Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Louis/Vinz escapes in the confusion and makes his way to the apartment building to join Dana/Zuul. Listen, ORSON WELLES, WHATS UP DOC, PAPER MOON (POLLY PLATT, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, EPISODE 4): In the aftermath of Picture Showand the collapse of her second marriagePolly finds an unlikely ally, and a new job, in Orson Welles. "[36], Music was required for a montage in the middle of the film, and "I Want a New Drug" by Huey Lewis and the News was used as a temporary placeholder because of its appropriate tempo. [106], Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters" spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1984 and a total of 21 weeks on the charts. [6][7] This was inherited from his father (who wrote the book A History of Ghosts),[8] his mother (who claimed she had seen ghosts), a grandfather (who experimented with using radios to contact the dead), and a great-grandfather (a renowned spiritualist). [8] The set was built three stories off the ground to allow for filming from low angles. [176] Rotten Tomatoes also listed the film number 71 on its list of 200 essential movies to watch. Logo design: Teddy Blanks and Aaron Nestor. Special thanks to our special guests. "[17] As for Atherton, based on the insult of "dickless", he claimed even in the mid-1990s fans would still refer to him as such on the streets to his ire. Similarly, the "no ghosts" logo was modified to protest political candidates like Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale to Mickey Mouse by striking Disney workers. [8][13] The screening for fellow industry members fared less well. Reitman was later introduced to Parker Jr. who developed "Ghostbusters" with a similar riff to match the montage. Riding high on having guided Brooks through two consecutive, blockbuster Oscar nominees, Polly becomes a production executive at Brooks's Gracie Films, where she produces Cameron Crowes Say Anything, Jack Nicholson, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, and Cher at an event for The Witches of Eastwick (1987). Heres the new Virtual Screening Series schedule. This, for various reasons, did not work in the long term and she did get back into journalism eventually. Through stories of these women, their rivalry with one another and their incestuous relationships with the institutions and powerful men that controlled media, the movies and even federal law enforcement, well track the evolution of gossip over the course of a century. It was highly machined but it had to look off-the-shelf and military surplus. . [16] Ernie Hudson went through about five auditions for the character of Winston Zeddemore. A trailblazer in jobs rarely held by women in Hollywood to that point, Polly Platts story helps us understand the obstacles preventing gender equality behind the scenes in Hollywood in the 1970 through the 1990s, and in the present day -- and allows us to contemplate what it was like to be a woman in Hollywood during a time when the feminist movement may have been remaking American society to some extent, but failed to make major inroads in the movie industry. [66] Adjusted for inflation, its North American lifetime total is $576million. This episode includes excerpts from interviews with: Jules Fisher, Frank Marshall, Toby Rafelson, Nancy Griffin and Peggy Steffans. He regretted the marginalization of his character from the original script and felt Ghostbusters did not improve his career as he had hoped, or been promised. This episode was written and performed by Farran Smith Nehme. From the anonymous tips posted on Deux Moi to the streams of annotated paparazzi shots that fill the Daily Mail, todays celebrity gossip -- democratized, based on technological surveillance -- looks completely different than it used to, when non-famous people could only go behind the scenes if led by authoritative guides. [7] The Boss Film Studios' team were split to complete work on Ghostbusters and MGM's science-fiction film 2010: The Year We Make Contact. [26] The Millennium Biltmore Hotel stood in for the scenes set at the fictional Sedgewick Hotel. [7] Christopher Walken, John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, and Jeff Goldblum were considered to portray Egon. The film earned $282.2million during its initial theatrical run, making it the second-highest-grossing film of that year, and the highest-grossing comedy of all time at that point. "[186], In 1984, the Ghostbusters phenomenon was referenced across dozens of advertisements for everything from airlines to dentistry and real estate. [129] They were able to generate additional revenue, however, by applying the popular "no ghosts" logo to a variety of products. Richard from Springfield, Pa "Baker Street" has been my favorite song as long as I could remember. Aykroyd has referred to the game as being "essentially the third movie". [6][37][38] Shortly after the film's release, Huey Lewis sued Ray Parker Jr, for plagiarising his 1983 song "I Want a New Drug". [53] Dane designed its high-tech roof array with objects including a directional antenna, an air-conditioning unit, storage boxes and a radome. 