sedah, mayoral candidate, suddenly steps to the podium,
anxiously.
SEDAH
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to present
to you a group of people to whom this city owes
a great debt.
(pointing)
The Ghostbusters. Let's clear a path so they
can get a good spot.
DOREEN
(incredulous)
HENRY?!
(to the others)
I know him! He's running for Mayor?
The crowd parts, and some people begin to applaud. A few whistle. The
GEN-Xers take a closer look.
GARRETT
Oh, yeah. That's why they looked so familiar.
The GEN-Xers follow close behind the Ghostbusters in the parted crowd,
trying to get closer to the front.
Stantz, Winston, and Art are a little embarrassed by the attention.
Venkman relishes it.
VENKMAN
Thank you, thank you. Oh, please, sit down.
Doreen and Oscar giggle.
They make their way to the front just as the Mayor comes onstage.
GHOSTBUSTERS
(all)
Lenny!
The Mayor favors them with a brief glance. Venkman acts all hot and
bothered.
VENKMAN
Oh...my...GOD!! I swear he looked right at me!
I'll never wash these eyes again!
INT. FIREHOUSE - SAME TIME
Jake is wandering restlessly around the reception area, reading the
newspaper. The headline in huge letters is SEDAH vs. REID. Spengler
is in Venkman's "office" with Louis and Janine, discussing the
situation.
SPENGLER
I'm pretty sure that our gate was the
invitation which allowed the demon to begin
taking over our world. But it would need a
massive invitation by a majority of New Yorkers
to completely take over the city.
LOUIS
Maybe it's been using one of those door-to-door
polls.
JANINE
That'd be some poll.
(pretending to be a poll-taker)
"How many magazine subscriptions do you hold?
Okay, and would you be willing to submit to the
eternal tortures of Hell on Earth?"
SPENGLER
That is a good point, but Louis may be right.
Maybe they're selling a product, and the
manufacturer is the orchestrator of this cross-
over. Or perhaps it is a poll of some sort.
JAKE
(overhearing the whole
conversation)
Come on you guys, that's kind of --
He stops as he looks up. The others continue.
SPENGLER
It's probably some sort of demigod, like Gozer
or Vigo.
JAKE
Guys -- ?
INT. CITY HALL - SAME TIME
The moderator steps up to the podium and clears his throat.
MODERATOR
I know you all want to get this over with, so
let's cut to the chase. Mayor Reid, the people
of this city favored you with 4,030,678 votes.
Spattered clapping from the crowd.
INT. FIREHOUSE - SAME TIME
The group is still talking. Jake is freaked.
JANINE
Wouldn't we have known about it by now?
SPENGLER
Well, Venkman said that Oscar mentioned Hades.
JAKE
GUYS!!
They look at him.
JAKE
You want to check this out?
INT. CITY HALL - SAME TIME
The moderator continues.
MODERATOR
Henry Sedah, the people of this city favored
you with 6,782,097 votes, making you our new
Mayor.
INT. FIREHOUSE - SAME TIME
The others come over. Jake is standing across from the mirror which
states "THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE TEAM -- SAFETY FIRST!"
In the mirror, the headline of the newspaper is inverted, but Sedah's
name is still fairly readable. While the D, E, and S are backwards, we
can still read what it says: HADES.
SPENGLER
Oh, shit.
INT. CITY HALL - SAME TIME
The crowd cheers. Sedah steps up to the podium. As he does, the
subway demon comes out of the wings and hits the former Mayor on the
back of the head.
The Mayor's bodyguards step forward to get rid of the demon, but Sedah
waves his hands toward them and they clutch their chests and fall.
The Ghostbusters are just as confused as everyone else. To add to the
confusion, Sedah comes to the front of the stage, grabs Doreen with one
hand and Oscar with the other, and yanks them up and onto the stage
with impossible strength. He waves his hands in front of their eyes,
and they lose consciousness.
Garrett of the GEN-Xers comes forward and hops onto the stage,
obviously very agile on his legs. He confronts Sedah.
GARRETT
Hey, leave 'em alone, you freak!
