In The Halloween Door, the Chairman of Citizens United Against Halloween, a man named Crowley, wishes to hire the Ghostbusters to assist him in his crusade. When they refuse, Crowley mistakenly opens up the Halloween Door and breaks the underworld's ancient contract of imprisonment! The Ghostbusters must now battle Boogaloo and save the world![2]
The "Halloween Door" was a prime time Halloween special that aired on Sunday night on ABC. It was later shown as a normal episode later in the season as a rerun. This is the third Halloween episode, the other two being "When Halloween Was Forever" and "Halloween II 1/2" which both featured the antagonist Samhain.
Cast[]
- Cameo
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Equipment[]
Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine
Items[]
Locations[]
Plot[]
On October 31, children raced through the neighborhood dressed in their costumes. Upstairs in the Firehouse, Peter was getting ready for his date with Lynn Stacy after a gig at a junior high school. Ray revealed everyone else was going trick or treating. Slimer spent the past week making his own costume. Peter found himself face to face with himself, or rather Slimer dressed up as Peter. Peter got an idea and returned dressed as Slimer then slimed Slimer. Meanwhile, downstairs, Lynn arrived and asked Winston if Peter was around. Winston was startled at first but went upstairs. While Lynn waited, Slimer arrived still in costume. Lynn mistook Slimer for the real deal and asked for a kiss hello. Naturally, Slimer went overboard. Disgusted by the act, Lynn stormed out of the Firehouse. Peter was confused and chased after her. However, waiting just outside were two men.
The Ghostbusters were confronted by Dr. Crowley and his assistant Fairweater, who wanted their help in ending Halloween. Crowley insisted Halloween was dangerous for allowing children's imagination to run wild. As Louis asked Crowley more about his mandate, Fairweather sneaked off. Slimer caught on and followed him. Egon attempted to explain Halloween's cultural significance but Crowley refused to listen. Instead, Winston told Slimer there were candy in the visitors' socks. Crowley and Fairweather ran for it. The guys turned them down, but one of their P.K.E. Meters was stolen by Fairweather when Slimer was distracted by news about candy. Crowley recalled he needed a P.K.E. Meter to help focus his machine. Fairweather revealed the stolen equipment. Not dwelling too long on the moral implications, the duo raced back to Crowley's home.
At Jefferson Junior High, the Ghostbusters put on a rally for the students. Once Egon activated a light show, the guys sang about the history of Halloween. Slimer grabbed a girl dressed as a ballerina from the audience and danced with her while Peter tried to flirt with one of the teachers. Meanwhile, at Crowley's home, Fairweather finished the last of the modifications for the machine, the Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine (AHM). Once Crowley activated it, the AHM scanned the city and destroyed anything related to Halloween - pumpkins, decorations, costumes, candy, and books. However, something very bad happened. A portal opened in the sky above Crowley's home. A very large demon named Boogaloo and his minions crossed over into New York City. Fairweather revealed Crowley was just a pawn in a plan to open a door to the Other Side. He then revealed his true form - that of a monster!
In the city, the Ghostbusters rescued a mother and infant from a pair of winged monsters. However, the city was infested and Egon worried they were doomed. Ray, however, believed it wasn't time to give up yet. Boogaloo and his minions converged on Times Square and celebrated their victory. The Ghostbusters observed a news report from an electronic store display and learned the President declared a national state of emergency. Boogaloo took over the airwaves and declared the ghosts were in charge because the Halloween Deal was broken. Slime gushed out of the television sets and landed all over the guys. Egon explained how Earth was once infested with demons 2000 years ago but the Druids struck a deal. The worse of the demons moved to the Netherworld on one condition, they would be remembered on one day - Halloween. Egon believed if they didn't restore Halloween by midnight, the contract would be broken permanently. Peter looked at his watch. It was 11:30 pm. Winston realized the Containment Unit was a prime target.
At the Firehouse, Janine, Louis, and Slimer struggled to keep an army of ghosts from entering the basement. Several got through and opened the Containment Unit. Slimer quickly flew Janine and Louis to safety as the unit exploded. From a distance, the guys saw the P.K.E. surge from the explosion. All of a sudden, Ecto-1 fell apart and a bunch of ghosts fled the scene. Out of Ghost Traps and 10 minutes of power left on the Proton Packs, Ray was ready to give up. Peter declared all they had to do was find the door and close it. Egon checked his P.K.E. Meter and pointed towards the Times Square district. Boogaloo stood in their way. While Egon and Winston raced to reverse the AHM, Peter and Ray were left to distract Boogaloo. When Egon and Winston arrived at the mansion, the AHM was fatally sabotaged by several ghosts. Boogaloo toyed with Peter and Ray and animated part of the street to capture them. Egon, Winston, and Crowley were paid a visit by a girl who lived next door, Irma. She was dressed like a Ghostbuster and wanted to help out, stating she wasn't afraid.
