MovieChat Forums > Ghostbusters II (1989) Discussion > What happened to the characters? MY BRAI...

What happened to the characters? MY BRAIN HURTS

posted 9 years ago by poopyletter
13 replies | jump to latest

Did they all have collective amnesia from the first movie or what?

Let's start with Louis Tully. In the first he's a dweeb who has a mad crush on Dana, but in this movie he shows no interest in her. And what's with all the sudden having a thing for Janine? Speaking of which, what the hell happened to HER crush on Egon? And why is she suddenly the "female dweeb"? And why isn't either Venkman or Louis (as Vinz Clortho) that kid's father? If it were Louis's it actually woulda made more sense means they were terror dogs at the time, so Vigo would want that kid because it has the gozer evilness in it or whatever. Just seemed like a missed opportunity there.

And Venkman felt very toned down for some reason. I can't put my finger on exactly why. Something was off though.

AND HERE'S MORE SH!T THAT MAKES NO SENSE:

The dead rising from the graves.

Goo bringing things to life.

Bad goo vs good goo was never properly explained.

Why did it have to be Dana's kid?

Louis as their lawyer.

Ray staring at the painting (I know there was a deleted scene where he gets possessed, but if that got deleted why did they leave him staring at it in?)

And the entire sequence where they control the Statue with goo and a nintendo controller made my brain become a singularity and collapse on itself.

28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds. That is when the world... will end.

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 9 years ago

In the first he's a dweeb who has a mad crush on Dana, but in this movie he shows no interest in her.

I believe there was a cut scene at the end of the first film where Louis finally gets the message that Dana's not interested sans demon dog possession. It might have just been too sad if he still pining for her in the sequel five years later. And GBII is all about the positivity in the end. And anyway, that's how it is often is in real life. You have crushes, then you move on as just friends.

what the hell happened to HER crush on Egon? And why is she suddenly the "female dweeb"?

Are those two things contradictions somehow? It was always meant to be weird that she had this strange attraction to Egon that he clearly didn't reciprocate. Plus she talked about being "very psychic." She was never altogether normal. And I think they brought it full circle with Janine putting Louis is Spengler's suit, I doubt that was by accident, lol.

If it were Louis's it actually woulda made more sense means they were terror dogs at the time, so Vigo would want that kid because it has the gozer evilness in it or whatever.

That's a good point. It would have been interesting to have more explanation as to why Oscar is the baby Vigo wants at any rate.

And Venkman felt very toned down for some reason. I can't put my finger on exactly why. Something was off though.

Everything's more family friendly, but at the same time, I've always felt GBII is one of those rare sequels that actually did retain the same chemistry between characters. Plus, he did apparently screw up with Dana between films, so he's trying to shape up, again.

Bad goo vs good goo was never properly explained.

Well the slime reacts to people's moods. And the bad slime grows particularly strong in NYC because of the inhabitants' universal bad attitudes. I agree that the connection between Vigo and the slime wasn't all that clear and felt like two different ideas strung together. But it's a comedy at the end of the day, not Science Fiction.

Ray staring at the painting (I know there was a deleted scene where he gets possessed, but if that got deleted why did they leave him staring at it in?)

Well even without that scene in the car (which I do wish hadn't been cut), there's still the scene at the end where Vigo possesses Ray. For that last scene to make any sense, they had to set it up earlier at the museum. And they still make it work. Ray and Janosz bonding at the end goes along with the theme of New Yorkers embracing positivity in order to defeat evil.

And the entire sequence where they control the Statue with goo and a nintendo controller made my brain become a singularity and collapse on itself.

But...is it worse than Freddy Krueger's, "Hey you forgot the power glove!"? 😅

"If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money."

[–] GreenGoblinsOckVenom86 9 years ago

And the entire sequence where they control the Statue with goo and a nintendo controller made my brain become a singularity and collapse on itself.

Come on! That was one of the most awesome scenes in the movie!