Sedah extends the smooth palm of his hand to Garrett, who suddenly
flies off the stage, above everybody's head, and crashes horizontally
against a beam support on the walls of City Hall. An unpleasant CRUNCH
signifies the breaking of his back. The other GEN-Xers run to him.
ROLAND
GARRETT!!
KYLIE
NO!!
Sedah runs backstage. The Ghostbusters leap onstage and pursue him.
INT. BACKSTAGE - CONTINUOUS
They get back just as Sedah is about to go through a trapdoor high in
the ceiling. He looks back down, with Doreen draped over one shoulder
and Oscar the other, and sees them. He waves his left hand and the
ladder breaks at all points beneath his feet. He goes up through the
trapdoor.
INT. ECTOMOBILE - A LITTLE LATER
Venkman is talking to Spengler over the CB radio.
VENKMAN
That's right, Egon, THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR. Any
insight as to why or HOW that happened?
SPENGLER
Jake made a momentous discovery about five
minutes ago. Henry Sedah is really Hades,
Greek ruler of the underworld.
VENKMAN
So what do we do?
SPENGLER
Come back to the Firehouse quickly and get your
equipment. I'll tell you more here.
EXT. ECTOMOBILE
The lights start to turn and the siren sounds as the car shoots away
from City Hall.
EXT. STATUE OF LIBERTY
It is now the Hellish Statue of Liberty -- black outer hull, curved
horns on her crown, red eyes, pitchfork in her upraised hand.
EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR
The water turns to blood, slowly, and begins to boil.
EXT. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
The demon sweeps by it through the air, and suddenly half a dozen
bodies are impaled upon its spike.
INT. FIREHOUSE
The Ghostbusters suit up as Spengler talks.
SPENGLER
I looked up Hades in Tobin's SPIRIT GUIDE,
looking for weaknesses that could help you to
possibly defeat him.
VENKMAN
And?
SPENGLER
Back when ancient Greece was still a bustling
city, Hades and Zeus got into a war. Zeus
injured Hades by stabbing him in the heart,
which is now his ONLY weakness.
WINSTON
Shooting anyone in the heart would probably be
enough to kill them.
ART
If there's one thing I learned during the past
couple of days with you guys, it's that NOTHING
is as easy as that.
SPENGLER
No, the blast would have to be EXTREMELY
powerful. A blast from the proton cannon on
the Ecto MIGHT be enough to do it.
STANTZ
There's one problem with that plan: Hades is on
the roof.
VENKMAN
There would have to be such a problem, wouldn't
there?
JAKE
What are we going to do about that?
Janine, who has been picking up all the lines she possibly can, holds
the phone out to Venkman.
JANINE
It's Detective Stubbs.
Venkman's eyes light up.
VENKMAN
Tell him we'll be right there.
EXT. STREET - LATER
As the Ectomobile swerves wildly about the street, Spengler, on the
roof, removes the bolts holding down the proton cannon.
INT. POLICE HEADQUARTERS - LATER
Venkman strides through the hangar which is full of police choppers, in
close pursuit by the others and a slightly inflamed Stubbs. The other
Ghostbusters are carrying tools and the proton cannon.
STUBBS
Listen, I just needed your opinion over the
phone, you can't just --
Venkman interrupts as he comes to a chopper with a squiggly red
prohibition sign on it.
VENKMAN
This one.
STUBBS
I should have known you were the one who did
that.
VENKMAN
Give us the keys.
Stubbs hands the keys to Stantz. At the same time, the others go to
the chaingun cannon, removing it with Daytona pit crew speed, replacing
it with the proton cannon and running wires up into the cockpit of the
chopper.
STUBBS
Who do you think you are?
GHOSTBUSTERS
(all)
We're the Ghostbusters.
They climb in. Just as they do, a SUPERIOR OFFICER runs up to the
chopper.
SUPERIOR OFFICER
Hey! Just what the hell do you think you're
doing?
The chopper begins to taxi out of the hangar. As it does, Venkman
yells out:
VENKMAN
WE'RE SAVING THE WORLD!!
