Ghostbusters Month - Taxi Ride - Ink Sketch

Its Halloween and the last day of October so we have the last sketch of this theme month. I set out to draw thirteen sketches and managed twelve which since I had a down period due to health matters I'm happy to forgive myself for. It's fairly obvious that I love the film Ghostbusters and there are a few more sketches I'd have happily tried to fit in and will more than likely sketch in the near future.

So the coming together of the Gatekeeper and the Keymaster coinciding with the shutting down of the ghost containment grid brings on the coming of Gozer the Gozerian, a Sumerian God played by Yugoslav model Slavitza Jovan. We have a great segment where we see various ghosts around New York and Dana Barrett's apartment explodes all accompanied by a section of the song 'Magic' by Mick Smiley. Among the ghosts is a zombie cab driver which is our last sketch. Normally I take great pains to keep true to the original source of what I intend to sketch but in this case I have selected to remove the large triangle advertising boards that sat on top of the taxi in the film. For one I can't see what the advertising is to be able to draw it and I also think the these old NY cabs easily remind you of the scene anyway.

So after a month of Ghostbuster sketches if you haven't all ready gone back and watched the film then make sure you do it soon. Its too good not to watch regularly :)

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Ghostbusters Month - Zuul The Gatekeeper - Ink Sketch

I've been under a lot of stress drawing this sketch y'know :) Since the theme started at the beginning of October I've had no less than five message sent about this sketch. 'Are you doing a Zuul sketch?' Well of course I'd be doing a Zuul sketch but the chances are that one of the two winners of the competition would be waiting patiently to see what the Zuul sketch was going to be like before picking their prize and so you should have entered the competition if you wanted a chance of getting your hands on it. Anyway, all this anticipation of the Zuul sketch meant that when I'd finished it I managed to spell 'Gatekeeper' wrong three times in a row. I've photoshopped out most of the mess that is the written title but still it's annoying that I managed to mess up the title once I'd drawn the sketch.

So, yes its time for the Zuul The Gatekeeper sketch. No real info to be given other than Sigourney Weavers character 'Dana Barrett' is possessed by Zuul and a lot of young hot blooded males seem to like this.

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Ghostbusters Month - Eleanor Twitty - Ink Sketch

The Library Ghost, known as Eleanor Twitty (although I'm not sure you ever find that out in the film) is the very first ghost you see in the film and if I could go back in time I'd tell my ten year old self that this is about as scary as the ghosts get in the film. I was terrified of the moment she transmogrified into the ghost in the sketch following Ray's brilliant plan.

As a side note I'd like to thank all those who have sent me personal messages, comments and tweets regarding my health. I'm in a lot better condition than I was this time last week, I'm mostly off the pain killers and have a lot of movement back in my neck and shoulder, hopefully I'm on the road to a full recovery.

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Guess the Theme Competition winners and update!

As you will spot there is no sketch posted today, sorry. At the start of the week I had an accident with my shoulder that has left my shoulder, neck and arm frozen in a knotted mass of muscular pain. A trip to the Doctor for some strong pain killers has been helping but my work has suffered for this and it's taking me all my effort to finish my paid work on time. Therefore my sketches have taken a back seat at the end of this week. The plan will be to rest up this weekend and hopefully return next week with the final sketches on the Ghostbuster theme.

Speaking of the theme regular readers will recall I asked you to guess what this months sketches would be and the winner could pick a sketch as a prize. Well, only two people guessed correctly that it was Ghostbusters and so as I'm such a nice guy they both can pick a sketch to have. Neil Davidson guessed correctly first so he can get first pick at the end of the month and Jay Eales can choose from the rest. Huzzah!

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Ghostbusters Month - Egon Spengler - Ink Sketch

Ghostbusters was co-written by Harold Ramis who everybody knows plays Egon Spengler in the film. Ramis is one of those actors who I delight in spotting in various (usually small) roles in films that then brings on the inevitable 'Hey, its Egon' remark. He's also responsible for writing, directing and producing some great films including Caddyshack and Groundhog Day.

Egon Spengler: I'm worried, Ray. It's getting crowded in there and all my data points to something big on the horizon.
Winston Zeddemore: What do you mean, big?
Egon Spengler: Well, let's say this Twinkie represents the normal amount of psychokinetic energy in the New York area. Based on this morning's sample, it would be a Twinkie... thirty-five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds. 

Two YouTube videos today, the first is a deleted scene between Janine and Egon and the second is, okay I know its from Ghostbusters 2 but its great.

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Ghostbusters Month - Mr Stay-Puft - Ink Sketch

I should probably have left the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man to the last post but there you go. If you have a spare £20 you can now buy a box of Stay-Puft Caffeinated Marshmallows.

Venkman: We've been going about this all wrong. This Mr. Stay Puft's okay! He's a sailor, he's in New York; we get this guy laid, we won't have any trouble! 

And now nothing to do with Mr Stay-Puft really, here's Ray Parker Jr singing that theme tune, you may thinks its a bit corny now but you'll be whistling it later.