23 in downtown Los Angeles. [9], Johnson also sculpted the Zombie Cab Driver puppet. Good luck! [7][154] Describing why Ghostbusters' popularity has endured, Reitman said "kids are all worried about death and ghost-like things. "Ms. Longworth has hit on a peculiar sweet spot, where Hipsterdom meets Turner Classic Movies!" In response, Columbia moved Ghostbusters' release a week earlier. Pollys third marriage falls apart, and she enters more than one destructive affair. That same year she went undercover in a female mental institution for 10 days. Feminist by Brooke Kroeger, Kindle Edition. He took the character's first name from a Hungarian refugee he attended school with and the surname of historian Oswald Spengler. [49][25] Inspired by a military issue flamethrower, the "proton packs" consisted of a handheld proton stream firing "neutrino wand" connected by a hose to a backpack said to contain a nuclear accelerator. However, while her big break with The Mamas and The Papas and meteoric career changed the LA music scene forever, it also entrapped Elliot in a cycle of fat-shaming, sending her spiraling into catastrophic weight-loss regimens. [210] The concept failed to progress for many years as Murray was reluctant to participate. The queen of pop, Nazia Hassan, is a household name for music enthusiasts in Pakistan and around the globe. He said the film works as a collaborative effort by the three main Ghostbusters, particularly Murray, who dismisses the serious situations to keep them comedic. Together Polly and Peter build a life around the obsessive consumption of Hollywood movies, with Polly acting as Peters Jill-of-all-trades support system as he first ingratiates himself with the previous two generations of Hollywood auteurs as a critic/historian, and then makes his way into making his own films. She recounts opening her refrigerator and seeing a demonic dog-like creature that utters a single word: "Zuul." The weight knocked a stuntman down, and they ended up using only 75 pounds (34kg). [157] Empire's reader-voted list of the 100 Greatest Movies placed the film as number 68. By watching Ghostbusters, theres a sense that you can control this, that you can mitigate it somehow and it doesn't have to be that frightening. Bernstein had to bring a musician from England to play the instrument because there were so few trained ondists. He also used three Yamaha DX7 synthesizers. Many scenes had to be cut, including an asylum haunted by celebrities, and an illegal ghost storage facility in a New Jersey gas station. [48] The original Library Ghost puppet was considered too scary for younger audiences and was repurposed for use in Fright Night (1985). This season is edited and mixed by Evan Viola. [207][208] A film sequel, Ghostbusters II, was released in 1989. "[60][62] It is similarly credited with helping diminish the divide between television and film actors. and the sequel Theyd written a whole different movie than the one [initially discussed] so there's never been an interest in a third Ghostbusters, because the second one was disappointing for me, anyway. Featuring special guest Maggie Siff as the voice of Polly Platt. Supernatural activity rapidly increases across the city and the Ghostbusters become famous for their exploits; they hire a fourth member, Winston Zeddemore, to cope with the growing demand. (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 10), Bottle Rocket, I'll Do Anything and Polly Platt in '90s Hollywood (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 9), Women of the 80s (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 8), Terms of Endearment (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 7), Pretty Baby and a Playmate Murder (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 6), A Star is Born (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 5), Orson Welles, Whats Up Doc, Paper Moon (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 4), Last Picture Show Love Triangle: Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman Part 3, TARGETS with Karyn Kusama and