I just made a HUGE multimedia update to the site. I have added every single still image/frame from the Ghostbusters Criterion Collection laserdisc and the Ghostbusters 1999 DVD. You can view them on the site (though a fast connection may be required since I have several hundred thumbnails on some pages), or download the original 720x480 images in a zip file.

What prompted me to put up all of the still frames from the Criterion laserdisc and both 1999 DVDs, and make the original 720x480 images available in zip files, is that the new Ghostbusters Blu-Ray doesn't include any of the still image galleries from the 1999 DVD. I can understand why they couldn't or wouldn't use them "as is". Those galleries are the only blemish on the 1999 DVD, and it's primarily because the images are displayed within a very large frame instead of being shown full screen, and the drawings are even shown at an angle instead of being flat-on with the screen; though I also take off major points for the images not being shown in any sort of context (the laserdisc gave LOTS more insight into just what you're looking at). Plus all but one of the drawings listed as "Early NYC Concepts" are actually from The Real Ghostbusters, not the movie. The Blu-Ray would have given Sony the chance to correct these problems. They could have gone back to the original photographic sources, rescanned them in at higher resolutions, and shown everything full screen and flat-on, taking full advantage of the widescreen aspect ratio and higher resolution that Blu-Ray provides. Instead, they just dropped them altogether. Very sad. Two steps forward, ten steps back, Sony. If you have the 1999 DVD (the one with the guys on the cover), I highly suggest that you keep it - whether you decide to buy the Blu-Ray or not.

In the process of doing all of the still images, I decided that it was a great opportunity to find out if something that I had heard about was true. When the 2005 DVD first came out, I had heard that there were new still images on it. So in addition to capturing every still on the 1999 DVD, I did them all on the 2005 DVD as well - then compared them to each other. There were indeed some new still images on the 2005 DVD: three new Terror Dog photos. There was also one less logo drawing. Gain three, lose one. But what I never heard anyone talk about four years ago, and maybe no one ever knew because they never compared the two sets of DVD images to each other, is that a Photoshop "oil painting" filter was applied to the images on the 2005 DVD, thus making them look horrible and ruining all of the details in them. You can see this for yourself on the new Ghostbusters 2005 DVD Still Image Comparison page. I'd love to know why Sony would do such a stupid and unnecessary thing like that.

I can now say, without a doubt in my mind, that the Ghostbusters DVD released by Sony in 2005 for Region 1 is the worst piece of shit I have ever seen put onto the DVD medium by a major studio! They remove perfectly good bonus features present in the previous DVD release from 1999; they screw up the menu design just so they can have widescreen menus (though all still images are left in 4:3 ratio); they alter the colors and brightness in the movie; and they apply a Photoshop "oil painting" filter over the still image galleries thus ruining them. Avoid the 2005 DVD like the plague. Get the 1999 DVD (alt link) and the Blu-Ray, which eliminates half of the bonus content from the 1999 DVD but has some new extras plus the higher quality copy of the movie (hopefully not using the 2005 transfer). I have officially removed the Ghostbusters 2005 DVD from my store page because I will not support substandard products.

To help celebrate the 25th anniversary of one of the greatest ghost movies ever made - GHOSTBUSTERS - the long-running website, Spook Central: The Ghostbusters Companion, held a prize giveaway from June 8th (the 25th anniversary of Ghostbusters' U.S. theatrical release) to June 22nd 2009 to honor the momentous occasion. Spook Central teamed up with the leading producers of Ghostbusters merchandise to offer up a bevy of giveaways, which included copies of Ghostbusters: The Video Game from Atari, print and digital guides for the video game from Prima Games, Ghostbusters: The Other Side trade paperbacks from IDW Publishing, "There Is No Dana, Only Zuul" T-shirts from Fright Rags, The Real Ghostbusters Volume 1 DVD sets from Time-Life, wall graphics and game skins from Gamer Graffix, and lots of items that Spook Central webmaster Paul Rudoff pulled from his personal collection and For Sale site.

