FADE IN
EXT. NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY -- DAY
The sun shines brightly on the classic facade of the main library at Fifth
Avenue and 42nd Street. In the adjacent park area, pretty hustlers and
drug peddlers go about their business.
FRONT STEPS
A few people lounge on the steps flanked by the familiar stone lions.
INT. MAIN READING ROOM -- DAY
People are dotted throughout the room sitting at the long oak tables
polished by decades of use. Reading lamps with green glass shades cast a
golden glow on the tables. The patina of age is everywhere. It is very
quiet.
LIBRARIAN
A slightly stout, studious looking girl in her late twenties circulates
quietly among the tables picking up books and putting them on her cart.
Everything seems completely normal and peaceful.
POV
A single eerie musical note signals the presence of something strange
looking down on the Librarian from a vantage point high above the room.
It follows the Librarian as she pushes her cart around the corner.
INT. WORK AREA
The Librarian is alone in a back room sorting books for reshelving.
Behind her is the card catalogue. One of the books attracts her interest
and she starts leafing through it.
THE CARD CATALOGUE
Another eerie note is heard as one of the drawers silently slides open
behind the Librarian and hundreds of index cards start popping out. The
Librarian continues reading completely oblivious to this strange
phenomenon.
She gets up and moves past another row of cabinets. Two more drawers
quietly slide open, and thousands of file cards start shooting out of the
open drawers just behind her, but the Librarian still doesn't notice.
THE STACKS
The Librarian works her way through rows and rows of old iron shelves
containing many thousands of volumes stacked from floor to ceiling. As
she puts the books back in their proper places, she slowly gets the
feeling that she's being watched. She continues her task but suddenly
hears a scratching noise and stops.
LIBRARIAN
(puzzled)
Hello? Is anybody there?
A ROW OF BOOKS
As the Librarian walks down the aisle, books start shooting off the shelf
behind her. She turns suddenly and sees the fallen books.
THE LIBRARIAN
Frightened now, she walks slowly to the end of the aisle and tentatively
peeks around the corner. Seeing no one, she starts to scratch her head
and suddenly a dozen books fly off the shelf right in front of her and
fall to the floor.
LIBRARIAN
(frightened)
All right! Who's there? Lyle? Is that you?
Very slowly now, her heart pounding, the Librarian tiptoes to the other
end of the aisle. She gets to the corner and starts to peek around it,
afraid to look but unable to resist.
INT. THE NEXT AISLE -- DAY
The Librarian comes slowly around the end of the stacks and gets her first
look at the thing that's been watching her. Her eyes go very wide and her
mouth opens in horror. She screams.
EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY -- DAY
Students are entering and leaving a neo-Gothic building on the
University's upper west side campus. A sign identifies the building as:
Weaver Hall -- Department of Psychology.
INT. BASEMENT -- WEAVER HALL -- DAY
At one end of the dingy corridor is a door marked PARANORMAL STUDIES
LABORATORY. A sign dangles from the doorknob: Maid -- Please Make Up This
Room. Scrawled across the door is a line of student graffiti that reads:
"Venkman Burn In Hell!" It looks like it's been written in blood.
VENKMAN (V.O.)
Now I'm going to turn over the next card and
I want you to concentrate and tell me what
you think it is.
INT. PARANORMAL STUDIES LAB -- SAME TIME - DAY
DR. PETER VENKMAN is administering an ESP test to two student volunteers,
a boy and a girl, who sit across the table from him separated from each
other by a screen.
Venkman is an associate professor but his rumpled suit and the manic gleam
in his eyes indicate an underlying instability in his nature. However,
while a little short on academic credentials, Venkman is long on
confidence, charm and salesmanship.
He turns to the male volunteer, an obnoxious SOPHOMORE, and pulls out a
card from the standard deck of ESP symbols. The card is visible to the
camera over Venkman's shoulder but hidden from the sophomore by a masonite
board that rests between them on the table. The card shows a star symbol
on it.
VENKMAN
All right. What is it?
SOPHOMORE
(concentrates)
A square?
VENKMAN
(shakes his head)
Good guess -- but no.
He shows the Sophomore the star card then presses a button on the table
which administers a mild electric shock to the volunteer. The Sophomore
twitches involuntarily as the shock passes through the electrode attached
to his fingertips. Then Venkman turns to the female volunteer, a very
beautiful COED.
VENKMAN
Now just clear your mind and tell me what
you see.
He turns over a card with a circle on it.
COED
(thinks hard)
Is it a star?
VENKMAN
(feigning surprise)
It is a star! That's great. You're very
good.
The Coed beams proudly as Venkman turns back to the Sophomore without
showing her the card.
VENKMAN
(to the Sophomore)
Now think.
He turns up the diamond card.
The Sophomore glances nervously at the electrodes, then ventures a guess.
SOPHOMORE
Circle?
VENKMAN
Close -- but definitely wrong.
He shocks him again and swivels around to face the Coed.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Ready?