new virtual screening series schedule, episode 2 of Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Peter Bogdanovich and the Woman Behind the Auteur (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 2), It wasnt sexism, then (Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Episode 1), VIDIOTS FOUNDATION & YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS VIRTUAL FILM SCREENING SERIES, You Must Remember This New Season Coming May 26 - Polly Platt, The Invisible Woman, Vanessa Williams, Whitney Houston and Hollywoods Misogynoir Problem (Make Me Over, Episode 8). "[89], Richard Schickel similarly praised Murray, and the grace of Aykroyd and Ramis in allowing Murray to outshine them. 4 in January 1985. [9][7], Reitman met with Aykroyd at Art's Delicatessen in Studio City, Los Angeles and explained his concept would be impossible to make. Polly Platt -- producer, writer and Oscar-nominated production designer -- lived an epic Hollywood life. [112], Hudson held mixed feelings about Ghostbusters. Further theatrical releases have increased the total gross to approximately $295.2million, making it one of the most successful comedy films of the 1980s. [17] Aykroyd has said this was the role intended for Eddie Murphy, although Reitman refuted this. The It was Marie Dressler homely, overweight, and over 60 years old. Humiliated though she was, Polly felt so much ownership over this movie that she refused to leave the production. 15, No. Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger and Jack Nicholson in Terms of Endearment, 1983 | Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images. Weaver revealed her comedic background, developed at the Yale School of Drama, and began walking on all fours and howling like a dog. Fortunately, Price had parted ways with Columbia early in Ghostbusters' production and became head of Universal Pictures, at which point he sold Columbia the title for $500,000 plus 1% of the film's profits. The protagonists would travel through time and space to combat a host of demonic and supernatural threats. full list of sources referenced on this season, Lonesome Dove Legend Larry McMurtry on Fiction, Money, Womanizing, and Old Age, Susan Sarandon on Her Love Affair With David Bowie, Woody Allens Creepiness, and Psychedelics, When Hollywood Was Really a Man's World, How to Succeed: Fail, Lose, Die - Women in Hollywood, Shirley MacLaine on a Different Age of Sexual Harassers in Hollywood, Bob Giuccone, Penthouse Founder, Dies at 79, Bob Gucciones FBI File: From Direct Mail Smut Peddler To Penthouse Founder, Interview with Penthouses Bob Guccione, The Indian Miss America and the First Native Miss America, Ex Miss America Vanessa Williams Overcomes Her Disgrace by Showing and Singing the Right Stuff, How Vanessa Williams Endured Her Miss America Scandal, Vanessa Williams at age 29 interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Fifty Years Ago, Protesters Took on the Miss America Pageant and Electrified the Feminist Movement, You can be unapologetically black: How Miss Black America has endured 50 years, Gossip Girls: Louella Parsons And Hedda Hopper (The First Lady, Episode 2), Gossip Girls: Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper (Small Town Girl, Episode 1), Nellie Blys Lessons in Writing What You Want To by Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, May 14, 2014, These Women Reporters Went Undercover to Get the Most Important Scoops of Their Day by Kim Todd, Smithsonian Magazine, November 2016, Sob Sisterhood Revisited by Jean Marie Lutes, JSTOR, American Literary History Vol. Listen, TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (POLLY PLATT, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, EPISODE 7): Pollys third marriage falls apart, and she enters more than one destructive affair. In the early 1980s, many saw the city as synonymous with fiscal disaster and violence, and Los Angeles was seen as the center of the entertainment industry. The film also features astrologist Ruth Hale Oliver as the Library Ghost,[1] Alice Drummond as the Librarian,[2] Jennifer Runyon and Steven Tash as Venkman's psychological test subjects,[3][4] Playboy Playmate Kymberly Herrin as a Dream Ghost,[1] Timothy Carhart as a violinist,[4] and Reginald VelJohnson as a police officer. I remember the video (MTV), an African tribe was in a circle among some rocks, there was a circle painted on a rock, only lyrics I can remember where Cmon and talk to me, you better talk to meeeee, fire in the mountain, (something) on the lake, and Ive took all I Listen, PRETTY BABY AND A PLAYMATE MURDER (POLLY