Me harping on Ecto-Cooler's untimely demise over on Twitter gave me a massive burst of repressed childhood memories. I remember going with Gee, Handsome Don, and Momma Way to the Loews in Secaucus NJ, to see Ghostbusters opening week back in 1984. (For you mathematicians, that would make me 4 years old) My excitement had reached a fever pitch, and i couldn't wait to see that gigantic Marshmallow Man up on the big screen. I was already a huge fan of Bill Murray from his Caddyshack and Meatballs hijinx, and i thought Dan Aykroyd was pretty swell too. I was literally counting the seconds until the lights dimmed, probably asking Gee every three seconds when the movie was gonna start. Upon the film starting, that excitement got derailed a bit. After getting a call from the New York Public Library, the boys go to check out a "disturbance" in the stacks in the basement. This is where things went south for a four year old me. Cue in creepy basement and creepy music. "I thought this was supposed to be a funny movie, Gewawd." Dan Akyroyd threw me under the bus right then and there, by saying on the count of three they were gonna "get her". "NOOOO!!!!!!!!" i exclaimed. A four year old me knew this was indeed a BAD idea. Upon three, the Ghost Librarian transforms from tranquil old woman to the ghoulish hag pictured right here. That image plagued my nightmares for years to come. Needless to say there was a vapor trail behind me ala Looney Tunes , and i B-lined to a hiding spot behind the Galaga arcade machine. A highly amused Handsome Don found me shortly thereafter, and kept me company until the movie was over. I was too embarrassed to go back into the theater and finish the movie, so i had to wait until HBO decided to grace us with a "WORLD PREMIERE". Ghostbusters became one of my favorite films of all time from that point on, and i still watch it at least once a month on DVD (sometimes more).