Egon realized this was the solution. With two minutes until midnight, Irma was presented to Boogaloo. He was perplexed at her lack of fear. Egon stepped in and inferred Halloween was about the rediscovery of wonder and taking back the night for the children. The Halloween Deal was restored and a portal opened up and pulled Boogaloo and his forces in. Time was also restored backwards to 8 pm. Irma parted ways to meet up with her father and the gang decided to go trick or treating for Halloween.
Quotes[]
| Peter: Don't move! [He put on a Slimer mask] Peter! Slimer: Ahh! [Impersonate Peter] Ohh! I have been like eh slimed!
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Original Broadcasting Format Information[]
Footage Used in Intro & Credits[]
Intro
A special intro was made just for the first airing that included footage from the other intros, the pilot, episode "Standing Room Only", episode "Something's Going Around", and the episode itself.
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Typed Credits[]
Due to the different intro and handling of the credits for the original broadcasting, the credits are included here. Also included are the credits during the beginning of the episode. To see credits click "Show".
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In credits after start of episode Executive Producers Produced and Directed by Written by In credits at end of episode Supervising Producer Executive Consultants Coordinating Producer Executive in Charge of Production Assisted by Script Coordinator Assisted by Voice Director Talent Coordinator Recording Assistants Cast Additional Cast Supervising Associate Producer Production Coordinators Production Assistants Director of Animation Art Director Storyboard Supervisor Assistant Storyboard Supervisor Storyboard Artists Storyboards Cleanup Key Character Design Additional Character Design Background Designers Prop Designer Color Background Painters Color Key Artist Color Key Lip Assignment Animators Translation Executive in Charge of Post Production Assisted by Dialogue Editors Supervising Sound Engineer Format Editors Assistant Editors Track Reader Music Editor Sound Effects and Foley by Re-recording Mixer Videotape Supervisors Post Production Assistants "Ghostbusters" Music by Musical Director "Boogaloo's Back in Town" "Touching Old Magic" Based on the Motion Picture Characters Created by ©1989 Columbia Pictures Television, Produced In Association With DIC Columbia Pictures Television |
Trivia[]
- As a way to reinvigorate interest in The Real Ghostbusters, ABC asked J. Michael Straczynski to write a prime-time special that would be fast tracked through the animation process. He agreed to do it on the condition that daytime Broadcast Standards and Practices had no say in story. Since it was a prime-time special and not going to air on a Saturday morning, the deal was made.[3]
- There is no production number since it was a prime time special.[4]
- The episode was recorded on June 14, July 5, and September 19, 1989.[5]
- Michael Rye recorded on July 5, 1989.[6]
- Frank Welker recorded on September 19, 1989.[7]
- This episode premiered in prime time on ABC and featured a special opening and closing sequence.
- Peter's original plans were to attend Donald Trump's party.[8][9]
- Peter says he's been waiting five years to slime Slimer. This is true, since he was first slimed by Slimer in the first movie in 1984.[10]
- J. Michael Straczynski avoided using Samhain and uses Crowley (in order to mock "parent groups" and censorship) as the villain instead. However, Samhain is in the intro to the episode in reused footage of the third season intro. Some of Crowley's lines are exact notes from Broadcast Standards and Practices to Straczynski over the years.[11][12]
- J. Michael Straczynski wrote the lyrics to both songs in this episode.
- Dr. Crowley's surname is a nod to Aleister Crowley, an infamous occultist from the early 20th century.[13][14]
- The candy in his sock joke was reused in this episode from "When Halloween Was Forever."
- While obscured by a banner for the Ghostbusters, it appears they perform their "Touching Old Magic" song at a Jefferson Junior High School. Earlier in the episode, Peter mentioned a gig at a junior high in the afternoon.[15]
- The scene narrated by Crowley when the Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine starts getting rid of Halloween is an homage to "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas."[16]
- Horror novels in the New York Public Library are destroyed by the Electronic Positronic Anti-Halloween Machine. While this occurs, Dr. Crowley mentions famous authors in the horror genre such as Washington Irving, Jules Verne, Edgar Allen Poe, Charles Dickens, Mary Shelley and Ray Bradbury.[17][18]
- The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man appears among the entities seen in the "Boogaloo's Back In Town" sequence.
- J. Michael Straczynski, during a visual commentary, points out that the destruction of the Containment Unit is stylistically lifted from a similar scene in the first Ghostbusters film.
