8.4 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.8 |
Three university parapsychologists lose a research grant when their experiment methodology is proven to be bogus. The team decides to go into business for themselves as "Ghostbusters," a ghost removal service. After struggling to get on their feet, they are summoned to investigate the strange happenings in a woman's Central Park West apartment. What they discover is that all Manhattan is being besieged by ghosts and otherworldly demons through a portal in her building.
Starring: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick MoranisAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 90% |
Fantasy | 63% |
Supernatural | 29% |
Comedy | 26% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Both 48kHz, 16-bit
English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Arabic, Dutch
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
UV digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Why worry? Each of us is wearing an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back.
Released both at the peak of the last great age of Comedy and featuring three of the funniest of all
the funny men in the business, 1984's Ghostbusters delivers a deliciously over-the-top and
completely inane movie experience that remains one of the greats of the genre. Molding the laughs
in the context of a special effects-laden supernatural extravaganza, Ghostbusters earns its
hearty hysterics through a unique incorporation of dialogue and visual gags that overpower the
deadly-serious nature of a story that dabbles in Biblical prophecy and other assorted
end-of-the-world pleasantries. Combined with absurd plot devices that work wonderfully in
the spirit of the film and the conglomeration of zany one-liners, physical humor, and over-the-top
performances, it's no wonder audiences time and again call on Ghostbusters for gut-busting
entertainment.
So...we're in 4K...but not?
Sony's commitment to releasing the finest Blu-ray products is evident with every spin of a Sony-branded disc. The consistency of product -- from
the
latest blockbusters to the most cherished classic titles from years gone by -- is arguably tops in the entire industry, and why shouldn't it be; Sony
was a lead Blu-ray design and advocacy outfit, its PlayStation 3 console offered disc playback and instant wide format adoption, and the first wave of
titles released back in 2006 bore the
Sony label on the spine. Since then, and through a few growing pains and spurts -- a bloody format war, a misstep or two, the transition from Dolby TrueHD to DTS-HD Master Audio -- the
studio has emerged as the most trustworthy in the industry when it comes to its Blu-ray product. When it says Sony, chances are extremely
high that the movie is going to look
(and sound) about as good as the format allows. Now, Sony is recalling the days of its "Superbit" DVD releases with the emergence of "Mastered in
4K"
(*)
Blu-ray discs. The initial wave consists of a handful of films, all of which have enjoyed previous, and largely very high quality, Blu-ray transfers. The
new
transfers are sourced from 4K masters but here's where the giant asterisk comes in: they're then downscaled to standard Blu-ray 1080p resolution.
That
means buyers can enjoy them on their regular old Blu-ray players and their regular old HDTVs -- no fancy new hardware required. The downside is
that
viewers aren't really seeing the material in 4K; even those who shell out the large sum of cash for a new 4K TV will be treated only to an upscaled
presentation, much the same way today's regular old TV/playback 1080p device combos upscale standard definition DVDs.
Watching the "Mastered in 4K" transfer in 1080p does yield some benefits over the standard 1080p Blu-ray releases, even if it's not a true 4K
experience. The discs
take advantage of a significantly higher bitrate than regular old Blu-ray discs, meaning more muscle to produce the finest picture quality, revealing
superior details and showcasing that perfect cinematic, pleasing grain texturing for pictures photographed on film and more accuracy for those
photographed in the wholly digital realm. "Mastered in 4K" discs also promise superior color balance and accuracy, reproducing a more
faithful-to-the-source palette that will reveal the sort of natural shading and subtle nuance even the best of 1080p Blu-ray cannot match. More,
Sony
promises
enhanced viewing on its own line of 4K TVs thanks to a proprietary upscaling algorithm that's designed to squeeze the most out of
the "Mastered in 4K" line of Sony discs, above and beyond what any competitor's display can offer. Makes sense considering some branch of Sony is
at
work
along every step of the process. Unfortunately, one of Sony's shiny new 4K televisions was not available for review purposes, but suffice it to say
that
either of the launch displays -- the 55" and 65" XBR-labeled sets -- will undoubtedly offer the best consumer viewing picture to date, whether joined
with a Sony "Mastered in 4K" disc or a regular old Blu-ray from any studio.
Of all the titles released in the first wave of the specifically branded "Mastered in 4K" label, it's Ghostbusters that rightly piques one's
interest
well above any other film on the list, with the possible exception of Glory. One of the most discussed and picked-apart Blu-ray releases,
Ghostbusters lit up forums upon its release, and it still does today. It's
back under
the microscope for round two in its "4K/1080p" Blu-ray release. The good news is that it's a noticeable improvement over the previous title, which
in
its own right wasn't so bad, though certainly not perfect. The bad news is that this Ghostbusters still isn't perfect, but it comes
close.