EXT. CITY HALL - ROOF - LATER
Thunder and green lightning crack over the building, in the ugly
clouds, as Sedah (HADES) sits down on a throne that crossed over from
the other realm. Doreen is chained by the neck, like a dog. Oscar
stands at Hades' left side.
SEDAH (HADES)
How wonderful to own two dimensions at once!
The real estate value alone!
DOREEN
I'm so happy for you.
HADES
No need to be sarcastic, dear. You invited me
personally into your life. Remember?
(feminine)
"Oh, well, I GUESS we could get together
sometime!"
(himself again)
That was as good as "Come on in," honey.
DOREEN
You'll never get away with this!
Hades sneers.
HADES
Who writes your dialogue? I am not some kind
of comic book supervillain, okay? And neither
Superman, nor Batman, nor anybody else, is
going to come out of the sky and save you.
As if on cue, the sound of helicopter blades is heard, and underneath
it the jubilant roar of the crowd below, as the police chopper lands on
top of the building.
INT. CHOPPER
Venkman turns to Spengler. Spengler is working with the wiring system
of the proton cannon beneath the chopper.
VENKMAN
Can you do it, Egon?
SPENGLER
Give me five minutes.
The Ghostbusters jump out of the chopper.
HADES
(as they get out)
The Ghostbusters. How wonderful!
VENKMAN
(pulling his weapon)
Congrats on the election.
HADES
Yes, wasn't that a lucky break? I could never
have taken over this world if I hadn't been
invited -- and what better way than to be
chosen by hand by the people of this great
city? MY great city.
STANTZ
It's not so great anymore, you should know.
HADES
I know. What with murders of Mayoral
candidates and all.
ART
YOU murdered Stockman?
HADES
Yeah, and it was fun. If I hadn't, of course,
the ballot wouldn't have been freed for me to
run for office.
Jake hits himself in the forehead.
JAKE
Stockman said SEDAH!
Hades winces a little.
HADES
That's enough of that. I can't believe my name
wasn't a little more obvious. What if I had
worn GLASSES? I might have been able to go on
for YEARS!
WINSTON
You think you've set a good example? What if
people get wind of how they elected a murderer?
This city will get even WORSE than it already
is!
HADES
Oh, it will get BETTER. EVERYONE will get
better or they will die.
JAKE
Hey, I've seen life after death. It ain't
pretty.
Hades sighs.
HADES
You mortals are so small-minded. The spirit
realm I run is only one of many, some very
"lovely," in your terms. I've been to Heaven;
it makes me nauseous. So white and pure.
You'd like it. Unfortunately, my way of
GETTING you there isn't much fun.
ART
So you rule Hell?
HADES
I rule HADES. I run a much tighter ship than
that pretty boy Lucifer.
JAKE
PRETTY BOY? Look at you!
HADES
Yes, look at me. Only one person has ever seen
me for what I really am. He was driven mad and
killed himself.
HADES features waver, rippling like water.
HADES (cont'd)
(warped)
Would you like to try?
WINSTON
Hades is YOUR NAME. You rule the Underworld.
STANTZ
Pluto rules Hades.
HADES
You mortals would concede to tell me what I
know firsthand?
(beat)
The truth is, the Romans got confused. I got a
promotion a couple millenia ago and they named
the place after me. I took a vacation for a
few centuries and had my cousin Pluto fill in
for me. I get nothing and he gets a planet,
and everyone thinks I'm him anyway. Justice.
DOREEN
Hello? Damsel-in-distress, here.
Hades jerks on her neck-chain. She gags. Venkman points his gun
threateningly. Everyone else charges up.
STANTZ
Aim for the heart!
They fire -- and their streams pass through his chest. He laughs
heartily.
HADES
Oh, please. It won't be that easy.
A glob of slime hits Venkman's hand, knocking the gun out of it. The
Hellish Ghostbusters come around from behind Hades' throne, three of
whom are adorned with plasma packs; the fourth (Salmer) still has a
proton pack. He points it at Jake.
SALMER
(in an inhuman voice)
Back away or your trainee gets it.
