If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, well … there’s really only question you have to ask yourself? Who ya gonna call?
The answer, of course, is Ghostbusters. The classic 1984 supernatural comedy is getting a free screening Sunday at the St. Albert Public Library. The funfest is part of the ever-expanding catalogue of activities and events that the library is putting on these days, said adult programming librarian Michelle Papineau-Couture.
And it’s totally relevant to literature, she averred. After all, the movie’s first scene takes place in the New York Public Library.
“It is the most important scene in the movie,” she said.
The movie tells the story of three delinquent parapsychologists: Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis). After losing their university posting because of their offbeat practices, they become paranormal pest control experts who help people eliminate pesky spectres around their houses and places of work.
Good thing too! Shortly after they open up for business, things in the Big Apple get weirder than usual, mostly because a demonic spirit named Zuul forewarns the coming of Gozer, an ancient god of destruction that is set to return.
The eminently quotable adventure will certainly have its viewers in stitches, joking about crossing the streams, repeating lines like “He slimed me!” and endlessly singing the synth-pop theme song by Ray Parker Jr.
Papineau-Couture called it one of her favourite movies and said it has a lot of relevance to our national cinema as well.
“It’s a very Canadian movie,” she argued, pointing out that director Ivan Reitman is a naturalized Canadian, and co-stars (and co-writers) Dan Aykroyd and Rick Moranis also hail from the Great White North.
“I always think it’s one of the most successful Canadian movies that isn’t called a Canadian movie,” she said.
This comes on the heels of the library’s first interactive movie participation screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, held in August. That event was held in conjunction with the end of the summer reading program. It saw more than 100 people whoop it up as only fans of the British farce troupe can. Some people dressed up, had pretend sword fights, and brought their own coconuts to mimic the sound of horses clip-clopping, while coconuts were given out to a select few.
In the same spirit of fun and good times, Papineau-Couture hopes the Ghostbusters screening will have a comparable level of involvement from attendees.
People are encouraged to dress in costume and to get involved with the action on-screen. Papineau-Couture promised that there would be a draw at the beginning for four people to become Ghostbusters and that some special guests will be in attendance to act out some scenes with them.
“They get silly string and some ghosts – actual ghosts – will appear during the film,” she emphasized. “They will need to be fought off.”
The screening is appropriate for adults and teens. Treats and refreshments – including popcorn – will be provided. Seating is limited to 80 and many of the spots have already been reserved.
The free screening starts Sunday at 2 p.m. at Forsyth Hall on the library’s main floor.
To register or to learn more about this and other public events, call 780-459-1682 or stop by the second floor information desk. More details can be found at www.sapl.ca.
The library is located in St. Albert Place, 5 St. Anne St.
Ghostbusters Fun Fact
'80s pop star Debbie Gibson has a cameo as the birthday girl in the restaurant scene at Tavern on the Green.