- While in the grip of the animated street, Peter points out he can see Ray's house.[19]
- Brian O'Neal, the voice of Boogaloo, was also a member of the The Bus Boys. That group performed the song "Cleanin' Up The Town" from Ghostbusters and its soundtrack album.[20]
- On page 12, panel 2, of Ghostbusters Annual 2015, on the brown tack board is the black and white advertisement for "The Halloween Door" TV special.
- On page 9 of Ghostbusters Annual 2018, in panel 2, the art posted on the refrigerator is of a child's costume seen briefly at the start "The Halloween Door".
- On page 38 of Annual 2018, in panel 3, Slimer makes a cameo in a pumpkin shape like in "The Halloween Door".
References[]
- ↑ Marsha Goodman (1989). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Halloween Door" (1989).
- ↑ Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 33. CPT Holdings, Inc.
- ↑ Straczynski, J. Michael (2019). Becoming Superman, p. 289. Harper Voyager, New York NY USA, ISBN 0062857843. Line reads: "To drum up interest in the show, ABC asked me to write a prime-time Real Ghostbusters special that would be fast-tracked through the animation process (which normally took up to a year). I said I'd only do it if the daytime BS&P folks had no say in the story. I justified this demand on the grounds that instead of airing on Saturday morning, this would be broadcast in prime time, when programming standards were much more relaxed. They agreed in the belief that I was tired of the constant fights and wanted a break."
- ↑ Marsha Goodman (1989). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Halloween Door" (1989).
- ↑ Marsha Goodman (1989). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Halloween Door" (1989).
- ↑ Marsha Goodman (1989). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Halloween Door" (1989).
- ↑ Marsha Goodman (1989). Episode Call Sheet and SAG Report - "The Halloween Door" (1989).
- ↑ Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 01:03-01:06). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Well, after our gig at the junior high this afternoon, I'm taking Lynn Stacy to the party at Donald Trump's place."
- ↑ Ray Stantz (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 01:07-01:08). Time Life Entertainment. Ray says: "The quintuple billionaire?!"
- ↑ Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 01:44-01:46). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Five years I waited to do that!"
- ↑ J. Michael Straczynski (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Halloween Door" (1989) Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 01:14-01:20, 03:14-03:34). Time Life Entertainment.
- ↑ Straczynski, J. Michael (2019). Becoming Superman, p. 289. Harper Voyager, New York NY USA, ISBN 0062857843. Line reads: "The goal was less about writing a script free from the censors and more about telling a story about them, and if they saw the script before it was produced they'd howl bloody murder. "The Halloween Door" told the story of Dr. Crowley, a madman with a machine that would destroy all the scary supernatural books in the world because kids shouldn't be exposed to such things. I even put some of BS&P's comments in the mouth of the censorship-driven madman to illustrate the idea that however well intended, censors can be as destructive as any demonic entity by curtailing independence of thought."
- ↑ J. Michael Straczynski (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Halloween Door" (1989) Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 02:05-02:07). Time Life Entertainment.
- ↑ Straczynski, J. Michael (2019). Becoming Superman, p. 289. Harper Voyager, New York NY USA, ISBN 0062857843. Line reads: "After being falsely accused for years of trying to slip in references to Satan, I named the antagonist after Aleister Crowley, a famous practitioner of the dark arts, often referenced to as the most evil man in the world, and not one of the censors caught it."
- ↑ Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 01:03-01:06). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "Well, after our gig at the junior high this afternoon, I'm taking Lynn Stacy to the party at Donald Trump's place."
- ↑ J. Michael Straczynski (2009).The Real Ghostbusters- "The Halloween Door" (1989) Visual Commentary (DVD ts. 04:52-04:56). Time Life Entertainment.
- ↑ Dr. Crowley (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 09:38-09:50). Time Life Entertainment. Dr. Crowley says: "Goodbye to Irving, Verne and Poe. Goodbye to Dickens, Shelley, and whoa! Goodbye, Mr. Bradbury. Try not to take it personally."
- ↑ straczynski Tweet 11/3/15
- ↑ Peter Venkman (2009). The Real Ghostbusters - "The Halloween Door" (1989) (DVD ts. 19:07-19:10). Time Life Entertainment. Peter says: "I--I can see your house from here."
- ↑ Eatock, James & Mangels, Andy (2008). The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection booklet, p. 33. CPT Holdings, Inc.
Gallery[]
Intro Screen Caps[]
Episode Screen Caps[]
Credits Screen Caps[]
One image from from Mellotronaic.
Collages and Edits[]
RGB DVD Boxset Features[]
Secondary Canon[]
| Previous Episode | Based on | Next Episode | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ghostbusters Live! from Al Capone's Tomb! | Air Date | Venk-Man! | ||
| Slimer Streak | DVD Order | Russian About |