Everyone freezes. Venkman looks at Jake. Jake nods. Venkman runs for
Doreen.
VENKMAN
NOW!!
Venkman struggles for a brief instant with Doreen's "collar" before he
is pelted backwards by the plasma blasts of the other Hellish
Ghostbusters, almost falling off the edge of the roof.
Salmer fires at Jake, and Jake fires right back. For a moment, their
streams meet, suspended and unable to go anywhere, and then Jake
reaches up and lengthens his stream. His stream elongates until it
actually goes IN Salmer's gun barrel, and he switches his gun
frantically off as Salmer's pack begins making bad sounds.
Salmer looks unbelievingly at the gun in his hands, and then is
destroyed -- in this world -- as the pack implodes, trapping him
forever in the dimension of the dead.
Stamen blasts Jake's gun, then runs over with Sauldemoure and grabs
Jake.
STANTZ
Don't shoot! You'll hit Jake!
JAKE
Yeah, don't shoot!
VENKMAN
(to Hades)
You're down to one bodyguard, buddy.
HADES
So? I'm a Greek god. I don't need bodyguards.
Stantz looks at Oscar hopefully. He mouths the words "Where is it?"
Hades holds up the proton pistol.
HADES (cont'd)
You mean this, Dr. Stantz?
Stantz jumps.
HADES (cont'd)
Demon-spawn gave it to me quite willingly.
(sees Stantz's expression)
You didn't think that stale, ten-year-old
psychomagnetheric slime could turns him away
from the awesome power of Hades, did you? It
would have done you no good, anyway. I'm
intangible to even your proton streams.
VENKMAN
Intangibility is a problem, isn't it?
HADES
(nods)
That's why I didn't plan on dealing with it for
long.
ART
I guess it's too bad we took your host, huh?
HADES
Not really. He wasn't working out, anyway.
I'd basically erased everything that made him
who he was, and that's as far as I got before I
couldn't transfer myself any further. But
that's all right. I found a suitable
replacement.
To everyone's shock, Walter Peck comes out from behind Hades' throne.
HADES (cont'd)
I facilitated his release from jail because I
knew of his hatred for you -- one that is
almost greater than my own.
PECK
There's no way you can talk your way out of
this one, Venkman.
VENKMAN
Don't count me out yet.
HADES
Enough! It is time for our worlds to merge!
Lightning strikes the roof beside Hades' throne, and a swirling portal
opens, filled with lost souls and visions of damnation. Dark decay
begins to spread from it as the Underworld slowly crosses over.
STANTZ
Oscar, how could you?
Hades, busy with the portal, does not see Oscar remove ANOTHER proton
pistol from the waistband of his pants. Oscar mouths the words "I
didn't."
Jake, seeing his chance, whips his arms up, fast, hitting both of his
captors in the face. They stumble back. Jake grabs the gun strapped
to Stamen's belt, blasts Sauldemoure, sticking him to the ground, and
then hits Stamen, hard, knocking him also to the ground.
He points the gun at Hades and whistles. Hades turns in surprise.
JAKE
Forget the intangibility. This arrangement
doesn't work for us. Try some other dimension.
He blasts Hades' upper torso with slime, making Hades now tangible.
Hades staggers back, and Oscar points the proton pistol.
INSERT - FLASHBACK
A FLASHBACK occurs in Oscar's mind: He HEARS Stantz saying "Aim for the
heart," but SEES the television clip from the news as Sedah reacts to
having his LEFT SHOULDER touched, and it repeats over and over again.
BACK TO SCENE
Oscar shakes his head.
OSCAR
Nothing's ever easy with you guys.
Oscar blasts Hades' left shoulder, which explodes in a torrent of black
blood. Hades howls, face swimming, and falls, apparently dead.
Jake and Art run forward and grab Peck.
ART
You want to be one with Hades?
They flip him into the portal.
JAKE
You just go right ahead.
Oscar uses the pistol to shoot the chain connected to Doreen's neck.
The left-over chain is left dangling as Doreen sprints for the police
chopper.