(she nods and he turns up
the triangle card)
What is it?
COED
(biting her lip)
Ummm -- figure eight?
VENKMAN
(lies)
Incredible! Five for five. You're not
cheating on me here, are you?
COED
(amazed at her own ability)
No. They're just coming to me.
VENKMAN
Well, you're doing great. Keep it up.
He turns back to the Sophomore who winces as the next card is turned
up -- two parallel wavy lines.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Nervous?
SOPHOMORE
Yes. I don't like this.
VENKMAN
Well, just 75 more to go. What's this one?
SOPHOMORE
(takes a deep breath)
Two wavy lines?
VENKMAN
(burying the card)
Sorry. This isn't your day.
He zaps him again but this time the Sophomore really jumps.
SOPHOMORE
(angry)
Hey! I'm getting a little tired of this.
VENKMAN
You volunteered, didn't you? Aren't we
paying you for this?
SOPHOMORE
Yeah, but I didn't know you were going to
give me electric shocks. What are you
trying to prove?
VENKMAN
I'm studying the effect of negative
reinforcement on ESP ability.
SOPHOMORE
I'll tell you the effect! It pisses me off!
VENKMAN
Then my theory was correct.
The Sophomore gets up, pulls the electrodes off his fingertips and exits.
SOPHOMORE
(as he goes)
Keep the five bucks. I've had it!
Venkman turns back to the Coed and shrugs.
VENKMAN
Well, I guess some people have it and some
don't.
COED
(provocatively)
Do you think I have it, Dr. Venkman?
VENKMAN
Definitely. I think you may be a very
gifted telepath.
Suddenly the door opens and RAY STANTZ enters.
STANTZ
He is Venkman's colleague and best friend. A hard scientist with a good
academic background, Stantz is a maverick who genuinely loves a challenge.
At the moment, he seems really keyed up.
STANTZ
Drop everything, Venkman. We got one.
He starts rummaging through cabinets and drawers, gathering up a variety
of electronic devices.
VENKMAN
He frowns at the intrusion and turns to the Coed.
VENKMAN
Excuse me for a minute.
(he crosses to Stantz)
Ray, I'm right in the middle of something
here. Can you come back in about an hour?
STANTZ
(excited, but hushed and
confidential)
Peter, at 1:40 this afternoon at the main
branch of the New York Public Library on
Fifth Avenue, ten people witnessed a
free-roaming, vaporous, full-torso
apparition. It blew books from shelves at
twenty feet away. Scared the socks off some
poor librarian.
VENKMAN
(unimpressed)
Sure. That's great, Ray. I think you
should get down there right away and check
it out. Let me know what happens.
STANTZ
(insistent)
No, this one's for real, Peter. Spengler
went down there and took some PKE readings.
Right off the top of the scale. Buried the
needle. We're close this time. I can feel
it.
Venkman looks at Stantz, then back at the Coed, torn between duty and
pleasure.
VENKMAN
(decides)
Okay. Just give me a second here.
(he crosses back to the
Coed)
I have to leave now but if you've got some
time I'd like you to come back this evening
and do some more work with me.
COED
Eight o'clock?
VENKMAN
(lying again)
I was just going to say "eight." You're
fantastic!
He waves good-bye and exits with Stantz.
EXT. PUBLIC LIBRARY -- DAY
Venkman and Stantz arrive in a taxi and trot up the front steps. Stantz
is loaded down with equipment.
STANTZ
Spengler and I have charted every psychic
occurrence in the Tri-State area for the
past two years. The graph we came up with
definitely points to something big.
VENKMAN
Ray, as your friend I have to tell you I
think you've really gone around the bend on
this ghost stuff. You've been running your
ass off for two years checking out every
schizo in the Five Boroughs who thinks he's
had an experience. And what have you seen?
STANTZ
What do you mean by "seen?"
VENKMAN
Looked at with your eyes.
STANTZ
Well, I was at an unexplained multiple
high-altitude rockfall once.
VENKMAN
Uh-huh. I've heard about the rockfall, Ray.
I think you've been spending too much time
with Spengler.
INT. MAIN READING ROOM -- DAY
EGON SPENGLER is looking for spirits when Venkman and Stantz arrive.
Spengler is a real egghead, a New Wave Mr. Spock, who single-handedly got
Venkman through graduate school. Spengler is incredibly intelligent but
amazingly dense at the same time. At the moment he is listening to a
table using a stethoscope connected to stereo earphones. Venkman comes up
behind him and taps on the table to get his attention.
VENKMAN
Egon?
Spengler hears the tapping and thinks he's made contact with the spirit
world. Then Venkman slams a heavy book down on the table.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
Egon!
Spengler jumps at the deafening noise in his earphones and turns to see
Venkman and Stantz.
SPENGLER
Oh! You're here.
VENKMAN
What have you got, Egon?
SPENGLER
Oh, this is big, Peter. This is very big.
There's definitely something here.