PLATT, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, EPISODE 6): In an attempt to save her family, Polly transitions to screenwriting and producing, basing the prostitution drama Pretty Baby, starring a pre-teen Brooke Shields, on her own daughter. [105] It won Best Fantasy Film at the 12th Saturn Awards. He used a combination of practical effects, miniatures, and puppets to deliver the ghoulish visuals. [8][9][13] Moranis developed many aspects of his character, including making him an accountant, and ad-libbed the lengthy speech at Tully's party. He described the film's success as a phenomenon that would forever be his biggest accomplishment and, compounded by the failure of his personal project The Razor's Edge, he felt "radioactive". After struggling to complete a design due to executive interference, Johnson took at least three grams of cocaine and completed the final design based in part on Aykroyd and Ramis' wish for the creature to homage their friend John Belushi. She and Tom Scharpling also have a podcast, Double Threat, which you can and should find wherever you get your podcasts. Listen. Gallop returned to head office reporting Price was "out of control. But Platt was much more than a jilted wife: she was the secret, often invisible-to-the-public weapon behind some of the most loved American auteur films (many of them comedies, directed by men) of the last decades of the 20th century. They capture the ghost and deposit it in a containment unit in the firehouse. He accepted the role an hour later. CASS ELLIOT, CARNIE WILSON AND FAT-SHAMING IN ROCK AND POP (MAKE ME OVER, EPISODE 6): Cass Elliot didnt die eating a ham sandwich. [52] The technology was designed not to be overly fancy or sleek, emphasizing the characters' scientific backgrounds combined with the homemade nature of their equipment. [48] For the scene where Dana is pinned to her chair by demonic hands before a doorway beaming with light, Reitman said he was influenced by Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). This was the perfect job for Polly; many of those close to her believed that the novel that the movie was based on had been at least partially inspired by her.July 21: The Witches of EastwickPolly Platts last film as a production designer a job she took after she had established herself as a writer/producer and announced her intention to direct also features the most production design of her career, as she matched her instinct for visual storytelling to the format of the 80s special effects blockbuster. Polly Platt, c. early 1990's | Photo y Mary Ellen Mark. Once Ghostbusters' popularity was clear, the studio aggressively cultivated its profile, translating it into merchandising and other media such as television, extending its profitable lifetime long after the film had left theaters. [56], Medjuck also hired John DeCuir as production designer. OK, trying to find an 80s song. "[7], John Candy was offered the role of Louis Tully. [50][14] The fiberglass props were created by special effects supervisor Chuck Gaspar, based on Dane's design. This episode includes excerpts from interviews with: Frank Marshall, Antonia Bogdanovich, Sashy Bogdanovich, Nessa Hyams, Rachel Abramovitz, and Nancy Griffin. Her disembodied voice demands the Ghostbusters "choose the form of the destructor." This episode includes excerpts from interviews with: Rachel Abramowitz, Lisa Maria Radano, Polly Finkelman Cox, Antonia Bogdanovich, Kelly Wade, Paula Herrold, Stacey Sher, Nancy Griffin and Barbara Boyle. [5][59] Broken pieces of pavement and the road were positioned outside the real location to create a seamless transition between the two shots. [28], Other locations included New York City Hall,[28] the New York Public Library,[6] the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,[29] Columbus Circle, the Irving Trust Bank on Fifth Avenue,[30] Tavern on the Green, and Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 in the Tribeca neighborhood used as the Ghostbusters' headquarters. [3] The Library catalog scene was accomplished live in three takes, with the crew blowing air through copper pipes to blow the cards into the air. You Must Remember This is the podcast exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood's first century. 