The contest was a greater success than I could have ever imagined. There were 648 eligible entries for the main U.S. & Canada contest (plus 30 ineligible entries), and 26 eligible entries for the side International contest (plus 7 ineligible entries). Below is the full list of winners, along with a brief description of what prize package they won. For more information on the individual prizes, check out the prize image gallery. For legal and reference purposes, a copy of the original official rules can be found at the end.

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(An addendum to this review was posted on 8/6/2009. It picks up where this review leaves off.)

I just got the PlayStation 2 version of Ghostbusters: The Video Game yesterday, played a little of it, and LOVED it! This is my quasi-review of the game taken from all of my hand-written notes. Apologies if it's a little rough or a bit disjointed as I pretty much took it from my notes. In this review, I will be using "PS2" as shorthand for the PS2/Wii version (stylized), and "PC" as shorthand for the PC/PS3/X360 version (realistic).

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Below are the main credits that I think would be of interest to everyone, but if you'd like to read the entire credits list in its original order, that's available too. Click on the voice talent and writers names to go to their pages here on Spook Central.

VOICE TALENT Bill Murray Dan Aykroyd Harold Ramis Ernie Hudson Annie Potts William Atherton Alyssa Milano Brian Doyle-Murray Joel Murray Max von Sydow Erin Gray Andre Sogliuzzo (realistic version only) Fred Tatasciore Keith Fergusen Vanessa Marshall Troy Baker Travis Willingham Colleen Clinkenbeard R. Bruce Elliot Christopher Sabat Yuri Lowenthal (realistic version only) Jason Liebrecht

MOTION CAPTURE PERFORMERS Donovan Stinson Peter Benson Julian Paul Santo Lombardo Debbie Timuss Cailin Stadnyk WRITERS Dan Aykroyd Harold Ramis John Zuur Platten Flint Dille Patrick Hegarty John Melchior (stylized version only)

Recognition Of An Uncredited Artist - One person who was NOT credited in the game, but should have been, is "Dapper" Dan Schoening. Ghostbusters on the Wii and PlayStation 2 (and later PlayStation Portable) uses a stylized take on the famed characters instead of trying to replicate the look of the realistic versions of the game. That style was inspired by the work of an independent artist by the name of "Dapper" Dan Schoening. Dan Borth, the CEO of Red Fly Studio, has stated that when his team was first approached to do Ghostbusters, Vivendi/Sierra (the game's publisher at the time) gave them a large group of concept and fan art to go through, which included Dan Schoening's work. Later Mr. Borth was contacted by Mr. Schoening, and being an artist himself, understood his position and also wanted to make things right - since no one informed Red Fly who created the concept pieces. An agreement was reached that included money and an on-screen credit. Although he was 100% guaranteed an on-screen credit, the game was released with Dan Schoening's name nowhere to be found - not even as a Special Thanks. This infuriated him enough to post a message to his blog about the matter, which was then picked up by several of the top gaming sites. In response, Red Fly put up an apology to Dan on their blog. Then Mr. Borth felt the ill-advised need to "defend" himself in a written response to gaming site Kombo. Luckily for all involved, that didn't escalate things any further. (additional sources: True Game Headz, Proton Charging, Destructoid)

Now looking back over the list of people who WERE credited in the game, who do you NOT see on that list? Gene Wilder. Now that long-forgotten rumor can finally be put to rest.

It has been said that Max von Sydow (best known as Father Merrin in The Exorcist) is the voice of Vigo in the game. The extra Vigo quote on the PS2 version ("This isn't Ghostbusters. This is The Exorcist!") lends credence to this. Chris from Proton Charging theorized that he might actually be the voice of Vigo in Ghostbusters II, as well. We've all assumed that Wilhelm von Homburg, who played Vigo on-screen, was also his voice. However, if you remember your Ghostbusters history, you'd know that in the first film we saw Slavitza Jovan on-screen as Gozer, but the voice we heard belonged to an uncredited Paddi Edwards (reminiscent of Mercedes McCambridge's vocal performance in The Exorcist, coincidentally). So it's entirely possible that Wilhelm was Vigo on-screen, and Max was uncredited as Vigo's voice. The only ones who'd know for sure would be Ivan Reitman, Max, and Wilhelm. Ivan and Max are still alive, but sadly Wilhelm passed away a few years ago. So if anyone ever meets Ivan or Max, be sure to ask them who provided Vigo's voice in Ghostbusters II.

