EXT. THE BOWERY
Louis walks briskly and purposefully uptown, gazing at the symmetrical
lights in the sky.
SUBWAY ENTRANCE
As Louis walks by, a huge crowd of people descends the stairs into the
subway. The last of them disappears around the corner. Then echoing
screams are heard and the whole crowd comes charging back up the stairs
pursued by a strange apparition.
INT. DANA'S APARTMENT
She is standing at the open bedroom window gazing down into the streets
below.
EXT. SEDGEWICK HOTEL -- SAME TIME
A Sabrett HOT DOG VENDOR is dispensing pretzels and hot dogs from his
pushcart.
THE VENDOR
He opens the top of the bin and reaches in to get a bun. He feels around
inside, knowing the cart should be loaded with food. Then he peers inside
and yanks his arm out with a shout. He falls back in fear.
THE CART
The gluttonous Onion-Headed Vapor rises out of the pushcart stuffed with
hot dogs, buns and pretzels. It belches loudly at the gaping spectators,
then flits down the street with the pushcart following under its own
power.
EXT. EXXON BUILDING -- SAME TIME
A well-dressed BUSINESSMAN comes rushing out and jumps into a cab parked
at the curb.
INT.. THE BACK SEAT
The Businessman leans close to the safety partition and shouts his
destination.
BUSINESSMAN
Gulf and Western Building! And I'm in a
hurry so let's not dawdle.
THE FRONT SEAT
Through the windshield we see that the driver is a badly decomposed corpse
in a leather jacket and snap-brim cap.
THE PASSENGER
Through the partition he sees a skeletal hand reach out and start the
meter.
EXT. THE STREET
The cab peels away from the curb at tremendous speed and turns the wrong
way up a one-way street.
INT. AN OFFICE - SAME TIME
It's the accounts department of a major corporation. Young men and women
are working at typewriters and computer terminals in the sterile, modern
office.
A PROGRAMMER
She bends over at the file cabinets and something gooses her. She looks
around, miffed, but sees no one. She goes back to her desk. Her skirt
hikes up suddenly. She yanks it back down. Then she feels a strange, not
unpleasant tickling under her. She squirms. Her skirt goes up again. The
tickling gets unbearable, forcing her to stand. She walks briskly between
the rows of desks, trying to get to the ladies room, fighting to keep her
skirt down. Her co-workers begin to notice and laugh.
A TYPIST
She stands up to look and her blouse pops open.
THE OFFICE
All the women begin to scream and squirm as the invisible molester runs
wild in the office.
EXT. CENTRAL PARK -- SAME TIME
Louis enters a long dark pedestrian tunnel.
INSIDE THE TUNNEL
A gang of MUGGERS is smoking something in a weird pipelike device. One of
them sees the approaching silhouette of Louis and hisses to his cohorts.
The others all look and slowly begin to fan out across the width of the
tunnel.
LOUIS
He is staring straight ahead and entirely focused on his destination as
the muggers approach and confront him. He stops. They are deliberately
blocking his path.
MUGGER
(to Louis)
Okay ... give me.
Louis blinks stupidly.
LOUIS
Are you the Gatekeeper?
MUGGER
Come on. You want me to stick you? Come
on.
VINZ
I am Vinz Clortho. I am the Keymaster. Do
you bar my way?
MUGGER #2
Are you crazy, man? You don't give, Jino's
gonna rip you, man. Nobody gets by Jino.
LOUIS
(repeats)
Do you bar my way?
MUGGER
Yeah. We bar your way.
LOUIS
His eyes widen, he inhales deeply, then opens his mouth and roars.
Irridescent lights pour out of his mouth.
THE MUGGERS
They scream and run, horrified and disgusted by Louis' unearthly display.
EXT. STREET
The cab driven by the corpse weaves through traffic at breakneck speed.
Cars are forced up on the curb. Pedestrians run for safety.
INT. THE BACK SEAT
The Businessman is reading the Wall Street Journal, oblivious to the whole
situation.
EXT. ST. MARKS PLAYHOUSE -- DAY
A worn, graffiti-spattered $1.99 triple bill movie house in the New Wave
district near Second Avenue. The bill reads:
ALL NIGHT ALL DAY HORROR SHOW IN 3-D
INT. THEATER
The house is packed with hooting, jeering, beer-drinking potsmoking
downtowners, all wearing cardboard 3-D glasses. They are wildly razzing
and throwing things at the screen on which is running a bad sixties
British horror indie pic. The film breaks. The sound crackles off and the
lights come on. There is a storm of protest and abuse hurled at the
projectionist. Then from all around them there starts a thin whistling
whine. It builds above the shouts and jeers in the theater until everyone
stops to hear what it is. It is like no other sound ever heard -- a
piercing, all-permeating shrill whistle like the fan blades of some
massive unseen turbine beginning to rotate.