VENKMAN
Egon, somehow this reminds me of the time
you tried to drill a hole in your head. Do
you remember that?
HEAD LIBRARIAN
A choleric, middle-aged civil servant, MR. DELACORTE, hurries over to meet
them.
HEAD LIBRARIAN
(nervous)
Hello, I'm Roger Delacorte - the Head
Librarian. Are you the men from the
University?
VENKMAN
Yes. I'm Dr. Venkman and this is Dr. Stantz.
HEAD LIBRARIAN
(leads them off)
Thank you for coming. I'd appreciate it if
we could take care of this quickly and quietly.
VENKMAN
One thing at a time. We don't even know
what it is yet.
INT. AN OFFICE -- A LITTLE LATER
Venkman is questioning the plump Librarian who saw the spirit, while a
Paramedic continues treating her for shock.
LIBRARIAN
I don't remember seeing any legs, but it
definitely had arms because it reached for
me.
STANTZ
(excited)
Arms! Great! I can't wait to get a look
at this thing.
Venkman glowers at him, still skeptical.
VENKMAN
(to the girl)
All right, miss. Have you or has any member
of your family ever been diagnosed
schizophrenic or mentally incompetent?
LIBRARIAN
Well, my uncle thought he was St. Jerome.
VENKMAN
(looks at Stantz)
I'll call that a big "yes."
(to the girl)
Do you yourself habitually use drugs,
stimulants or alcohol?
LIBRARIAN
No.
VENKMAN
I thought not. And one last thing. Are you
currently menstruating?
HEAD LIBRARIAN
(shocked)
What's that got to do with it?
VENKMAN
(snaps)
Back off, man! I'm a scientist!
THE DOOR
Spengler sticks his head in.
SPENGLER
(excited)
It's moving!
Stantz and Venkman rush out.
INT. DEEP IN THE STACKS -- DAY
They come slowly down the dark aisle with Spengler leading, taking
constant readings. Their faces are lit mainly by the light of their own
monitoring and recording equipment.
HIGH POV
Looking down on them from the spectral point of view.
A SPIRAL STAIRCASE
One by one, Venkman, Stantz and Spengler come down the tightly winding,
old iron staircase. They are scared. Books are strewn all over the
floor.
A BOOKSHELF
The books start to slide forward then the whole shelving unit topples over
and almost crushes the team under a ton of books. They jump to safety.
VENKMAN
Nice.
(out loud)
Hello...
Spengler looks at his meters and silently points at a dark aisle
intersecting the one they're in. The team inches toward it.
SPENGLER
It's here.
They stop at the corner.
INT. THE DARK AISLE -- DAY
The team peeks around the corner and looks toward camera.
THEIR POV -- DAY
An ethereal presence is hovering between the stacks about four feet off
the ground. It seems to waver on the edge of being and non-being, then a
large legless, headless torso begins to emerge.
VENKMAN, STANTZ AND SPENGLER
They stand there amazed.
STANTZ
(whispers)
What is it?
VENKMAN
It looks like a big pair of breasts and a
pot belly.
THE TORSO -- DAY
A head and arms begin to form. The apparition is now unmistakably a
full-bodied, somewhat elderly lady.
SPENGLER
It's a woman.
He edges closer to take valence readings. Stantz starts snapping
infra-red photos of it.
STANTZ
(excited)
I told you it's real.
VENKMAN
(whispers)
What do we do now?
STANTZ
(whispers back)
I don't know. Talk to it.
VENKMAN
(nods in agreement then
hesitates)
What do I say?
STANTZ
Anything! Just make contact.
VENKMAN
(takes a deep breath, then
addresses the specter)
Hey, Lady?
(the apparition turns and
seems to look right past
them)
Lady! Can you talk? Who are you?
(no answer)
(to Stantz)
This is not working. Think of something else.
STANTZ
(sotto voce)
Okay. Okay. I got it. I know what to do.
Stay close. I have a plan.
He starts moving closer to the apparition. Venkman and Spengler edge
closer, fighting their fear. They stop just a few feet from the vision.
STANTZ (CONT'D)
(whispers)
Okay, now do exactly as I say. Everybody
ready?
VENKMAN & SPENGLER
Ready.
STANTZ
Okay...
(shouts)
GET HER!!!
He leaps at the apparition. Venkman and Spengler jump reflexively at
almost the same moment but they all end up on the floor grabbing at thin
air.
THE GHOST -- DAY
She drops back a few feet, looms up into a raging demonlike specter and
blasts them with a rush of hot breath as she mouths a single word.
THE GHOST
(roars)
QUIET!
VENKMAN, STANTZ AND SPENGLER
They scream and fall backwards.
EXT. LIBRARY -- MAIN ENTRANCE - DAY
They burst through the doors and onto the broad steps, both terrified and
exhilarated by their first real contact with the supernatural. The Head
Librarian rushes out the door after them and chases them down the steps.
HEAD LIBRARIAN
(very agitated)
Did you see it? What was it?
VENKMAN
We'll get back to you.
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