Besides Bill and Brian, we also have a third Murray brother in the cast, Joel Murray. The same one who was in the audience and asked Sigourney Weaver a question on the Ghostbusters II episode of Oprah back in 1989. According to IMDB, this is the third time the three have worked together. They previously paired up in Scrooged (1988) and the short-lived Murray Brothers golf series The Sweet Spot (2002).

The other big names in the voice cast include Erin Gray (Silver Spoons, Buck Rogers) and Keith Fergusen (Bloo from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends). Most of the additional voice cast are Texas-based voice artists who've done lots of Anime dubs for Funimation. Both Funimation and Terminal Reality are headquartered in Texas. Oh, yeah, Flint Dille, who was a writer and story editor for the original G.I. Joe and Transformers series back in the 1980s, had a hand in writing the game. Cool!

The latest issue of Toyfare Magazine (August 2009, Issue #144) has several articles on the Ghostbusters toys and video game, and even an interview with Harold Ramis. This is all part of the issue's theme of 1984 (the year, not the Orwell book).

The magazine is currently in stores. If you'd like to know if it's worth buying - and with such an awesome cover, that thought really shouldn't have crossed your mind - you can preview the magazine by viewing scans below or in this gallery. Big thanks to Randy Henderson for the scans.

You can read the unedited Harold Ramis interview on the Toyfare/Wizard Universe website (the one in the magazine is edited). Don't miss the second page - it's a very subtle link at the end of the first page.

The first scan below (the Venkman brick poster) is from the "Coming Next Issue" page of the previous issue, July 2009, Issue #143. Also note the photo caption on the "Incoming!" page - who's Peter Vakeman?

Big Download just posted an article with comments from Threewave Software (makers of the multiplayer aspects of the PS3 & X360) about the lack of multiplayer in the PC version of Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Here's what it has to say:

Atari and Threewave comment on lack of multiplayer in PC Ghostbusters
Posted Jun 17th 2009 11:00AM by John Callaham

Gamers were upset when it was learned a few days ago that the PC version of Ghostbusters would lack the multiplayer features that its Xbox 360 and PS2 counterparts have. We asked the game's publisher Atari for comment on this issue and they sent over a response from Dan Irish, the CEO of the game's multiplayer developer Threewave Software:

Multiplayer for the PC version of Ghostbusters is something that Threewave and Terminal Reality always wanted to do. However, our focus was on making the console version the best that they could be - an experience that allows multiple players to re-live and re-fight many of the themes from the movies. When we looked at the resources necessary to pull off multiplayer on the consoles and the PC, it became a question of what could we do and still be excellent in our execution. We couldn't do all versions with multiplayer simultaneously with the resources that we had available - there was simply too much to do. Something would have to suffer. Therefore, we kept our focus on making the console versions deliver on the promise of being an integral player on the Ghostbusters team.

We have yet to receive a response to our other question on if Atari plans to add multiplayer support for the PC version of Ghostbusters via a patch.

One of the commenters over on Big Download said it best: I do believe that's one of the biggest "F**k you's" I've ever heard directed squarely at the PC market. I sure hope they get some more "resources" and decide to put out a patch or something later on that includes multiplayer, I mean, if that is "something that Threewave and Terminal Reality always wanted to do."

What makes this whole situation really sad is that Atari never made any notification to the effect of, "We have removed multiplayer on the PC due to limited resources, so we have dropped the price accordingly for the PC version." If I didn't decide to post scans of the box backs and analyze the specs on them, no one would have known about the missing PC multiplayer until AFTER the game was released and they bought it.