Green Goblin is great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1L4ZuaVvaw

[–] kawaiirocker 9 years ago

I don't think it HAD to be Dana's kid. Vigo takes control of Janosz & tells him "find me a baby I can live in" & Janosz is like "well, this is very convenient. This chick I'm obsessed with just happens to have a baby we could use. Um...if you get the baby body, can I have Dana?" & Vigo's like "yeah sure whatever I'll need a dad till I come of age and take over the world"

Although it would've made sense if Oscar happened to be Louis' from when they were Gozer dogs but Dana was too ashamed to admit that so made up the thing about marrying the guy from orchestra. It would've just added to the "Supernatural S**t Keeps Happening to Dana Barrett" theme & connected both movies.

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 9 years ago

Oooo, you know you're right, Vigo does just says "find me a child." The Ghostbusters just don't know this for most of the film because they don't know Janosz is connected with Vigo.

"If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money."

[–] GreenGoblinsOckVenom86 9 years ago

Although it would've made sense if Oscar happened to be Louis' from when they were Gozer dogs but Dana was too ashamed to admit that so made up the thing about marrying the guy from orchestra.

Except the baby wouldn't be a baby, it'd be a 4 year old cause this movie takes place 5 years after the first.

Green Goblin is great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1L4ZuaVvaw

[–] pilarp-1 9 years ago

To me, one of the biggest surprises was Janine's unexpected transition from a foul-mouthed woman with a strong personality to a female counterpart of Louis. Even her looks changed enough to make me think Janine was played by a different actress in GB2 when I saw it for the first time. As for her crush on Louis... it was completely unexpected and unbelievable after what we saw in GB1. Even though Louis was one of my favourite characters (at least in the first movie), he was a bit of a loser, a kind of man Janine from GB1 wouldn't even look at.

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 9 years ago

But why would she have looked at Egon? Why was that believable?

"If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money."

[–] pilarp-1 9 years ago

I'd rather ask - why not? What was wrong with Egon?

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 9 years ago

And I could ask what's wrong with Louis. I don't see how Janine going after him would make her not strong anymore.

But anyway, there's nothing "wrong" with Egon, expect that he probably could never be interested in her the way she wants.

"If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money."

[–] pilarp-1 9 years ago

Well, let's face it: Louis is hardly a very attractive man: short, with average looks and a little creepy not only as Vinz Clortho, but even as Louis himself. Most women probably perceived him as a loser and ignored him. Honestly, Dana wasn't beautiful either and yet she seemed to be completely out of Louis' range. His attempts to ask her out for a date were pathetic. Why would it be a lot easier for him with Janine who seemed to be as cold as ice to everyone but Egon?

[–] Darthmauler_megaa 9 years ago

Points taken. I think we're to understand that Louis has crossed over into "Good Guy" status in GB2. Not that he's a "Villain" exactly in the original, but he's far from a good guy. He's creepy and obnoxious to Dana and even at the end, all he cares about is being interviewed and essentially mooching off the Ghostbuster's success. But now in the sequel, he's leaving Dana alone, actually working for the Ghostbusters and genuinely rooting for them, so he's basically part of the gang now. Plus his initial interaction with a girl (this time Janine) is a lot less awkward. He's commenting on hectic traffic like a normal person and just offers a harmless dinner invite (after stopping himself from asking something possibly less appropriate).

As for Janine, we're given the distinct impression she's looking to be a mother. Again, not happening with Egon, we know what he's been sleeping with lately! 😋 But Louis shows he's "very good with children." Actually, it seems to be a parallel to how Venkman is surprisingly good with Oscar. You can be cynical and say it's because GB2 is more of a family film, but you can also look at it as the characters are getting older and settling down some.

"If it seems too complicated, make it easy on yourself: just send money."

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 9 years ago

And what's with all the sudden having a thing for Janine? Speaking of which, what the hell happened to HER crush on Egon? And why is she suddenly the "female dweeb"?

Harold Ramis never really liked that aspect of the Egon and Janine characters in the first movie so he wrote the relationship between Louis and Janine in part 2.

When theres no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

[–] bossdog677 9 years ago

It's like the Ghostbusters stopped the book of Revelation from actually taking place and the world is now free to leave it behind and five years later these ungrateful little yuppy larva have no absolutely no respect. Makes you think they Shouldn't have even interrupted God's plan and let them all fry