Oscar tries to follow, but trips and falls when Hades' hand, becoming
less like a hand every second, snakes out and grabs Oscar's ankle in a
death-grip.
HADES
(insane)
How would you like to inherit everything of
mine right now?
Oscar gapes as the side of Hades' face forms a proboscis, which extends
forward and latches itself to Oscar's forehead.
HADES (cont'd)
(totally inhuman)
And I mean EVERYTHING...
Oscar's eyes go wide as Hades begins to convulse. As it goes on,
Oscar's eyes slowly fade into a violent shade of red.
Oscar's look of horror slowly deteriorates into an expression of cruel
triumph. Hades and Oscar speak at the same time, with one voice:
HADES/OSCAR
(hissing)
YEEEEESSSSSSSS...!
A gloved hand reaches out, grasps the proboscis, and squeezes HARD.
Oscar and Hades screech.
Venkman tears the tentacle from Oscar's forehead, tearing off a small
hole of skin with it. He then tears it off Hades' face, too. Oscar
loses consciousness.
VENKMAN
No.
Hades screeches, and his hands -- claws -- go up to his destroyed face.
He swipes at Venkman, who dodges, turning. Hades, after a few more
swing-and-misses, charges Venkman with a lower-than-primal roar.
IN THE CHOPPER, Spengler leans out of the window.
SPENGLER
I've got it!! GO!!
OUTSIDE THE CHOPPER
STANTZ
Right! Throw 'em!
Stantz fires, blasting Hades and knocking him off-balance. Hades moves
toward Stantz and Winston fires. One-by-one, the Ghostbusters hit
Hades with streams of proton energy, moving him closer and closer to
the portal.
And yet he continues moving forward against the streams.
HADES
(struggling)
You...will...NEVER...defeat me...with such puny
weapons...
JAKE
(frantic)
He's still coming!
VENKMAN
Thank you, I hadn't noticed!
STANTZ
Get the heart!
WINSTON
The streams don't go straight!
ART
(to Spengler)
Egon, do it!
Spengler takes the joystick and pulls the trigger. An explosive blast
of energy emanates from the underside of the chopper and smashes Hades,
spearing him THROUGH THE HEART (left shoulder). He shrieks.
IN THE CHOPPER, Spengler is frozen in shock.
SPENGLER
What do I do now?
Doreen leans forward --
DOREEN
Jeez, you MEN!
-- and jams the joystick sideways, toward the dimensional portal. At
the same time, Spengler leans over and turns up the power.
UNDER THE CHOPPER the barrel of the cannon explodes under the force and
pure energy flies uninhibited at Hades, destroying his shoulder and
ramming him through the portal.
The positive and negative energies of the beam and portal mix, and the
portal begins to swirl. The parts of the universe that have crossed
over begin to run backward through the portal like sewage through a
drain.
Venkman picks Oscar up and carries him to the chopper, looking like a
father with the world's tallest baby boy.
The chopper lifts off just seconds before the portal closes on itself,
exploding and incinerating the three leftover Hellish Ghostbusters.
Before it closes, though, Peck can be seen sitting up, shaking his
head. Behind him, the dark form that is the true Hades looms up.
Peck looks, screams, and scrambles for the portal just as it closes and
Hades falls upon him.
INT. POLICE CHOPPER
Doreen leans over and kisses Venkman.
VENKMAN
What was that for?
DOREEN
You saved me.
VENKMAN
Not very well.
DOREEN
No, I mean back in the other dimension. Under
the stairs. We might all have been left there
if you hadn't seen us. Besides, that's when I
fell in love with you. I knew it was real when
I saw the way you took care of Oscar.
VENKMAN
Aw, shucks ma'am, t'weren't nothin'.
They kiss again.
STANTZ
You know, Lenny will end up being Mayor again.
WINSTON
He never believes us about the end of the
world.
VENKMAN
(coming up for air)
Don't blame me. I voted for Hades.
INT. FIREHOUSE - A FEW WEEKS LATER
Venkman is in his office, looking at the pictures on his desk. Two of
them are photos of his marriage to Doreen. The third is a school
picture of Oscar with a big Band-Aid on his forehead.
