"Disney" + "scary" =

[Josh]

Garfield was also pretty physically active in some of his television appearances.

[Daniel]

Rare occasions...

Most of the time he was pretty lazy.

[Josh]

I just meant that his live-action films haven't been the first projects to portray Garfield as somewhat energetic.

[Daniel]

Ah, gotcha Mickey

So very true.

[ShyViolet]

Thinking of the first post in this thread, I've thought of another creepy commercial.

What the....?

???????????????????


That sort of reminded me of the end of Kubrik's 2001.

On tremendous amounts of speed....

What the heck was the director of this smoking anyway?

That's even scarier than the Ally McBeal baby!

[Josh]

The ad doesn't exactly inspire me to buy a PS3 either.


Here's a similar commercial for the video game system. However, this one is less creepy.

[Daniel]

That was a bit better

I'm starting to get a little tempted

[Meg]

Now that one I've seen - also strange, but cool, too.

[ShyViolet]

I got this from a link on Wikepeida: it's from an interview with Maurice Lamarche--AWESOME interview BTW, especially interesting are his opinons on the whole voice actor/celebrity thing (also, I think they're referring to Billy West, is furious about it and trying to launch some kind of manifesto against the whole movie star/voice actor thing)

Anyway, here's some possible reasons about why Lorenzo Music left Ghostbusters: Makes me really upset!!

Here's the link for Maurice's 'view:

http://www.quickstopentertainment.com/?p=1153

LAMARCHE: They asked me not to do Harold Ramis and I still did it. Because I didn’t know anything else to do with the character. So everything at that point that I’d done was derivative and I had absolutely no original thoughts or voices. So the only thing I could do was Ramis. So I did it, and for some reason it was the only voice that sounded like the original voice from the movie. They decided they could let that slide and Egon was such a specific character they really had to honor Harold Ramis’ unique take on that character. After 65 episodes, apparently legend has it Bill Murray finally came forward and said, “How come Harold’s guy sounds just like him and my guy sounds like Garfield?” And they said, “Well, Bill, that’s because the guy who does the voice of Garfield is doing your character.” Now, Bill’s not asking him to be fired or anything. But this one comment from Bill Murray, and with them having Ghostbusters 2 in the works, somebody in the machine said, “You know what? Bill’s unhappy. We got to get a guy who sounds like him.” And so Dave Coulier took over the part after 65 episodes and Lorenzo Music lost the part, and it was a very strange transition because I loved them both, and thought both they did a great job with the character. But the irony - the huge irony - of it is that now with the Garfield movie, Bill Murray has taken over the part originally voiced by Lorenzo Music.

Personally, I thought he nailed it as far as anyone taking on the role could do.

I agree that he was the logical choice, and if you're going to do a Garfield movie nowadays, he's really the only one who can do a half decent job anyway.

But it kinda got me riled up when reading Ebert's review, he made a point of saying how "perfect" Murray was for Garfield, etc...and he never mentioned Lorenzo or the cartoon.

I guess he was just too old to know anything about it, but still....

[Ben]

A <I>Quick</I> Stop interview?? That thing was pages long. But very, very good!

And...you live and learn...I never knew Music was replaced on TRG.

[ShyViolet]

And...you live and learn...I never knew Music was replaced on TRG.

Yeah...that's partly why it irritates me so much that Murray took over the Garfield role.

Dave Coulier replaced Pete on the cartoon when the show was picked up for a second season after a phenomonally successful first season that was re-run for two years before it was "retooled" (1987-1989).
In case you don't know who Coulier is, he was in Full House and played Joey, the cartoon-loving, Popeye-imitating guy. (He also used to host America's Funniest People, maybe trying to upstage his former co-star Bob Saget or something....)

Except for one episode (which was written by Strazyinski, the incredibly prolific head writer on the first season who also left because he was so disgusted with the changes) I didn't like Coulier's rendition of Peter. I'm sure he tried his best but it was a very shallow portrayal compared to the multi-layered approach that Music took. (Music was also a writer and producer, BTW) I know it wasn't all Coulier's fault, because not only did the stories get worse and worse, but Peter's character evolved from a smug-but-likable, quick-witted, intelligent guy into a a smug, dumb and extremely unlikable jerk.

Plus Kathy Soucie took over Janine's voice, which was just as bad.