All of the previews and ads for the realistic and stylized versions advertise multi-player features, and naturally it is assumed that the PC and PS2 versions would be grouped in with their respective counterparts for each version and get the multiplayer features. Atari should have made it perfect clear in the deceptive advertisements that the PC and PS2 versions would not get the multiplayer features that the other three versions would have.

It was twenty years ago today, on June 16, 1989, that Ghostbusters II premiered in theaters all across the United States. I wasn't amongst the lucky fans who got to see it that day, but I did get to see it in the theater during its initial run. I went with my mom and sister to the theater at Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City, New York, probably as a present for my 12th birthday (June 25th). I don't remember too much from that day...I don't even know if the theater is still there as that mall has changed SO much in these past twenty years...but I do remember seeing Slimer fly out from the Statue of Liberty at the end, which is a bit missing from all of the home video versions. The theater was a multiplex, and I also remember that after Ghostbusters II was done, we snuck in to see Star Trek V.

Anyway, in honor of this special anniversary, I have uploaded full video of the show to the cast of Ghostbusters II on The Oprah Winfrey Show page.

GET OUT YOUR PROTON PACK AND PREPARE TO BE SLIMED AS 'GHOSTBUSTERS®: THE VIDEO GAME' BUSTS INTO NORTH AMERICAN RETAILERS

- WRITTEN BY DAN AYKROYD AND HAROLD RAMIS, THIS ALL-NEW ADVENTURE INSPIRED BY BLOCKBUSTER MOVIE PHENOMENON IS PART OF THE 25^TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF ORIGINALGHOSTBUSTERS FILM -

NEW YORK, NY - June 16, 2009 - Atari, one of the world's most recognized video game publishers, today announced that the highly anticipated, summer blockbuster title, Ghostbusters®: The Video Game is now available at retailers across North America.

Working closely with Sony Pictures Consumer Products and acclaimed development studios Terminal Reality and RedFly, Atari brings this completely all-new chapter of the blockbuster Ghostbusters saga to advanced gaming platforms coinciding with the 25^th Anniversary celebration of the film's original theatrical release. Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise, is penned by original Ghostbusters writers and stars Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd and reunites many of the original cast members. In addition, the game also launches today along with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment's worldwide debut of the original motional picture on Blu-ray Disc™.

Featuring the unique blend of humor and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation, this new chapter of the blockbuster franchise is available at retailers across North America for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft ($59.99), Windows PC ($29.99), PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system ($59.99), PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system ($19.99), Wii™ ($39.99) and Nintendo DS™ ($29.99).

In addition to Aykroyd and Ramis, original Ghostbusters Bill Murray, and Ernie Hudson, and new love interest, Alyssa Milano, lend their voices and in-game likenesses to the original story set two years after Ghostbusters 2, with Manhattan once again overrun by ghosts and supernatural forces. The player joins up as a new recruit with the original team, testing a variety of unique equipment and gadgets, to track, wrangle and trap a wide range of awe-inspiring phantasms in an all-new, funny and frightening battle to save New York City from its latest paranormal plague.

Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters 2 combined to gross over $500 million world-wide at the box office. The films spawned some of the most memorable comedic catch-phrases and scenes in motion picture history. To further celebrate the film's 25^{niversary milestone this year, Sony Pictures Consumer Products has licensed the property for several new commemorative products including: toys, t-shirts, comic books, prop replicas, and a theme park attraction. In addition, the original Ghostbusters car (Ecto-1) has been fully restored with plans for special promotional appearances throughout the US and additional replicas touring across Europe. The Blu-ray Disc release of Ghostbusters will see unsurpassed picture and audio quality and advanced new bonus features including Slimer Mode, a picture-in-picture graphical viewing experience, a featurette on the refurbishing of Ecto-1, and more.}

nformation about Ghostbusters: The Video Game please visit www.ghostbustersgame.com.

