Yes; it’s true: Ghostbusters is going to be re-released in theaters.

Photo credit: Variety.com

Photo credit: Variety.com

The headline says it all, really. Ghostbusters, the movie that re-defined movie comedy, the movie that’s probably still the straight-up funniest to have been released since it came out, is re-coming out over Labor Day weekend. Per Variety, August 29th (and then also the 30th and 31st and September 1st) is / are the days to pull your old Halloween costume proton packs from the bottom of the closet debris pile and head to one of seven hundred lucky North American* cinemas.

This version of Ghostbusters will be “restored and remastered,” which is nice enough to know, though it’s not as if the original print suffered from a debilitating lack of captivating visuals or Bill Murray wit. And the re-release is, to the surprise of no one, the biggest part of the publicity push for the September 16th first-ever release of Ghostbusters on Blu-Ray.

Also included in the Variety story linked above is the peculiar note that you’ll be able to buy not only the brand-new 30th Anniversary version of the film, but the 25th Anniversary version as well. This type of stacked re-issuing / re-releasing–you may remember it from the re-boot of the Spider-Man franchise just a handful of years after Spider Man 3–is known as “over-milking the udder,” and is, sadly, all too common in the entertainment industry.

Photo credit: Angryjogger.com

Photo credit: Angryjogger.com

But all of that’s what the point is not: the point’s that we all have a chance to go to a proper movie theater, one with a giant screen and decent seats and a sticky floor best not looked at or thought about, and be entertained by a truly hilarious movie with more throwaway comedy (“Hey! Does this pole still work?”) than most Will Farrell and all Jonah Hill movies have intended punchlines. And, perhaps more importantly, to take our children, or our neighbors, or our neighbors’ children: everyone who hasn’t yet been made aware of how good improv can be or what the appropriate response is when someone asks if you’re a god. As is prone to happen.

If that’s not enough to convince you, know this: if you’ve ever wanted to start a Ray Parker, Jr. dance party, this is the best chance and best venue you’ll ever have.

 

*Mexico not included. Which is a shame; they could clearly use it. Sorry, Mexico.


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