The lights in the theater flicker. The musty ancient curtains on either
side of the screen are picked up in an unseen wind which lifts them,
spreading dust and ripped old fabric about the house. There are shouts
and sounds and noises from deep beyond the recesses of the backstage. The
curtains are now flying in a serious wind. All the lights in the theater
go out except that from the projection booth. From a point in the center
of the screen, a searing bolt of phosphorescent light rips back along the
projection beam into the booth. The beam evolves into an etheric strand
of unified glistening particles. The wind dies down. People in the house
are hushed. They gaze transfixed as a procession of phantasms emerge in
single file through the illuminated screen. As if suspended on a
clothesline, they weave and bounce along the length of the pulsating beam,
and pass through the hole in the projection booth. The apparition is
gone. All is quiet. Then the audience bursts into wildly enthusiastic
applause.
INT. NYPD LOCK-UP
Winston is staring out through the bars talking to himself.
WINSTON
(depressed)
We're gonna get five years for this. Plus
they're gonna make us retrap all those
spooks. I knew I shouldn't have taken this
job.
He bangs on the bars and crosses to Venkman, Stantz and Spengler who are
huddled together looking at blueprints of Dana's building.
STANTZ
(intense)
Look at the structure of the roof cap. It
looks exactly like the kind of telemetry
tracker NASA uses to identify dead pulsars
in other galaxies.
SPENGLER
And look at this, Peter
(indicates another diagram)
Cold-riveted girders with selenium cores.
Venkman leans in to look but suddenly notices that they have an audience.
THE CELL
The Ghostbusters are surrounded by a motley assortment of BUMS, PUNKS,
HOODS and a particularly mean-looking gang of BIKERS, all listening
intently to their discussion.
VENKMAN
(to their cellmates)
Everybody with us so far?
The other prisoners mutter and scratch their heads, then drift off.
STANTZ
(back to his point)
The ironwork extends down through fifty feet
of bedrock and touches the water table!
He looks at Venkman who doesn't see the significance.
VENKMAN
(shrugs)
I guess they don't build them like they used
to, huh?
STANTZ
No! Nobody ever built them like this! The
architect was either an authentic whacko or
a certified genius. The whole building is
like a huge antenna for pulling in and
concentrating psychokinetic energy.
VENKMAN
Who was the architect?
STANTZ
He's listed on the blueprints as I. Shandor.
SPENGLER
(exclaims)
Of course!
(the others turn and look
at him)
Ivo Shandor, I saw his name in Tobin's
SPIRIT GUIDE. He started a secret society
in 1920.
VENKMAN
(putting it all together)
Let me guess -- Gozer Worshippers.
SPENGLER
Yes. After the First World War Shandor
decided that society was too sick to
survive. And he wasn't alone. He had close
to a thousand followers when he died. They
conducted rituals, bizarre rituals, intended
to bring about the end of the world.
VENKMAN
(now very worried about
Dana)
She said he was "the Destructor."
SPENGLER
Who?
VENKMAN
Gozer.
SPENGLER
(confused)
You talked to Gozer?
VENKMAN
Get a grip on yourself, Egon. I talked to
Dana Barrett and she referred to Gozer as
the Destructor.
STANTZ
(proud)
See? I told you something big was about to
happen.
Winston has heard enough.
WINSTON
This is insane! You actually believe that
some moldy Babylonian God is going to drop
in at 78th and Central Park West and start
tearing up the city?
SPENGLER
(corrects him)
Sumarian -- not Babylonian,
Winston just shakes his head. Then a uniformed GUARD appears with a
high-ranking POLICE OFFICIAL and unlocks the cell door.
POLICE OFFICIAL
Are you the Ghostbusters?
VENKMAN
What about it?
POLICE OFFICIAL
The mayor wants to see you -- right away.
The whole island is going crazy. Let's go.
They exit.
EXT. CITY HALL
The official cars arrive and the Ghostbusters are hustled past a mob of
reporters, all shouting questions at once.
REPORTERS
(as babble)
Are you under arrest? Did you have a bomb
factory in the basement? What are you going
to do about all these ghosts?
