We put a ghost in a box

[sovay]

As a break from packing, I saw Paul Feig's Ghostbusters (2016) this afternoon with rushthatspeaks, gaudior, sairaali, and M. It was a sold-out matinée. I was seated next to three small girls—nine-to-eleven age range, I think—who frequently cheered. They didn't recognize any of the surviving original cast, but they applauded for Slimer. I approved of the bronze bust of Dr. Egon Spengler at Columbia University. Like everyone else with any appreciation for mad science, of course, I love Kate McKinnon's Holtzmann with her tinted goggles and her utter disregard for normal standards of personal space and workplace safety—why settle for Dr. Frankenstein when you can have Dr. Pretorius? Crossed slightly with Harpo Marx, or at least that's what the flying long coat and fizzing fair hair and cheerful leers reminded me of. Perhaps also the way her presence in any given situation tends it toward explosion. Holtzmann's not a silent character ("I would have used aluminum, but I'm crazy"), but she has the quick-change face for it, and the physical grace. I had never before seen anyone flirt by means of DeBarge's "Rhythm of the Night," two acetylene torches, and a fire extinguisher, but she makes it work; the script gives her the most unambiguously kick-ass action sequence ("You just got Holtzmann'd, baby!") and it is equally believable that she would neglect to mention until it was relevant that she'd effectively installed a pair of nuclear reactors on top of the car in which everyone has been tearing around Manhattan for the last month and change. With a starring cast of four women in this movie, I hoped at least one of them would be weird enough for me and Holtzmann delivers. She not at all phallically licks a gun she built herself. I was also very fond of Leslie Jones' Patty Nolan and her encyclopedic knowledge of New York history, although I couldn't help wondering what would have happened if she'd switched roles with Melissa McCarthy. Chris Hemsworth was very obviously having the time of his life as a man who needs the concept of everything except riding a motorcyle, looking handsome, and eating a sandwich explained to him very slowly in words of one syllable and probably a lot of gestures. He calls a fish tank "a submarine for fish" in a tone of delighted discovery and covers his eyes at loud noises. I could have wished for less action and more character time, but that's how I've felt about all summer blockbusters for the last five or ten years. It was very fun and I think that was what my weekend needed. I don't know the ratio of Boston to New York in the shooting locations, but I was delighted to see the team celebrating their ghostbusting victory at Jacob Wirth's.

We had dinner afterward at Sugidama, where I had a bottle of lychee flavor Ramune. I had never interacted with any flavor of Ramune before. It was totally artificial, but I didn't realize it would come in a Codd-neck bottle; I didn't realize anyone manufactured those anymore. I've taken mine home with me. I'm trying to decide whether to save it for the novelty or smash it for the marble in time-honored nineteenth-century fashion. I kept grinning at it all through dinner.

Back to packing.

Comments

[starlady]

"New York" in the movie is mostly played by Melbourne; the Aldridge Mansion and I think the schools are the bulk of the Boston shots. Most of the New York footage is second unit. (I spent the bulk of my second and third viewings putting this together.) The one significant location I'm not sure about is their firehouse office.

As a native of Philadelphia who grew up pointing "the Ghostbusters building" out to people in its actual location, I'm pleased that New York continues to not play itself in these movies.

I didn't realize, but should have, that ramune bottles have a history outside Japan, where the bottles are a beloved artifact kept around precisely for nostalgia.

[sovay]

"New York" in the movie is mostly played by Melbourne; the Aldridge Mansion and I think the schools are the bulk of the Boston shots.

Thank you! I have been inside Jacob Wirth's, but I have no visual sense of Melbourne. I'm not surprised to hear about the Aldridge Mansion; I am also fairly certain the Chinese restaurant office is located in Boston's Chinatown, composited New York skyline notwithstanding. The look of the adjacent buildings and something about the angle of the street was very familiar.

[edit] Yes. It's the corner of Essex Street and Harrison Avenue. I can't quite get the right angle on Google Maps—if I can get this two-year-old street view to link at all—but I've walked by there many, many times. Now I'm going to be like this about all the exterior shots until I've figured out where they are. (If they're in Melbourne, I'm sunk.)

[edit edit] Essex Street is standing in for Bayard. Here's the turn from Harrison onto Essex—unchanged storefront still visible behind the Ecto-1.

As a native of Philadelphia who grew up pointing "the Ghostbusters building" out to people in its actual location, I'm pleased that New York continues to not play itself in these movies.

Where in Philadelphia is it really?

I didn't realize, but should have, that ramune bottles have a history outside Japan, where the bottles are a beloved artifact kept around precisely for nostalgia.

I'd never seen one in the wild before. I'm familiar with the marbles because they turn up not infrequently on beaches in New England, as they have done since the late nineteenth century, but I'm delighted to know now that some of them are new.

[movingfinger]

There was a piece in the Globe or on Boston.com about the locations in the movie. An entire Times Square replica was built for shooting, at a disused small airport on the South Shore. The Aldridge House exterior is at BU, and the interior is an actual historic house in the area which was so perfect that they used the interior just about as it was.