About the Game
When Manhattan is once again overrun by ghosts and other supernatural creatures, players will take on the role of a new recruit joining the famous Ghostbusters team. Developed by acclaimed studio Terminal Reality, Ghostbusters: The Video Game will make its debut on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC.The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version and the Wii version are being developed by Red Fly Studios, and the Nintendo DS™ version, in which the player takes the role of one of the Ghostbusters themselves, is developed by Zen Studios. The PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC versions of the game are developed using Terminal Reality's phenomenal proprietary Infernal Engine technology.

About the Film
Ghostbusters, released in 1984, is one of Columbia Pictures' highest grossing films, spawning a hit sequel in 1989 and three successful animated television shows. Ghostbusters and its sequel grossed over $500 million world-wide. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman, starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as ghost hunters for hire, cleaning up Manhattan's buildings of slime-spewing spooks.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc.
Sony Pictures Consumer Products Inc. (SPCP) is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (SPE) based in Los Angeles which handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in more than 130 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari
The Infogrames group, including the Atari brand and the massively multiplayer online game company Cryptic Studios, is a global producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and all interactive game platforms including consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony, advanced smartphones, Personal Computers, web and online. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries through an international distribution network and direct to consumers via www.atari.com.

Atari's extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Test Drive, Alone in the Dark, V-Rally, My Horse & Me, Backyard Sports franchise, Total Annihilation, Outcast etc.), Cryptic Studios titles (StarTrek Online, Champions Online), publishing properties (Ghostbusters, The Chronicles of Riddick, The Witcher, Race Pro etc.), international licenses (Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, Jamie Oliver etc.) and classic games covering the entire history of the video game industry (Pong, Missile Command, Asteroids etc).

© 2009 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.
Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

"GHOSTBUSTERS", The Video Game: © 2009 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. "GHOSTBUSTERS" with the "GHOST DESIGN" is a registered trademark of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. "GHOSTBUSTERS", and "GHOSTBUSTERS 2" movies: © 1984, © 1989 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. Game Software excluding Columbia Pictures Elements: © 2009 Atari, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The PlayStation Network Logo is a service mark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.

Windows and the Windows Vista start button are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from owner.

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Rooting through the files on the game disc of the PC version of Ghostbusters: The Video Game, I found a file named language.pod, which is contained inside setup\data2.cab. This file contains all of the text used in the game, along with text transcriptions of the audio.

This post will list all of the Player Awards, Player Ranks, and Achievements listed inside this file. I believe that all of this relates to multiplayer. However, it should be noted that although this information came from a file on the PC game disc, the PC version does not have any multiplayer components.

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Thanks to SonofSamhain, I just found out that the official U.S. game site has gotten a massive update (the other sites have not been updated, so check out the U.K. site if you want the old content). Actually, "massive overhaul" would probably be a more appropriate phrase. Although I think that the new site looks nicer, I hate that many great features were removed.

All of the games ("Interview Callbacks") were removed. What sucks is that we never got to play the last three: "Target Practice", "Ghost Hunt", and "Marketing 101". (I found the names of all of the games hidden in a site file last year.) The last time a game was added was back in July 2008 before Activision dropped the game. It would have been nice if Atari would have added the rest in the seven or eight months that they had the site instead of letting it go stagnant for so long and then dropping them altogether.

All of the fan site links were removed. This makes me very sad as I felt great pride having a link on that list.

All of the banners and the instant messenger icon were removed. I've reuploaded all of them and have updated the links and html/bb code on my game page.

The Gallery and Video sections have had some content removed from them, but most content was retained, and what was removed can be found elsewhere in better/higher quality.

Now that I've run through what was removed, let's take a quick look at what was added. The first thing you'll notice is the commercial intro. It's actually a Flash video file, in which the first 0:17 has audio, while the rest of file is silent. It's over the silent portion, which loops over and over, that the Ray Parker Jr. hit plays.

The four Ghostbusters are shown on the screen, and if you click on each of them you'll get a brief dossier file. The About section just gives you a brief synopsis of the game, and the News section gives links to reviews and other such stuff.

Anyway, that's the rundown of the new site design. If you miss the old site design, here's a picture from July 21, 2008 (the last time Sierra updated the site) to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.