INT. MAYOR'S OFFICE
Secretaries and aides scurry about in a chaos of telephones and waiting
city officials. As the Ghostbusters are led through the outer offices,
everyone stops what they're doing to stare at them.
INT. OFFICE OF THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY
The Ghostbusters enter and see a very concerned group of leaders arguing
like crazy. The Police and Fire Commissioners, State and City Police
Commandants, the Archbishop of the New York Diocese, the Regional Director
of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Governor of the State of New
York, and various other high-ranking officials.
THE AIDE
(entering with the
Ghostbusters)
The Ghostbusters are here, Mr. Mayor.
At once, the group turns and instantly regains perfect decorum.
THE MAYOR
He is a likeable Democrat and a man of the people -- particularly the
Irish, Italian and Jewish people.
MAYOR
(looking them over)
Okay, the Ghostbusters. And who's Peck?
Peck shoulders his way forward.
PECK
(adrenalin pumping)
I'm Walter Peck, sir. And I'm prepared to
make a full report.
(holds up dossier)
These men are complete snowball artists.
They use nerve and sense gases to induce
hallucinations. The people think they're
seeing ghosts and call these bozos, who
conveniently show up to get rid of the
problem with a fake electronic light show.
MAYOR
(to Venkman)
You using nerve gas?
VENKMAN
The man is a psychopath, Your Honor.
PECK
Probably a mixture of gases, no doubt stolen
from the Army ...
STANTZ
Bullshit!!!
PECK
... improperly stored and touched off with
those high-voltage laser beams they use in
their light show. They caused an explosion.
The Mayor looks for help from the assembled leaders,
FIRE COMMISSIONER
All I know is, that wasn't a light show we
saw this morning. I've seen every form of
combustion known to man, but this beats me.
POLICE COMMISSIONER
And nobody's using nerve gas on all the
people that have seen those ... things ...
all over the city. The walls were bleeding
at the 53rd Precinct. How do you explain
that?
He looks to the Archbishop. Everybody focuses on the ornately attired
Prelate.
ARCHBISHOP
Officially, the Church will not take a
position on the religious implications of
these ... phenomena. However, since they
started, people have been lining up at every
church in the city to confess and take
communion. We've had to put on extra
priests. Personally, I think it's a sign
from God but don't quote me on that.
MAYOR
(shaking his head)
I can't call a press conference and tell
everyone to start praying.
WINSTON
He steps forward.
WINSTON
I'm Winston Zeddemore, Your Honor. I've
only been with the company for a couple of
weeks, but I gotta tell you -- these things
are real. Since I joined these men I have
seen shit that would turn you white.
THE MAYOR
He rubs his eyes wearily.
MAYOR
(to Venkman)
So what do I do now?
VENKMAN
He seizes the moment.
VENKMAN
Mr. Mayor, it's a pretty simple choice.
You can believe Mr. Pecker here ...
PECK
(snaps)
That's "Peck!"
VENKMAN
(ignores him)
... or you can accept the fact that this
city is heading for a disaster of really
Biblical proportions.
MAYOR
What do you mean "Biblical?"
VENKMAN
Old Testament, Mr. Mayor. "Wrath of
God"-type stuff. The seas could boil, fire
and brimstone falling from the sky ...
STANTZ
(chimes in)
... forty years of darkness, earthquakes,
mass hysteria, human sacrifice ...
MAYOR
Enough! I get the point.
(really torn)
But what if you're wrong?
VENKMAN
If I'm wrong then nothing happens and you
toss us in the can. But if I'm right, and
if we can stop this thing ... well, let's
just say that you could save the lives of a
lot of registered voters.
The Mayor starts nodding affirmatively, clearly convinced by Venkman's
rational assessment.
PECK
(furious)
I don't believe you're seriously considering
listening to these men!
The Mayor takes a long look at Peck.
MAYOR
Get him out of here.
(Peck looks stricken)
We've got work to do. What do you need
from me?
EXT. DANA'S APARTMENT BUILDING - SAME TIME
Louis arrives in front of the building and looks up, Strange lights are
beginning to flash from the windows, He enters the building and a moment
later a huge tremor shakes the structure.
INT. DANA'S FLOOR
The elevator doors open and Louis gets out. A crowd of tenants rushes onto
the elevator clutching their most prized possessions. He gets through the
panicked tenants and walks down the hall.
MRS. BLUM, a neighbor, comes out of her apartment carrying an armload of
small appliances.
