(MENAFN- The Conversation) “Three parapsychologists lose their university funding” sounds like the beginning of a terrible joke, rather than a premise for one of the most successful films of the 1980s. Nonetheless, this is how the story of Ghostbusters (1984) begins, with a trio of unlikely professors.

Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) cares more about flirting than research, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) bounces around like an excitable puppy, while nerdy Egon Spengler's (Harold Ramis) hobby is to“collect spores, moulds and fungus”. It's no wonder the credibility of their research is called into question, after they attest to seeing a real ghost at the New York Public Library.

Turfed out of the hallowed halls of academia, the trio remain steadfast in their pursuit of ghosts, establishing“Ghostbusters” – a paranormal investigation outfit – in a disused New York firehouse. They hire a fourth member, Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson), a commonsense everyman, and develop a series of nuclear-powered ghost-catching equipment.

The Ghostbusters vow to investigate reports of spooky encounters and, most importantly,“to believe you”.

Read more: Scary stories for kids: Gremlins and the terror of normal, even cute, things becoming horrific

Ghostbusters ticked a heap of boxes in appealing to children – from the cartoon logo and catchy singalong theme tune asking“Who ya gonna call?” to the pleasingly retro Ecto-1 (a converted 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Sentinel ambulance), which positively begged to be made into a toy. However, you may be surprised to learn this film wasn't originally made for young audiences.

Ghostbusters is full of scary scenes, sexual innuendo and bad language. Despite all this, it became a hit with children, spawning a world of kid-friendly spin-offs, books and toys. When I first saw the film at the age of seven, soon after its UK cinema release in December 1984, I was completely enraptured.

Pictorial Press Ltd

This article is part of a series of expert recommendations of spooky stories – on screen and in print – for brave young souls. From the surprisingly dark depths of Watership Down to Tim Burton's delightfully eerie kid-friendly films, there's a whole haunted world out there just waiting for kids to explore. Dare to dive in here.

The encounter that sets our heroes off on their path as ghost hunters is truly shocking. This is not a Casper-type of (friendly) ghost, ready to have a witty exchange. In the library, they meet a properly terrifying spectre of an old lady who suddenly transforms into a gruesome apparition, lunging directly at the camera.

From this early moment in the film, it's apparent the audience is in for a rollercoaster ride. As a child, I used to dare myself to put my face right up to a double-page spread image of this ghoulish moment in the Ghostbusters storybook I had been given. That much-loved text would sow the seeds of my future as a horror scholar and folklorist.

The three principal stars would have been most recognisable to adult audiences in the 80s. They were regulars of late-night comedy shows like Saturday Night Live in the US, on which Aykroyd and Murray found fame, and Canada's SCTV (Second City Television), for which Ramis both wrote and performed.

This sort of off-the-cuff sketch comedy wends its way into the film's script. Many of Venkman's lines, in particular, seem improvised and full of sharp, adult humour. Take the scene when he's looking round Dana's (Sigourney Weaver) apartment to assess paranormal activity. Explaining where he should direct his attention, Dana says:“That's the bedroom, but nothing interesting ever happened in there” – to which Venkman replies:“What a crime.”

Such retorts went over most kids' heads but left the adults laughing, which to me was a major appeal. The fact I could enjoy the film with my dad made watching Ghostbusters a true delight.

After seeing it, we chatted about plot details and he joked with me about getting“slimed” – a reference to an encountering with a mischievous and greedy green spectre (popularly referred to as“Slimer”) which leaves Venkman covered in sticky ectoplasm.

In the 1980s, of course, there was no repeat opportunity to see the film anytime soon, as it typically took between six months and a year to appear for rental – and then only if you were lucky enough to own a VHS player.

Happily for me, my dad's enjoyment of it meant convincing him to take me to see Ghostbusters a second time at the cinema was easy. What is astounding to me, though, is the fact he also took me a third time, driving outside my hometown of Sheffield to find a cinema that was still showing it.

To quote his diary from February 1985: the seven-year-old me had“not stopped talking about it since last time”. For nostalgia's sake, it's also worth noting that dad jotted down the ticket prices: £1 for an adult and 80p for a child.

The enduring appeal of Ghostbusters to new and old fans alike is evident in the sequels, reboots and remakes that continue to be released. And having demanded that my parents make me a costume so I could dress up as Venkman for Halloween in the '80s, I am delighted there are now versions (from 2016 onwards) that show girls being Ghostbusters too.

Ghostbusters is appropriate for children aged 10+

Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

MENAFN04112025000199003603ID1110295240