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Ghostbusters Month - Vinz Clortho - Ink Sketch

On Wednesday we met the Terror Dog that chased down Louis Tully who then became Vinz Clortho, Keymaster of Gozer. You'll spot on my sketch that I've spelt his name as Vince, whoops. Anyway, Rick Moranis once again steals the show with his performance and if you watch the full clip on Wednesday you'll see most of his turn as Vinz.

"Gozer the Traveller, he will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldronaii, the Traveller came as a large and moving Torb! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the Meketrex Supplicants they chose a new form for him... that of a Giant Sloar! Many Shubs and Zulls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Sloar that day I can tell you."

So the Keymaster and the Gatekeeper get it together and bring forth Gozer, here's a short deleted scene where Louis contemplates what he's been up to with Dana :)

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Ghostbusters Month - Terror Dog - Ink Sketch

"Okay, who brought the dog?"

I wasn't aware these dogs had a proper title but apparently those who know these things call them Terror Dogs. Best bit for these guys has to be when one of them chases down Louis Tully from his client only party. Just listen to some of the genius lines from Rick Moranis.

"Nice doggy. Cute little pooch. Maybe I've got a Milk-Bone."

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Ghostbusters Month - Winston Zeddemore - Ink Sketch

Ernie Hudson who plays the fourth Ghostbuster Winston Zeddemore is one of those actors who always seems to be in work but if you ask me to name something he's in other than Ghostbusters I'd struggle. Admittedly most of the things he's appeared in I've never seen but he has a long list of appearances over on the IMD.

Janine: Do you believe in UFOs, astral projections, mental telepathy, ESP, clairvoyance, spirit photography, telekinetic movement, full trance mediums, the Loch Ness monster and the theory of Atlantis?
Winston: Ah, if there's a steady paycheck in it, I'll believe anything you say.

For a character that comes in half way you'll probably remember two of his very quotable lines more than anyone else's. The most memorable and most quoted is: Ray, when someone asks you if you're a god, you say "YES"!

And of course his speech to the mayor: I'm Winston Zeddmore, Your Honor. I've only been with the company for a couple of weeks, but I gotta tell you these things are real. Since I joined these men, I've seen shit that'll turn you white. Now this scene is one that was often replaced with alternative words for TV viewing and I remember many times seeing Ghostbusters on ITV where Stantz suddenly says 'Wally Wick' instead of 'Dickless' and various other non offensive substitutes which they actually filmed. Here's Zeddemore saying 'stuff' instead of 'shit'.

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Ghostbusters Month - ECTO-1 - Ink Sketch

"It needs suspension work and shocks, brakes, brake pads, lining, steering box, transmission, rear end..., new rings, mufflers, a little wiring...."

Ecto-1 is the siren wailing 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance ghostbuster car of choice.

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Ghostbusters Month - Slimer - Ink Sketch

Slimer was of course not even called Slimer in the original film but his popularity was such that he returned in the sequel film and appeared in the various Ghostbuster cartoons and eventual superseded the Ghostbusters themselves with 'Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters', everyone loves that green blob!

On Monday I posted the whole hotel scene that introduces Slimer to the world so today I've found a video that talks about the creation of the Real Ghostbusters cartoon that has some great interviews and clips and its all presented by another favourite of mine, the amazing Rolf Harris :)



Part 2 and Part 3

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Ghostbusters Month - Ray Stantz - Ink Sketch

'Gozer the Gozerian... good evening. As a duly designated representative of the City, County and State of New York, I order you to cease any and all supernatural activity and return forthwith to your place of origin or to the nearest convenient parallel dimension.'

Ray Stantz played by co-writer Dan Aykroyd mortgages his family home for the third time and bank rolls the creation of the Ghostbusters team. He's also the one responsible for buying the rundown fire station as a base and the well worn ambulance limo that becomes Ecto-1, so he's easily led but buys very iconic things :)

I love the bit in the movie where Ray is mooching about the corridors of the Sedgewick Hotel having a cigarette and his eyes pop out as he encounters a disgusting green blob. Here's an 11 minutes You Tube video of the whole hotel scene, just count the memorable lines!

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Ghostbusters Month - Peter Venkman - Ink Sketch

Having survived my trip to the cinema with my brother to see Indiana Jones we also ventured out sans parents to see Ghostbusters, I was ten years old and it was 1984. All this month I'll be posting sketches from the film that was a box office smash and a cultural phenomenon that embedded a theme tune and catchphrase into everybody's head. The film is littered with very memorable quotes and character acting.

I'll assume that everybody has seen this film and only give a very, very brief overview. Three doctors of parapsychology get booted out of Columbia University and convinced they can trap a spirit in a holding facility decide to set up business for themselves as ghost busters. Luckily for them a Sumerian God called Gozer the Gozerian has decided to manifest itself at 55 Central Park West, New York in the apartment of Dana Barrett. 'Who ya gonna call?'

Bill Murray plays Peter Venkman who has somehow managed to blag his way through life while chasing bits of skirt. He instantly falls for the charms of their first client Dana Barrett who challenges Venkman: Dana Barrett: You know, you don't act like a scientist. Peter Venkman: They're usually pretty stiff. Dana Barrett: You're more like a game show host. Probably one of the most famous quotes from the film is from Venkman who joins in describing to the major the coming of the biblical like disaster about to hit the city 'Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!'

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