MRS. BLUM
Louis! What are you doing standing there
... get out of the building ... don't you
know it's an earthquake or something?
LOUIS
The Traveller is coming.
MRS. BLUM
Don't be crazy. Nobody is going to come and
visit you with all this commotion going on.
She rushes off leaving Louis alone in the hall. He goes to Dana's door
and mechanically knocks three times. His knocking echoes thunderously
throughout the building.
THE DOOR
It opens and Louis sees Dana standing there. A tremendous thunderclap
rattles the building.
LOUIS
(his eyes light up)
Are you the Gatekeeper?
DANA
(nods)
I am Zuul.
Hearing that, Louis grabs Dana with a passion that's been building in his
unconscious for 8000 years. He kisses her with savage lust and pulls her
to the floor out of frame as an explosive force blows through the
apartment.
INT. CITY HALL CORRIDOR
Venkman, Stantz and the Mayor walk briskly toward the vehicle dock at the
back of the building. Aides scurry along behind them, awaiting
instructions.
MAYOR
I don't understand it, Why here? Why now?
VENKMAN
What goes around, comes around, Mr. Mayor.
The big Lazy Susan of Karma just keeps
turning and sometimes we get the short end
of the stick.
STANTZ
This may be Nature's way of telling us to
slow down. You have to admit it's kind of
humbling, isn't it?
MAYOR
(shouts after them)
We're humble already! Hasn't this city
suffered enough?
They come out onto the loading dock.
EXT. LOADING DOCK
The Ectomobile is parked there. Winston and Spengler are charging all the
packs off the building current. There's a lot of police activity around
them as orders are dispatched.
A POLICE CAPTAIN reports to Venkman.
CAPTAIN
We've cleared the whole building and
cordonned off the street. I'm massing our
own special tactics squad and the National
Guard is on standby.
AIDE
I better alert the Red Cross, too.
SPENGLER
He looks up and sees Janine standing on the dock. She crosses to him.
JANINE
(a little teary)
I want you to have this.
(she hands him a coin)
SPENGLER
What is it?
JANINE
It's a souvenir from the 1964 World's Fair
at Flushing Meadow. It's my lucky coin.
SPENGLER
I don't believe in luck.
JANINE
Keep it anyway. I have another one at home.
SPENGLER
Thank you.
They hug.
THE ECTOMOBILE
Stantz, Venkman and Winston get in. Spengler rushes over and joins them.
INT. ECTOMOBILE
Venkman turns around and looks at his friends.
VENKMAN
Okay. Just remember, whatever happens out
there, we are total professionals. Not
only are we the best Ghostbusters around,
we're the only Ghostbusters around. It's
up to us.
They all shake hands. Then Venkman sticks his hand out the window and
signals like a cavalry officer.
VENKMAN (CONT'D)
(shouts)
Move 'em out!
EXT. REAR OF CITY HALL
A pair of police motorcycles comes roaring up the driveway followed by the
Ectomobile and two police cruisers. The motorcade turns up the street and
heads uptown at high speed. They pass a column of National Guard trucks.
EXT. DANA'S APARTMENT BUILDING
The street has been blocked off with police barricades but a huge crowd
has gathered nonetheless to watch the strange lights and flashes emanating
from the upper floors of the building.
THE CROWD
The news media are out in front filming and taping everything. A
contingent of Doomsday freaks is gathered with signs proclaiming "REPENT
FOR THE END IS AT HAND!" A few Catholic priests are kneeling, performing
rites of exorcism.
THE CROWD
A gang of punks is hanging around hoping for a disaster. A handful of
Hassidic Jews behind them are wailing in earnest. The police work to
restrain the crowd.
THE STREET
The screaming of sirens turns the attention of the crowd as the motorcade
arrives. As the Ectomobile rounds the corner a huge cheer goes up from
the crowd.
THE CROWD
The punks cheer. The Hassidic Jews wave their black hats and start dancing
for joy.
THE ECTOMOBILE
It pulls up in front of the building. The doors fly open and the
Ghostbusters all jump out at once. The crowd roars.
THE PRIESTS
They leap to their feet and give each other "high fives."
VENKMAN
He raises both fists like a victorious boxer.
VENKMAN
(shouts to the crowd)
Ghostbusters!
The crowd thunders its approval.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They quickly finish suiting up at the rear of the Ectomobile.
VENKMAN
(keyed up)
Are we all together on this now?
WINSTON
(in earnest)
I think we should get on a plane right now
and go to Australia or Indonesia until this
blows over.