15, No. The art department added extra floors and embellishments using matte paintings, models, and digital effects to create the focal point of ghostly activity. Make Me Over is a special presentation of You Must Remember This. When angry citizens asked Medjuck what was being filmed, he blamed Francis Ford Coppola filming The Cotton Club. It was the number-one film in theaters for seven consecutive weeks and was one of only four films to gross more than $100million that year. The film would require a big budget due to the special effects and a popular cast. A 2016 reboot, also called Ghostbusters, was released to mixed reviews and financial failure. [177] Others have named it one of the best science-fiction films,[178] best science-fiction comedies,[179] and best Summer Blockbusters. Longworth writes, hosts and produces the podcast You Must Remember This, about the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywoods first century. Sources for entire season:Hedda Hoppers Hollywood: Celebrity Gossip and American Conservatism by Jennifer FrostThe First Lady of Hollywood: A Biography of Louella Parsons by Samantha Barbas The Whole Truth and Nothing But by Hedda HopperFrom Under My Hat by Hedda HopperTell it to Louella by Louella ParsonsThe Powers That Be by David HalberstamHearst Over Hollywood: Power, Passion, and Propaganda in the Movies by Louis PizzitolaThe Chief: The Life of William Randolph Hearst by David NasawDish by Jeannette WallsPrivileged Son: Otis Chandler And The Rise And Fall Of The L.A. Times Dynasty by Dennis McdougalHedda and Louella: A Dual biography of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons by George Eells, Dont Get Me Wrong -- I Love Hollywood by Sidney Skolsky, Winchell: Gossip, Power and the Culture of Celebrity by Neal Gabler. It became this movie that parents liked to bring their kids tothey could appreciate it on different levels but still watch it together. [130] Much of the merchandising success came from licensing the rights to other companies based on the later success of the 1986 animated spin-off The Real Ghostbusters. Together Polly and Peter build a life around the obsessive consumption of Hollywood movies, with Polly acting as Peters Jill-of-all-trades support system as he first ingratiates himself with the previous two generations of Hollywood auteurs as a critic/historian, and then makes his way into making his own films. She was almost entirely a self-made success and I think that is an important distinction. The 35th-anniversary version came in a limited edition steel book cover and contained unseen footage including the deleted "Fort Detmerring" scene. Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson in A Star is Born (1976). [31], Filming moved to Los Angeles, resuming just after Christmas and before the New Year. Ghostbusters is a 1984 American supernatural comedy film directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Dressler had been down and out for most of the 1920s. Columbia developed a $1million ad campaign to promote the VHS release. He complained about the finale, claiming it lost its sense of fun and was "overblown," but found the film compensated for this, since it "has ghosts like you've never seen". Latch Lyrics: 'Nother / 'Nother / 'Nother / You lift my heart up when the rest of me is down / You, you enchant me even when you're not around / If there are boundaries, I will try to knock them [213][133], Following Ramis's death in 2014, Reitman chose to no longer serve as director for a potential third film. Variety also singled out Murray for his "endearing" physical comedy and ad-libbing. Polly recaptures her indie roots by shepherding the directorial debut of Wes Anderson. Paramount scheduled the film for release the day before Ghostbusters. Edited by: Brendan ByrnesProduced by: Tomeka Weatherspoon, Polly Platt with George Miller, 1986 | Photo by Kerry Hayes, Courtesy of Sashy Bogdanovich, In the mid-to-late 80s, Polly Platt worked on a number of films that defined and reflected that decades ideas about female power. During its opening weekend in North America, the film earned $13.6millionan average of $10,040 per theater. "[51], Following Reitman's tweaks to the design, on-screen models were made from a fiberglass shell with an aluminum backplate bolted to a United States Army backpack frame. [181], Following its release Ghostbusters was considered a phenomenon and highly influential. Listen, HOW DID IT END? Also, after years of being paid significantly less than her male peers, she attempted to use this marriage to retire from journalism altogether. [37][38] Lewis was approached to compose the film's theme, but was already committed to work on Back to the Future (1985). [8][33], The short production schedule and looming June 8, 1984, release date meant Reitman was editing the film while shooting it. Anxious to build on her career momentum (and become the first female film art director accepted into her union), Polly agrees to work on Peters next two films, Whats Up Doc and Paper Moon two massive hits which make Peter one of the most famous directors of the decade. "[9] Directly next to 55 Central Park West is the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, which is stepped on by the Marshmallow Man. Williamss stardomand the necessity to maintain her image as a grinning glamour girl, even while submerged underwaterled to the creation of several waterproof products and swimwear innovations, from waterproof foundation and eyeliner to bathing cap couture. 