With the studios stalling, some enterprising Ghostbusters fans have taken matters into their own hands to bring new, exciting Ghostbusting stories to the screen. What this project lacked in budget, it makes up for with enthusiasm, and the loving details on Ecto 1, the giant ghost puppet, and the proton packs will prove it. The special effects are rudimentary but perfectly adequate to keep the story going. Suspend your disbelief and enjoy the good things this movie has to offer, like that really cool firehouse set, a genuinely clever script, The first thing to realize, is although it's clearly taking place in Atlanta (fountains, landmarks, talk of peaches, and cops with powerful accents will tell), this isn't "Ghostbusters, GA." Orr hasn't gone the conventional Fanfilm route of opening up his own franchise and populating it with original characters. This film is an adaptation of a "Real Ghostbusters" episode, and these characters are very clearly Venkman, Spengler, Zeddemore and Stantz just with name changes.
Harry Valentine, as -Egon- Novan Holtzler, will impress you the most. He captures the deadpan delivery and unbending will of the GB's mad scientist in residence, and the shot where he mimes what he's got planned for the Big Bad is worth watching this film just to see.
Special mention too for Orr himself as -Peter- Derek Aultman, a guy clearly more interested in getting the girl then saving the day. Brandon Shorter, too, is quite fun to watch as the guy who still hasn't really figured out how he ended up in the middle of this madness.
Generally, this is the best kind of fan service: it was clearly made because these people love the source material and had a story they wanted to tell. The script is clever, the sets are cool, the acting is fun, the humor is humorous, and most importantly...this film GETS Ghostbusters. It understands that what makes them so compelling isn't the coolness of fighting monsters with laser beams; it's the characters and how they interact.
I'd be curious to see what Orr could do with some ORIGINAL Ghostbuster characters, and what kind of Ghosts one fights in Georgia...
The movie's free to watch on youtube. Go see it already. Why are you still here?
