Bustin’ Up

 

So, the Ghostbusters Trailer has hit.  And there were responses.  I initially saw plenty of “I’m in” responses.  Suddenly I started to see a lot of “blah” reactions.  Some were super aggressively angry that the trailer was a disappointment.

And, I agree to an extent that there was some stuff that is frustrating (Mentioning the original film as it does makes it seem like a sequel, and it is not).  But I loved the interaction between Wiig, McCarthy, Jones and McKinnon.  Plus Jones slapping McCarthy yelling “the Power of Pain compels you!” cracks me up.

But then there was a complaint that started a war of words.  See, Leslie Jones’ character Patty is a transit employee.  People questioned why she could not be a scientist.  And this question was lambasted for it’s being PC.

I am weary of this.  I am weary of how legit questions of story and character choices in regards to diversity are so quickly attempted to be shut down with cries of PC Culture.  Diversity in film is, of course, not important to these mostly white critics.  White people in America have no idea what it is like to watch movies after movie where there is only one or two folks who look like us.  It is easy when your face is all over the screens.  And my entire life, I have heard white people lament even one non-white character appearing in a story as being unrealistic, or they are token characters or they are forcing diversity.

Ghostbusters_2016

The question of why Patty could not have been one of the scientists (and having, say, McCarthy be the “every man”) is a valid one.  It is not like film and television have had a bunch of black nerds.  Now, they already finished the film.  Feig did not consult me.  And Leslie looks like she had fun with the role.  She is certainly protective of it.  I am holding back final judgement until I see the film.

Personally, I still wish it was within the original film’s storyline.  I think it would have made things fun if they returned in a sequel.  Let these ladies be aware of the originals, but nobody really knows where they went.  So, this film would focus on the new team, but in the background there is that mystery of where they went.  Then in a sequel, they could bring the still living cast in to team up with the new team.

The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea Part 2 (Leviathan, 1989)

Leviathan_PosterAlso in 1989, we were treated to Leviathan. This was set at a deep sea mining facility.  Getting close to rotating out, they discover a sunken ship called the Leviathan.  In hopes of claiming riches, they brink back a safe.  But the safe just contains video tapes and a bottle of vodka.

The next morning, one of the crew is struck ill and dies.  But this is only the beginning, as the mysterious disease that killed the man seems to be actively altering his body.  Soon, a another crew member dies.  After the Doctor (Richard Crenna) confirms no other crew have symptoms, he and Crew Boss Beck (Peter Weller) decide to get rid of the  bodies.  But before they can, it fights back.  While trying to get rid of it, part of the body is sliced off and continues to grow while the crew is unaware.

The film is basically Alien underwater.  The crew uses flame throwers to move around and fight it through labyrinthine hallways.  They monster knocks off the various crew members until only a few remain.

This is a great cast.  Weller was fresh off Robocop, you had Ghostbuster’s Ernie Hudson, Amanda Pays , Richard Crenna and Daniel Stern in pivotal roles.  Then there are the effects.  It is obvious this was made on a tight budget and a tight time frame.    The Creature Effects were overseen by the Stan Winston Studio.  This team included Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis who now run Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.They manage to create a fearsome looking creature, in spite of not being given a specific design to work with.  The director wanted a kitchen sink approach which results in the monster being somewhat of a mess, but it still work quite well most of the time.

If the only two movies that came out in 1989 about undersea crews fighting a monster were Leviathan and Deepstar Six?  Leviathan is flat out the better film, in part due to it sticking so closely to the Alien Formula.  But 1989 saw one other film which broke new special effects ground and left these two films in the dust.

The director George P. Cosmatos followed this film up with Tombstone.  Really.

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