If the Ramune bottle has the plastic cap, you can pry it off to get the marble out. I recall using hot water to soften it up to make that easier.

[sovay]

An entire Times Square replica was built for shooting, at a disused small airport on the South Shore.

That's actually pretty cool. I'll try to find the article.

The Aldridge House exterior is at BU, and the interior is an actual historic house in the area which was so perfect that they used the interior just about as it was.

I thought it must have been BC or BU! I'd have recognized most suitable-looking exteriors at Harvard and I don't think they could have filmed at Tufts without our hearing about it in Somerville.

If the Ramune bottle has the plastic cap, you can pry it off to get the marble out. I recall using hot water to soften it up to make that easier.

It does have a plastic cap; I tried prying at it with no results, but may try again when I don't have a moving deadline tomorrow. Either that or I'll just keep the bottle as is and not let the cats play with it, because the inaccessible noise will drive them crazy.

[movingfinger]

Tried to ETA as you replied...

I found the articles in my browser history:

http://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/go-inside-the-filming-locations-and-set-designs-of-ghostbusters#1

https://www.boston.com/culture/movies/2016/03/09/6-boston-locations-you-might-have-missed-in-the-new-ghostbusters-trailer

[sovay]

I found the articles in my browser history

Okay, filming the concert scene at the Wang is hilarious.

[movingfinger]

I know you're busy, but not knowing whether you read the blog Language Hat, I wanted to refer you to this post, about the Yiddish-English dictionary just published. The article linked from this short blog post is much longer and more detailed about the history of the compilers and the work itself.

http://languagehat.com/the-new-english-yiddish-dictionary/

[sovay]

I know you're busy, but not knowing whether you read the blog Language Hat, I wanted to refer you to this post, about the Yiddish-English dictionary just published.

I do not read Language Hat! Thank you so much! I didn't realize the dictionary had been completed and I am so glad to hear it.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

At a guess the Codd neck bottles were devised by someone who is a fan of the earlier iteration. I'm charmed that they exist again.

I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of Holtzmann. She is the person in the film I'd be the most likely to befriend, and get into heaps of trouble with. When she first appeared on screen I actually subvocalized a recognition.

Hooray for packing breaks!

[sovay]

At a guess the Codd neck bottles were devised by someone who is a fan of the earlier iteration. I'm charmed that they exist again.

This article suggests that in India at least it's an unbroken tradition; I don't know about Japan. I think we should reintroduce them in the U.S. They are endlessly entertaining to play with at the table when you have finished with the soda. (Also, I don't want to have to keep buying Ramune for the bottles. The lychee flavor was very artificial.)

I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of Holtzmann. She is the person in the film I'd be the most likely to befriend, and get into heaps of trouble with. When she first appeared on screen I actually subvocalized a recognition.

The universal reaction in our party seems to have been the same. Also I could not tell if she had romantic history with Abby or if she just hangs off people's shoulders like that. I am pretty sure about the flirting with acetylene torches.

(Her taste in shirts and ties definitely aids the Harpo Marx impression. I like it.)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Perhaps also the way her presence in any given situation tends it toward explosion.

Great line, and something to aspire to, most definitely.

Thanks for the link about Codd-neck bottles--how cool!

[sovay]

Great line, and something to aspire to, most definitely.

I honestly think the film is worth seeing for her alone.

Thanks for the link about Codd-neck bottles--how cool!

You're welcome! More sodas should come with marbles included. That's my platform.

[kdsorceress.livejournal.com]

This is a very happy-making post. I loved loved loved Ghostbuster, and like every queer-leaning woman on the planet (or so it seems) I have a massive crush on Holtzy.

I am also fond of the codd-neck bottle, although I have not drunk Ramune in many years, and I don't think I was ever brave enough to smash one open. Perhaps I'll try it next time I have the opportunity.

~Sor

[sovay]

I loved loved loved Ghostbuster, and like every queer-leaning woman on the planet (or so it seems) I have a massive crush on Holtzy.

I think that only shows good taste on everyone's part.

I am also fond of the codd-neck bottle, although I have not drunk Ramune in many years, and I don't think I was ever brave enough to smash one open. Perhaps I'll try it next time I have the opportunity.

To be honest, I wound up keeping the bottle intact with marble inside. But there's always the next one!

[drwex]

Essentially all the outdoor shots were done in Boston. I happen to play D&D with a fellow whose architectural firm designed (or redesigned) many of the buildings used in the movie and he rattled off an impressive list for us.

Also, thank you for that spot-on analysis of Holtzmann - it's been niggling at my brain who she reminded me of and you hit it exactly. I shall credit you now that I can finish up and post my own review.

[sovay]

I happen to play D&D with a fellow whose architectural firm designed (or redesigned) many of the buildings used in the movie and he rattled off an impressive list for us.

That's pretty cool. Did he happen to put it anywhere online?

Also, thank you for that spot-on analysis of Holtzmann - it's been niggling at my brain who she reminded me of and you hit it exactly. I shall credit you now that I can finish up and post my own review.

You're very welcome. Dr. Pretorius or Harpo Marx?

[drwex]

No, he just rattled it off while we were sitting at the gaming table. And Harpo.