BTW guess who else was replaced on the show--the guy who played Winston! (also badly replaced.) But I guess I can see why they had to find another actor, since the guy who originally did him was, yes--

Arsenio Hall!!!!! Who went off to do his own talk show, of course....

[Ben]

I find it hysterical that Ernie Hudson auditioned for the Winston role and didn't get it. Doh!

I think I've ever only really seen first season episodes from TRG. It never grabbed me...for a cartoon show where they could push out what could be achieved on a budget like theirs as opposed to what it would cost in live-action, they very rarely did any "big" stories. It always seemed like a cash-in only type deal to me, which of course is what it was.

Most of it was down to Columbia Pictures. What people forget is that the first one was actually aimed at teenagers and adults...it was a comedy Poltergeist if you will, but families flocked to it and the proton packs became a surprise big hit with younger kids. So they did this cartoon show and tried to gear GhostBusters towards this whole kid audience which then had the effect of essentially turning the second feature - originally more dark and ambitious - into not much more of a cartoon itself.

The TV series became Slimer And The Real Ghostbusters and then wasn't there some kind of complete re-boot version with kids? Or younger versions? By that point I was waaay gone and it really was a case of "remember the films" for me.

I remember Rick Moranis going about saying they were going to do a live-action version, a one-hour comedy with a "spook of the week". I think it was lined up for Thursdays at 9pm on NBC, at least that's what I always remember Moranis saying in an interview. Of course, that never happened and after the collapse of GB 3 and now that Murray has reinvented himself I can't see any of them going back to those roles.

[ShyViolet]

Actually, The Real Ghostbusters (first season) was a quality show in many ways (IMO), since the characters often expressed complex emotions and behavior--well, sometimes, if the script permitted it. But they were always exciting stories and the comedy was hilarious and often aimed at adults--LOTS of clever lines and many that I didn't understand at all but liked anway. Some wonderful stories, mostly the ones written by J. Michael Straczynski, who wrote for comics and later on wrote for Babylon 5.

I guess part of this might just be nostalgia talking, but I've watched a lot of the episodes again on Ghostbusters.net (they have all 5 seasons on-line) and later on Youtube. They still entertain me a whole lot!:)

One of the best episodes was "Ragnarock and Roll" that dealt with the end of the world and actually managed to sneak some Tolkien in without anyone knowing. They also had a Christmas episode which you would expect to be corny but was actually very touching and one of the best they ever did (JMS wrote it of course! )

Knock, Knock--the pilot--the great too. It gets very scary in some places as well! Oh yeah, and "Who're You Calling 2-Dimensional" is when they all somehow get beamed into a "cartoon world" to find the lost cartoon artist/animator "Walt Fleishman"--lots of knowing references here that I only half-got at the time....just soooo funny. (let's just say there was a character called "Surly Duck." )

And Lorenzo Music--what can I say? His deliveries were just priceless. And he didn't just do comedy well, he actually had some very dramatic and emotional scenes in this series as well, believe it or not. It because of that emotional touchstone that so many people look so fondly back on it today.

I'm anxiously waiting for this to come to DVD (only three or four episodes apiece are on DVDs with NO extras at all. ) Fans are clamoring for a full Season.

I understand why not all the episodes are 100% appealing but there was some really outsdanding writing in some of them. I think a lot of the good writers on this show went on to write for the 90's X-Men animated series! (Mark Edward Edens, Len Wein, etc...) And even Linda Woolverton, who wrote for Beauty and the Beast and Lion King, apparently did an episode.

Then of course in 1989 the show mutated into COMPLETELY different one and became "Slimer! And the Real Ghostbusters." That's why JMS left. Bad jokes, child-like plots, Janine goes from Annie Potts b****iness to Kathy Soucie June Cleaver (vomit) because the executives thought she should be more of a "mommy" character which would suppoasadly appeal to kids. I think I kept watching on and off but it just got more and more painful.

The TV series became Slimer And The Real Ghostbusters and then wasn't there some kind of complete re-boot version with kids? Or younger versions?

Yeah, and this was what was the worst. The whole show became an hour instead of half an hour, with (approximately) half an hour for the regular stories and another half hour for these HORRIBLY animated and executed slimer episodes, with a completely different drawing style than the main show. Like I said, it just got more and more painful. The as the "real" show became more and more like the "Slimer" show, the plots started crossing over and characters from Slimer's show got thrown into the main series, with two completely different stylizations in one series...it hurt so much to see what ABC/Colombia did to this show....