VENKMAN
I'm going to make a note of your suggestion
and possibly bring it up later if this thing
really gets out of hand. Now let's move.
They start heading for the lobby entrance to the building,
VOICE IN CROWD (MAN)
Get 'em!
VOICE IN CROWD (GIRL)
All right, Ghostbusters!
The crowd applauds as the Ghostbusters approach the entrance.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They stop in front of the building and look up at the roof.
THEIR POV
A blinding flash of light shoots from the rooftop temple.
THE BUILDING ENTRANCE
The whole building seems to groan as if under enormous pressure. Then
suddenly the concrete facade cracks open and the pavement in front of the
building collapses dropping the Ghostbusters and a police car into the
enormous sinkhole. The crowd gasps.
THE SINKHOLE
There is a tense moment of silence, then the Ghostbusters pop up and climb
out of the pit.
VENKMAN
I've heard of underground parking but this
is ridiculous.
They flash the "okay" sign to the crowd and enter the building.
EXT. THE ROOFTOP -- SAME TIME
Dana and Louis emerge from the stairwell, approach the Temple and mount
the pedestals once occupied by the Terror Dogs.
THE TEMPLE
The walls begin to vibrate in response.
EXT. THE STREET BELOW
Blinding beams of light flash from all the windows.
INT. STAIRWELL
The Ghostbusters trudge up thirty-five flights of stairs.
INT. THIRTY-FIFTH FLOOR HALLWAY
The stairwell door opens and the Ghostbusters stagger into the hallway,
completely exhausted.
VENKMAN
(gasping and spitting)
I'm glad we took the stairs.
INT. DANA'S DOOR
The Ghostbusters arrive. The door frame is charred and blackened by soot.
Venkman rings the doorbell. DING-DONG.
VENKMAN
Dana?
WINSTON
Maybe we should go downstairs and call first?
Venkman knocks on the door and the door simply falls off its hinges and
crashes to the floor. The Ghostbusters gape at the damage to the
apartment.
INT. DANA'S APARTMENT
The exterior building wall is completely gone providing an unobstructed
view of the Hudson and New Jersey. All the furniture is overturned and
the other walls are cracked. A powerful wind blows through the apartment
fluttering the shredded curtains.
WINSTON
(ready to leave)
Well, she's not here. Let's go.
VENKMAN
No! The kitchen!
INT. THE KITCHEN
The team enters and sees that the refrigerator has been blown away
revealing a hole in the wall and the entrance to a stone staircase behind
it.
VENKMAN
He looks at the forbidding portal and turns to Stantz.
VENKMAN
(slaps his shoulder)
Go!
Stantz realizes that Venkman expects him to go first. He leads the charge
up the stairs.
EXT. THE ROOF
Dana and Louis stare at the Temple, then begin a miraculous and horrible
transformation into the hideous forms of the Terror Dogs.
THE TEMPLE
The solid stone walls rumble ominously and start to separate.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They come running out onto the roof and gape at the scene.
THE TEMPLE
The walls open completely revealing the secret architecture of the Temple:
A stone staircase leading to a set of monumental doors, and beyond them a
massive pyramid that appears to be suspended in mid-air with no visible
means of support.
LOUIS AND DANA
They complete their transformation into the Terror Dogs, which now turn
and snarl menacingly at the Ghostbusters.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They can't believe their eyes.
VENKMAN
(aghast)
Shit! I've been out with some real dogs,
but this is ridiculous!
The heavy rumbling of moving stone draws their attention back to the
temple.
THE TEMPLE
The Terror Dogs have now taken ritual positions on the staircase. The
heavy stone gates begin to open and a bright white light starts to emerge.
As the light descends the stairs a human form slowly materializes.
THE FORM
It is a thin, hollow-cheeked, distinguished looking man in his early
sixties. His eyes are burning red pin-holes, He looks around at the
spectacular rooftop view, then acknowledges the two Terror Dogs and starts
stroking them like house pets.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They stare at the apparition,
SPENGLER
(recognizes him)
It's Shandor - the architect!
WINSTON
I thought he died!
VENKMAN
It doesn't seem to have slowed him down any.
STANTZ
I don't think it's Shandor.
He gets to his feet and speaks sharply to Gozer.
STANTZ (CONT'D)
Gozer the Gozerian?
GOZER
He looks up and seems to notice the Ghostbusters for the first time.
STANTZ
He 'busts' Gozer.