Viewers will likely immediately note the reduction in both noise and grain; while both remain, the noise has been significantly lessened while the
grain
takes on a more stable, natural texture. Don't worry, less grain doesn't mean less detail or some unwanted scrubbing of the image; it simply takes
on
a more pure film-like appearance. Details aren't leaps and bounds better than the old Blu-ray, but there's certainly a slight uptick in clarity and
sharpness, particularly
evident in some of the wider city shots. Nevertheless, there's a bit of pastiness here and there, a hint of softness around a few edges, and a
few odd shots that just don't line up with the others in terms of overall clarity and sharpness, but the vast majority of the movie looks fantastic.
Viewers wanting a clean and slick image will be disappointed; those more interested in a transfer that closely approximates the look of film -- the
movie's original, intended appearance -- will be satisfied. Colors do appear a bit deeper, whether bland uniform hues or bright special effects; Slimer
and the blue/orange energy streams pop quite nicely. Brighter outdoor shots fare very well; the New York landscape offers a nice, diverse array of
colors -- green leaves, urban grays, yellow cabs -- that take on a fantastic balance. Black crush is a slight issue, and warm flesh tones, too, creep in
from time to time. Fortunately, blocking, banding, and other eyesores appear nonexistent. This is the current definitive Ghostbusters, an
improvement over the previous release and a disc fans will want to buy, 4K television or no.
All screenshots have been sourced from the "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray disc. The first seventeen shots have been selected to match those found in
the review of the old release. New screenshots have also been aded for perusal.
Sony's "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray release of Ghostbusters features what appears to be the same Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack found on the previous release. Though not particularly engaging in every scene, this one holds up rather nicely and the lossless soundtrack, while not a revelation, does bring out some subtleties that seemed lost in the shuffle of previous home video releases. Both the music and sound effects enjoy a nice boost here, some of the film's softer musical cues and more nuanced sound effects off to the sides of the action adding to a more distinct, lifelike environment, whether in the stacks of the library as seen at the beginning of the film or during the "Slimer hunt" sequence partway through. Dialogue occasionally sounds a bit low in volume at reference level, though sound effects and music never drown out the spoken word. Throughout the first act of the film, the track takes on a completely front-heavy tone with little in the way of atmospherics or rear channel activity. Once the action gets going, however, the track picks up in intensity. Surrounds enjoy more frequent usage with both music and sound effects, the low end rumbles when called upon, and the track seems to create a broader sense of space and depth. Whether the beams flowing from the proton packs or the rumbling of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man's heavy, sugary steps, the TrueHD soundtrack enhances the overall experience in a big way. Certainly not among the best pure soundtracks on the market, this one nevertheless easily bests all previous Ghostbusters releases and should satisfy the film's many longtime fans.
Sony's 4K Blu-ray release of Ghostbusters contains no supplements.
Smartly written and perfectly played, Ghostbusters remains a seminal work in the Comedy genre. Intertwining deadly-serious overtones with lighthearted fun, the film manages to take absurd material and craft it into an exciting and side-splitting Paranormal Comedy featuring Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Rick Moranis at the very top of their games. Also enjoying fine performances from Ernie Hudson, Sigourney Weaver, Annie Potts, and William Atherton, Ghostbusters hasn't aged a day in its quarter-century of existence, the material remaining as fresh and funny as the day it premiered in theaters. Sony's "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray release of Ghostbusters drops all the supplements of the old release, keeps the same lossless soundtrack, and outputs a superior 1080p picture sourced from a 4K master. It's a step up from the last release, not a perfect picture but certainly an example of the sort of improvement fans can expect of an older film given new life. It's not Lawrence of Arabia, but Sony's "4K" Ghostbusters is a treat. Highly recommend.
1984
Combo Pack + $5 Vudu Offer
1984
30th Anniversary Edition | Mastered in 4K
1984
1984
Project Pop Art
1984
Ghostbusters: Ultimate Collection 4K
1984
Blu-ray Essentials
1984
1989
Extended Edition
2016
25th Anniversary Edition
1997
2019
2016
2014
2002
2012
2011
2007
2015
2017
2006-2016
2018
2016
Highlander II: The Quickening
1990
2011
Cinematic Universe Edition
2012
1978
2012