3, Autumn, 2003, How Did It End? The purchase of rights to manufacture and sell cassettes was estimated to have made a further $20million for Columbia. (POLLY PLATT, THE INVISIBLE WOMAN, EPISODE 10): Pollys unfinished memoir ends abruptly in 1995. Polly Platt applying makeup blood to Timothy Bottoms on The Last Picture Show set | Photo Courtesy of Sashy Bogdanovich. "[54] Early concepts featured a black car with purple and white strobe lights giving it a supernatural glow, but this idea was scrapped after cinematographer Lszl Kovcs noted that dark paint would not film well at night. [8][7] Reitman admitted he made up the figure, basing it on three times the budget for Stripes, which seemed "reasonable. About Vidiots: Vidiots, the iconic Los Angeles video store-turned-film non-profit, is relaunching as an expanded entertainment, social, and community space at the historic Eagle Theatre in Northeast L.A. Vidiots' new home will include a 250-seat state-of-the-art cinema for a full calendar of screenings, special events, and educational programs; beer, wine and food; a 40-seat flexible screening space, and Vidiots' over-50,000-title film and media collection. There was resistance to casting her because of the generally serious roles she played in Alien (1979) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). [70][71][72], The film briefly regained the number one spot the following week before spending the next five weeks at number two, initially behind Red Dawn and then the thriller Tightrope. Below, we've compiled some tricky '80s trivia questions that will put your memory to the test. [6][24], Principal photography began in New York City on October 28, 1983. How did we get here? I'm very thankful that fans appreciate the Winston character. [146] In this sense, it is Peck, not Gozer, who represents the film's true villain. 1. The Guardian, 8-8-11, Flashback for 60s filmmakers by Lynette Rice, THR, 3-8-99, Carsey-Werner signs up Platt by Donna Parker, THR, 2-13-1995, Platt pens McMurtry Pic, Hopes to Helm Variety, 2-26-96, Pollys progress by Jean Cox, Womens Wear Daily, 12-20-76, Now Polly Platt Has a Script of Her Own by John M. Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 1-15-78, SHE'S DONE EVERYTHING (except direct) BY RACHEL ABRAMOWITZ, Premiere magazine, November 1993, Moving Targets Variety, April 21, 2004, Critic-Into-Film-maker int the French Style by Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times, June 4, 1967, Target For Exploitation: Refreshing, Promising 1st by John Mahoney, The Hollywood Reporter May 6, 1968, Par Buys Targets, Bogdanovich Indie July 26, 1968, Hollywood Reporter, Par Gropes on Sniper Pic By Lee Beaupre, Variety, August 7, 1968, One Does Not Want This Sniper To Miss by Renata Adler, New York Times August 25, 1968, Bogdanovich Debuts as a Director with Targets by Kevin Thomas, LA Times, September 6, 1968, Larry McMurtry Speaks His Mind, Again by Andrea Valdez, October 13, 2013, Susan Sarandon on Her Love Affair With David Bowie, Woody Allens Creepiness, and Psychedelics by Marlow Stern, The Daily Beast, Jul. [159] Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes offers a 97% approval rating from 72 critics, with an average rating of 8.10/10. [8][14] Reitman sometimes found filming an effects-laden film frustrating, as the special effects had to be storyboarded and filmed in advance; there was no option to go back and film new scenes. Medjuck contacted the studio urging them to secure permission to use the word as the title. [197][198], Ghostbusters was turned into a special-effects laden stage show at Universal Studios Florida, that ran from 1990 to 1996, based mainly on the film's final battle with Gozer. Today, well begin with a look at how Polly Platts legacy was appraised when she died in 2011. There were three different heads for the suit, built from foam and fiberglass, with different expressions and movements controlled by cable mechanisms. As the logo would be required for props and sets, it needed to be finalized quickly, and Gross worked with Boss Film artist Brent Boates who was also working as a creature design consultant.