STANTZ
(forceful)
As a duly-constituted representative of the
City of New York, and on behalf of the
County and State of New York, the United
States of America, the Planet Earth and all
its inhabitants, I hereby order you to cease
and desist any and all supernatural activity
and return at once to your place of origin
or next parallel dimension.
VENKMAN
(to Stantz)
Well, that ought to do it.
GOZER
He stands up to his full height and regards Stantz curiously.
GOZER
Are you a god?
STANTZ
(compulsively honest)
No.
GOZER
Then die!
He raises his arms and blows away the Ghostbusters with searing bolts of
energy.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
Momentarily stunned, they tumble all the way down the stairs and almost
fall off the edge of the roof.
WINSTON
(to Stantz)
You should've said "yes!" He might have
been willing to negotiate.
Venkman gets to his feet first, really mad now.
VENKMAN
(setting his wands)
Okay. That's it! I'm gonna turn this guy
into toast.
The Ghostbusters leap into action. One by one they activate their Proton
packs and take up positions for an entrapment.
GOZER
He braces for the onslaught.
VENKMAN
He shoots a particle stream at Gozer.
GOZER
He leaps out of the way with superhuman agility and executes a perfect
double-flip with a half-twisting round-off at the end.
VENKMAN
He can't believe his eyes.
VENKMAN
Agile bastard, isn't he?
STANTZ
Forget the trapping! Just blast him!
The others adjust their units and they all blaze away at Gozer.
GOZER
He stands there calmly and absorbs the force of the streams. There is a
brilliant pink flash and Gozer disappears.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They stare for a long moment, finding it hard to believe that they won.
Then Winston lets out a triumphant whoop.
SPENGLER
He scans the temple with his PKE meter, not at all convinced the danger
has passed.
STANTZ
He bounds up the stairs.
STANTZ
(jubilant)
We neutronized him! The guy's a molecular
nonentity.
VENKMAN AND SPENGLER
He wants to believe it but sees the doubt on Spengler's face.
SPENGLER
(reading the meter)
Not necessarily.
There is a deep seismic rumble and the entire building begins to vibrate.
The Ghostbusters look around nervously as the entire building starts to
sway.
EXT. THE EAVES
Cement carvings and moldings around the edge of the roof crack and break
off.
EXT. THE STREET
The crowd screams and runs as cement debris rains down the side of the
building and crashes on the sidewalk.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They look up at the sky waiting for the big blow. An incredibly loud
thunderclap rocks the rooftop.
THE SKY
A bolt of lightning crackles from the swirling dark cloud and strikes the
rooftop.
The Ghostbusters stand there facing their new God like Moses on Mount
Sinai. And then Gozer speaks to them in a voice that can be heard
throughout Metropolitan New York and parts of New Jersey.
GOZER
SUBCREATURES! GOZER THE GOZERIAN, GOZER
THE DESTRUCTOR, VOLGUUS ZILDROHAR, THE
TRAVELLER HAS COME. CHOOSE AND PERISH.
VENKMAN
(shouting to be heard)
Is he talking to us?
WINSTON
What's he talking about? Choose what?
STANTZ
(to the heavens)
What do you mean "choose?" We don't
understand.
GOZER
CHOOSE!!
SPENGLER
I think he's saying that since we're about
to be sacrificed anyway, we get to choose
the form we want him to take.
STANTZ
You mean if I stand here and concentrate on
the image of Roberto Clemente, Gozer will
appear as Roberto Clemente and wipe us out?
SPENGLER
That appears to be the case.
VENKMAN
(quickly)
Don't think of anything yet. Clear your
minds. We only get one crack at this.
GOZER
The choice is made. The Traveller has come.
VENKMAN
(in a panic)
We didn't choose anything!
(to the others)
I didn't think of an image, did you?
SPENGLER
No.
They look at Winston.
WINSTON
My mind's a total void!
They all look at Stantz.
STANTZ
(guilty)
I couldn't help it! It just popped in
there!
VENKMAN
(desperately)
What? What popped in there?
STANTZ
(pointing)
Look!
They all turn and look to the south.
GHOSTBUSTERS POV
Looking south past Columbus Circle, they see part of something big and
white moving between the buildings accompanied by thunderous footsteps of
almost seismic proportions.
VENKMAN
He doesn't know what it is yet, but he knows it's coming.
VENKMAN
(desperately)
What is it? Ray, what did you think of?
BROADWAY AND 55TH
The massive white shape passes behind some buildings, offering a glimpse
of what appears to be a fat, white arm.
