Everybody has an opinion about the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot, and one of the most common things you hear from the detractors is that the new movie is somehow an affront to Ghostbusters co-creator Harold Ramis, who sadly passed away in 2014. It’s hard to find a person who doesn’t love Harold Ramis, and it’s true, the new movie can’t possibly be the same without him, but should we be offended the new Ghostbusters went ahead despite his death?
According to Ramis’ daughter Violet Ramis Stiel, the answer is no. Now, before you cross your arms, harumph and dismiss what Harold Ramis’ own flesh and blood has to say, know she totally understands it can be hard to embrace change. As a kid, she had a hard time with the (now beloved) Ghostbusters cartoon.
“The Ghostbusters cartoon came out and Egon was now the main character. Only, it wasn’t my father’s Egon, it was some blonde guy in Sally Jesse Raphael glasses. I was so disappointed that they had taken the character away from my dad and so offended that people who liked the cartoon just accepted this new Egon without question. ‘Don’t you feel bad that you’re not in the cartoon?’ I asked one Saturday morning as it came on and I changed the channel. He laughed. ‘Umm, no. It’s fine. It’s business, Violet. The cartoon is its own thing.'”
When Sony announced the Paul Feig reboot, Violet admits to being torn, but ultimately reconsidered when she saw some of the intense hate directed at the movie…
“I mourn my dad’s absence in this world as much, if not more, than anyone, but for people to say that he is ‘rolling in his grave’ or would never have let a female-centered cast happen is insane. In his personal life, Harold Ramis was a kind, generous, and gracious person. Professionally, he was always about sharing the spotlight and making the other guy look good. Please, stop using my dad as an excuse to hate the new Ghostbusters. It degrades his memory to spew bile in his name.”
At this point, you’ve probably already made up your mind about whether you’re going to see the new Ghostbusters, and honestly, that’s fine. It’s just a movie. That said, maybe think twice about that “I’m opting out for Harold Ramis” justification.
I definitely recommend you click below to read the rest of Violet’s essay, as it’s full of great Ramis stories and pictures, and will generally bust any blues you might have.
(via Splitsider)