Venkman looks over to his wall.
Below his Ph.Ds is another framed certificate, his certificate of
adoption of Oscar Barret-Venkman.
JAKE (O.S.)
Hey, Pete! It's almost on!
Venkman leaves his office and heads up to the Rec Room, up a very
shallow ramp instead of stairs.
INT. REC ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Around the television are crowded Spengler, Doreen, Stantz, Winston,
Jake, Art, Oscar, Louis, and with them Roland Jackson, Eduardo Rivera,
Kylie Griffen, and Garrett Miller. Garrett is in a wheelchair.
Stantz quiets everyone down as Spengler comes on the television. Even
when not moving, he is a bad actor.
INSERT - T.V. PICTURE - FULL SCREEN VIDEO
DARKNESS ALL AROUND SPENGLER
SPENGLER (T.V.)
Are you troubled by strange noises? Do you
experience feelings of dread in your household?
Have you ever seen a ghost? If yes, then call
the professionals.
Stantz, Venkman, Winston, Jake and Art suddenly appear with Spengler.
They are outside the Firehouse.
ALL
Ghostbusters.
PICTURE CUTS to Janine, answering phones with a cheesy smile on her
face.
STANTZ
Our courteous and efficient staff is on call 24-
hours a day, ready to offer you the best
service at the lowest price.
PICTURE CUTS to a full screen of Art, who seems nervous as hell. He
delivers his line in a monotone.
ART
Here are some examples of our equipment.
PICTURE CUTS to the garage, where there is a table with the
ghostbusting equipment on it. Venkman points them out with overstated
Vanna White gestures.
VENKMAN
We have the proton pack for everyday busts, the
proton pistol for the more fiesty ghosts, the
PKE meter, the ghost trap, the slime blower.
For vehicles, we have --
(CAMERA PULLS BACK)
-- the Ectomobiles --
There are now three Ectomobiles -- 1, 1A, and 1B.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
-- and our newest addition --
It is the police chopper, painted white with the Ghostbusters logo on
the doors and police-car strobes on top. A license plate stuck to the
front above the search light reads ECTO-2.
VENKMAN (cont'd)
-- the Ectochopper. All with proton cannons
built in.
He points them out.
PICTURE CUTS to the sub-basement. A small machine has been built into
the wall.
JAKE (O.S.)
Now, with our new cross-over module, the
spirits we trap are transferred easily into the
spirit world, without the chance of it ever
getting full.
PICTURE CUTS to Spengler's office. The new GEN-X Ghostbusters are
training violently against Slimer in the background.
SPENGLER
We train new Ghostbusters every day --
He moves over to the adjacent wall, with a map of the country. Several
spots have red push-pins in them, but not enough to completely justify
Spengler's next statement:
SPENGLER (cont'd)
-- and with locations ALL OVER the country, you
don't have to be afraid anymore. Just
remember:
PICTURE CUTS to all the Ghostbusters, plus Janine, plus Louis, plus
Oscar, plus Doreen, all in Ghostbuster uniforms, in front of the
Firehouse.
ALL
We're ready to believe you.
The picture freezes for a moment with the phone number (1-800-NO-GHOST)
superimposed over the screen, then fades into the Ghostbusters logo.
INT. REC ROOM
Everyone cheers. High-fives go up all around. The Venkman family
hugs.
VENKMAN
I actually have a family business now.
INT. JANINE'S DESK
Janine hangs up the phone, excited, and hits the "$$$ CALLS ONLY"
button.
INT. REC ROOM
Everyone galvanizes into action, clearing out. They rush down the ramp
and into the Ectomobiles, pulling out of the Firehouse. Janine and
Slimer wave goodbye.
EXT. STREET - BIRD'S EYE VIEW
The Ectos go down the street, sirens wailing.
Slimer flies out of the doors and up, the THEME MUSIC KICKS IN and
before he swallows the POV a brilliant view is captured of Manhattan
and the shining sea beyond.
FADE OUT.
THE END