STANTZ
He's about to go into shock.
STANTZ
(babbling)
It can't be! It can't be!
COLUMBUS CIRCLE
The thundering footsteps continue to plod as the thing starts to emerge
from behind the buildings. Now we can see part of a blue garment covering
its enormous chest.
STANTZ
He recognizes the monster.
STANTZ
It's ... It's ... It's the STAY-PUFT
MARSHMALLOW MAN.
Winston, Venkman and Spengler gape.
THEIR POV
They look across the roof tops and see a large, square, white, bobbing,
laughing head atop a massive body of similar puffed white squares. The
being is dressed in a tiny sailor's hat, red bosun's whistle and lanyard
and a little blue vest with a button undone in the middle revealing a
little white belly. It is the cute, quintessential American brand symbol,
looming as large as Godzilla.
STANTZ (V.O.)
(desperately apologizing)
I tried to think of the most harmless thing
... something that could never destroy us
... something I loved from my childhood.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They watch the Marshmallow Man plodding toward them.
VENKMAN
AND YOU CAME UP WITH THAT?
STANTZ
The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man! He was on
all the packages we used to buy when I was
a kid. We used to roast Stay-Puft
marshmallows at Camp Waconda!
VENKMAN
Great! The marshmallows are about to get
their revenge.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
He plods relentlessly uptown toward the Ghostbusters' rooftop vantage
point. The ground rumbles as his big, soft feet come down on the
pavement.
THE STREET
People are fleeing in panic as the marshmallow feet pad along kicking over
lampposts and mail boxes.
A CAR
The driver jumps out just before an enormous white marshmallow foot comes
down and flattens his automobile.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They stand there helplessly watching the laughing bobbing head of the
Stay-Puft Man as he comes toward them.
VENKMAN
What now?
SPENGLER
(adjusting his thrower)
Full-stream with strogon pulse.
Venkman looks at Stantz. Stantz shrugs.
VENKMAN
(decides)
I guess that's all we've got.
They step to the edge of the roof, moving like warriors now ready to face
the consequences.
EXT. THE STREET
Peck comes running up to the front of the apartment building. People are
fleeing the oncoming monster. Peck grabs a COP who is just about to flee
himself.
PECK
(in a rage)
Are the Ghostbusters up there?
COP
(desperate to get away)
Yeah!
PECK
I want you to go up on the roof and arrest
them. This time they've gone too far.
The Cop looks at Peck like he's insane, then sees the Stay-Puft Man
looming up at the end of the block.
COP
(knocking Peck's hands
away)
You arrest them, numb nuts! I'm getting out
of here.
He runs off. Peck turns to face the monster.
THE STAY PUFT MAN
The ground shakes with every step as he reaches the building. Then, using
the church next door as a stepping stone, he begins climbing the wall.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They look over the edge of the roof as the Marshmallow Man climbs higher
and higher.
VENKMAN
(shouts)
Hit him!
They each fire point blank at the Stay-Puft Man.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
He bellows with pain and rage as the beams strike him right in the chest
and set his skin on fire. He begins to burn with a blue flame that
spreads quickly across his torso and down his arms. The Stay-Puft Man
bellows even louder, flailing its huge arms in response to the searing
flames that are starting to engulf him.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They stare at the horrible conflagration.
WINSTON
Good. Now we made him mad.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
Carbonous, flaming hunks of melting marshmallow are flying from his arms
as he waves them in wild rage.
THE STREET
Peck stands there paralyzed with fear. A mass of flaming marshmallow
falls and flattens a news stand nearby. Then a huge glob of sticky
toasted marshmallow comes zipping down from above and lands right on him,
burying him up to his neck in melted sucrose.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
The flaming monster keeps coming intent on their destruction. Most of his
chest has melted away revealing horrid musculature and a skeletal rib
cage.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They square off and face him for the last time, their weapons poised.
VENKMAN
(calmly)
We're going to be killed by a hundred-foot
marshmallow.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
He is almost on them now, fully engulfed in flames, reaching for them,
ready to swat them with his burning fist.
VENKMAN
(to the others)
On the count of three! One ... Two ...
SPENGLER
(he has the best idea of
his life)
No! Them! Shoot them!
(he points at the Terror
Dogs)
Cross the beams.
THE TERROR DOGS
They stand beside the portal literally petrified.
VENKMAN
He hesitates.
VENKMAN
(protesting)
No! You said crossing the beams would be
BAD. It'll kill her! And us!
