A Convenient Parallel Dimension

Reviews / Votes

"I love this book like Winston loved New York!

The perfect book to enjoy for Halloween is the pop history of one of the most iconic movies of the last 40 years and the franchise it begat.

There were many streams of connections and skills that came from such diverse sources: Second City, The Harvard Lampoon, Animal House, Meatballs, Stripes, SCTV, and Saturday Night Live were all critical components of Ghostbusters. (Ivan Reitman directed a script by Harold Ramis that was the raucous college comedy Animal House, which starred John Belushi, a castmate with Dan Akroyd on SNL. Ramis became the head writer for SCTV. Reitman hired Ramis to write Meatballs, which brought Bill Murray into the show, having just joined the SNL cast. Ramis wrote and directed Caddyshack, which featured Murray, and they worked together in Stripes. After Belushi died, Aykroyd wroteseveral screenplays, but the one that matters most was Ghost Smashers, about a trio of para-normal exterminators. He showed it to Bill Murray, and contacted director Ivan Reitman. He would bring in Harold Ramis.

When the screenplay was finished, they began casting for a 1984 release. Sigourney Weaver was so good the writers completely redid the character to improve and flesh her out. Winston Zeddemore was originally a man with a very impressive back-story, which almost went to Reginald VelJohnson. But it was established playwright Ernie Hudson who would ultimately win the role. Gozer, the main villain, wentto Yugoslavian actress Slavitz Jovan.The antagonist Walter Peck of the EPA went to NYC Theater stalwart William Atherton. Music was composed by Elmer Bernstein, a giant among film scorers. The catchy theme song came from an in-demand studio musician who'd been working professionally since age 14, Ray Parker, Jr. and it was inspired by a Huey Lewis & The News song.

No one expected Ghostbusters to be so big! The film company wanted a sequel almost immediately, but it took a long time because the first movie was so good and the controlling partners (Reitman, Ramis, Aykroyd & Murray) were very particular about their "baby". Draft after draft was prepared, eventually settling on a story which used the core people with a few new wrinkles. Shooting began in earnest in 1989, and it was rush-released that summer to eager fans. But it wasn't universally praised nor as big as the original.

Cartoon versions of the characters would air later on Saturday mornings. Internet sites discussed the possibility of a third GB movie. As the original actors were not interested or available (Harold Ramis, sadly had died), the new script went a different direction with an all-new cast. Ghostbusters: Answer the Call had an outstanding cast (again, heavy on SNL actors and exceptional comedic film stars), but sadly there were rude dissenting voices online. The movie was respectably received. The most recent , Ghostbusters: Afterlife wrapped everything up and passed on the GB brand to a younger generation. As a fan since 1984, my wife & I loved the movie.(For the record, we have liked them ALL.)" -- Dave (Doc) Kirby, Book Bit, Operations & Program Manager WTBF-AM/FM "I love this book like Winston loved New York!

The perfect book to enjoy for Halloween is the pop history of one of the most iconic movies of the last 40 years and the franchise it begat." -- Dave (Doc) Kirby, Book Bit, Operations & Program Manager WTBF-AM/FM "Ghostheads have been waiting for a book like this since July of 1984, and the tale has grown richer with new generations of Ghostbusters stories to explore. In short, James Greene, Jr's A Convenient Parallel Dimension is an addictively written, utterly engrossing read, and an absolute must-have stocking stuffer for fans this holiday season." -- Ike Oden, Bloody-Disgusting.com