( You might also be thinking of "The Junior Ghostbusters" who appeared in a lot of the main series plots, they were just these kids who were like their sidekicks or something--UGGGHHH!! JMS hated them so much that they were one of the main reasons he left.
Then much, much later, around 1997 I think, they had "Extreme Ghostbusters" which I can proudly say I've never watched. It looks terrible. And w/out Music it's sunk anyway.)

Here's what the Wik had to say, with more detail: (BTW I think the reason they didn't cast Ernie Hudson was because they were trying to establish a different feel for the show--the guys were considerably younger than their live-action counterparts, especially Peter and Winston. Arsenio had a younger sounding voice than Hudson I guess, so maybe that's why they chose him. )

J. Michael Straczynski, the head writer for the show's first two years, gave the series a darker tone not often seen in Saturday morning cartoons. The series often drew from popular literature as well as fairytales and folklore. The series was even granted a prime-time Halloween special.

When the show's producers began to see the youth appeal of the character Slimer, the show began to feature him more prominently. In 1988, the series was retooled and renamed Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters. The show now featured an hourlong format with a typical Ghostbusters episode leading into a more kid-friendly "Slimer" cartoon. As the series progressed, the regular Ghostbusters episodes started to become lighter in tone so as not to frighten the growing child fanbase. Additionally, the characterizations became more one-dimensional. More changes went on behind the scenes as well with the departure of Straczynski. Dave Coulier of Full House fame came on to fill the role of Peter, Buster Jones would take over Winston and Kath Soucie took on Janine. Many of the older fans disliked the switch to more kid-friendly stories and by the turn of the decade, the Ghostbusters franchise was slowly starting to fade out of the public eye. The show was ultimately cancelled in 1991.

Of course, that never happened and after the collapse of GB 3 and now that Murray has reinvented himself I can't see any of them going back to those roles.

Yeah, I see what you mean, as Murray was seen as comedian in those days, albeit a very talented one, and was famous for being on SNL, as was Akroyd. (I also think John Belushi was orignally supposded to be in this, and then he died) No one every suspected that Murray would ever be nominated for an Best actor Oscar--and more than once too! (at least if I'm not mistaken)

[ShyViolet]

Also, this is an excerpt from an actual original script (written by JMS). Courtesy of Spook Central:

It's from a very creepy, intense episode, "The Grundel" which deals with a demon corrupting a little kid, which turns him into a demon, only to prey on someone else. This ep would have been absolutely outstanding if Lorenzo had still been around and they hadn't had all these awful Slimer jokes put in. But JMS's incredible talent still shines:

INT. ABANDONED WAREHOUSE - CATWALKS

Where Lee makes his way frantically down one catwalk -- and suddenly Alec
jumps down from a catwalk above, landing right in front of him.

ALEC
Why fight it, Lee? Don't you understand?
He'll let you do anything you want. He
understands. You can stay up late, steal,
lie, and it's all okay. He likes it, Lee.

CLOSE - ALEC

And now, with each step, the resemblance to the Grundel grows more
pronounced. His clothing starts to change. Darkness like tendrils begins
to surround him.

ALEC (cont'd)
But first you have to invite him in. You
have to ask him. Then it just -- starts to
happen. You'll see.

ON LEE

Backing up toward an intersection of two catwalks.

ALEC (OS)
You'll be just like me.

ON ALEC

And the transformation is almost entirely complete.

ALEC
(his voice changing)
And I'll be just like him. It'll be great,
Lee. Trust me.

ON LEE - CLOSE

Spinning around and away --

LEE
No!

-- and backing up right into the Grundel, who holds out his hand.

GRUNDEL
Fresssh. Purrrrre.
(extending hand)
Shake?

LEE
Aaaggghhhhh!

And he runs off, down the intersecting catwalk.

Gives you the creeps, doesn't it?

THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS
"The Grundel"

by
J. Michael Straczynski

July 17, 1987
First Draft
transcribed by Paul Rudoff

Also here's what the show might have originally been like in an early promo from 1986! Whoa! Brings back long-buried memories! Peter looks more like Bill Murray here too. Plus, I think Slimer was bad!

http://www.ecto-web.org/~spookcentral/r ... inal01.htm

[Ben]

Yep, that's Murray all right!

And Slimer should have stayed bad...perhaps their arch nemesis, able to draw on all the other spooks for support...?