SPENGLER
Life is just a state of mind.
VENKMAN
But it's my favorite state.
STANTZ
Either way we're history.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
His burning fist is starting to descend on the Ghostbusters.
VENKMAN
He chooses the only way out.
VENKMAN
(shouts)
Now!!
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They turn and fire at the two petrified Terror Dogs and blow them to
oblivion. The entire front of the temple is obliterated along with the
door.
THE STAY-PUFT MAN
With the destruction of his earthly portal, the flaming monster is
suddenly engulfed in a cyclonic wind that begins to swirl around him like
a fire-storm. The flames are whipped higher and higher as the tornado
begins to pick up rotational speed. Then the Marshmallow Man seems to
explode from deep inside creating a flaming air burst high above the
rooftops.
THE ROOFTOP
The Ghostbusters are blasted off their feet.
THE SKY
The fireball reaches its maximum explosive force, then a sudden jet of air
pressure occurs like a titanic vacuum cleaner in the sky and sucks the
flaming mass of gasses and ash up through our atmosphere and right out of
our dimension. The dark clouds disappear with it, leaving a beautiful
clear blue sky over the whole area.
THE TEMPLE
It now looks like an ancient ruin.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They are lying at the foot of the stairs. Everything is still. One by one
they get slowly to their feet and look around to see that the crisis has
passed.
STANTZ
Everybody okay?
Venkman looks up at the portal.
THE TERROR DOGS
They are still on the pedestals but charred almost beyond recognition.
Venkman mounts the stairs and gazes sadly at the remains.
THE PEDESTAL
Venkman stands there mourning, then a slight movement under the blackened
skin of the Terror Dog catches his eye. The movement gets stronger, then
suddenly a human hand pokes through the carbonous coating.
VENKMAN
Hope surges in him and he starts frantically tearing away the black
coating, finally revealing Dana alive and well under the burnt skin of the
Terror Dog.
STANTZ AND SPENGLER
They peel the charred coating off Louis and help him to his feet.
LOUIS
He looks around wondering how he ended up on the roof of a wrecked
high-rise. He looks at his scorched and ripped suit crusted with the
still-smoking gobs of melted marshmallow.
LOUIS
(amazed)
Jeez! Somebody must have spiked the egg
salad.
VENKMAN
He helps Dana to her feet.
VENKMAN
Are you all right?
She looks around at the incredible scene.
DANA
(totally confused)
Oh, sure. I'm getting used to this.
LOUIS
(seeing Dana for the first
time)
I'm innocent! Honest, Dana. I never
touched you. Not that I remember anyway.
DANA
(getting annoyed)
All right, what happened to me?
VENKMAN
Nothing! We just got rid of that thing in
your kitchen.
DANA
Really! Is it gone?
VENKMAN
Yeah, along with most of your furniture and
a lot of your personal possessions. This
one took some work.
DANA
(noting the wrecked temple)
Thank you. Next time I want to break a
lease I'll know who to call.
She hugs him.
VENKMAN
This is going to cost you, you know. Our
fees are ridiculously high.
DANA
Talk to my accountant.
(she indicates Louis)
LOUIS
Oh, great! I bet we could write off all the
damage as an Act of God.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They look at each other and nod.
STANTZ
I'll go along with that.
EXT. STREET - NEAR THE APARTMENT - NIGHT THE TWO BUMS
They hear the cheering down the street as they cautiously inspect a
massive mound of cooling sucrose.
FIRST BUM
Well, that definitely looks like marshmallow
to me.
SECOND BUM
(sniffing it)
Yeah, it's some kind of mallow-type
substance - that's for sure.
FIRST BUM
You have to wonder why anybody would dump a
marshmallow that size right in the middle of
the street.
SECOND BUM
I wonder if there might not be a very large
cup of hot chocolate somewhere in the area.
FIRST BUM
That would definitely explain it.
EXT. THE STREET NIGHT
A happy throng of jubilant citizens is gathered outside the lobby entrance
to the apartment building.
THE ENTRANCE
The battered but victorious Ghostbusters emerge from the lobby. Venkman
and Dana are holding hands. The crowd roars with unrestrained joy and
gratitude, Janine runs over and hugs Spengler enthusiastically. The
Ghostbusters wave and head for the Ectomobile parked at the curb.
THE GHOSTBUSTERS
They get into the Ectomobile and drive off with lights flashing and sirens
screaming as the crowd cheers wildly.
THE END |
