Search - Filmation's Ghostbusters - The Animated Series, Vol. 1 on DVD

Go Ghostbusting Filmation Style!

Servo | Atlanta, GA USA | 01/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Not to be confused with "The Real Ghostbusters," the animated series based on the 1984 hit film, Filmation's "Ghostbusters" was actually based on the 1975 live action Saturday morning series "The Ghost Busters" starring Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch [of "F Troop" fame] as ghost busters Jake Kong and Eddie Spenser respectively. Along with Tracy, their gorilla played by Bob Burns, Jake and Eddie fought the ghosts of historical villains. Both versions of the show were produced by Filmation.

Filmation's 1986 animated Ghostbusters series featured Jake Kong Jr. and Eddie Spenser Jr., the sons of Jake and Eddie assisted by Tracy the gorilla, Jessica the reporter, Belfry the bat, and Futura the sorceress. From their Ghost Command headquarters, they battled ghosts and phantoms from fairy tales, present-day and future. Whether traveling through time and space in their transforming Ghost Buggy, or battling the evil spooks of Prime Evil at his Haunt-Quarters, the Ghostbusters would always answer the call to action with their battlecry "Let's Go Ghostbusters!" The battlecry much like He-Man's transformation scene, albeit to a lesser extent, was that scene in the show I always looked forward to, and never got tired of.

I almost didn't bother to watch Filmation's Ghostbusters back in first-run because [at the time] I felt it was trying to steal The Real Ghostbusters' thunder--which it was, sort of. It's all relative however as neither animated series would've been produced if it weren't for the success of 1984's "Ghostbusters" film. Columbia Pictures (who owned the film and spin-off cartoon) settled a lawsuit with Filmation for an undisclosed sum in order to use the title in the film, but that didn't preclude Filmation's own animated attempt to capitalize on poltergeist popularity. With all of that in mind, I did watch both shows in first-run and had found there to be plenty of ghostbusting fun to be had from both shows.

Hopefully, the folks at Sony who produced those infuriating Real Ghostbusters 4-episode volumes will take notes from BCI's Ink & Paint, and sometime soon package The Real Ghostbusters into a set as bountiful in episodes and extras as this Filmation Ghostbusters set.

Filmation's Ghostbusters - Volume One is a 6-disc set featuring the show's first 32 [of 65] episodes in Full-Frame (1.33:1) video, plus the following Special Features:

* Creator interviews with producer Lou Scheimer, writer Robby London and directors Tom Tataranowicz and Tom Sito
* Ghostbusters anti-drug spot
* Original 10 min. presentation of the promo pilot
* Slideshow storyboard for episode 22 "Laser and Future Rock"
* Image gallery of Ghostbusters heroes including the original model sheets and sketches
* English & Spanish audio for all 32 episodes
* Easter eggs and series trivia
* Ink & Paint trailers
* DVD-ROM material: the complete five-episode script for the Ghostbusters "origin story"
* Bonus episode: "The Ghost Busters" live action series episode #1 - "The Maltese Monkey" featuring ghost busting trio Forrest Tucker, Larry Storch and Bob Burns "Yeah!"

Episodes:
1. I'll Be a Son of a Ghostbuster (Part 1)
2. Frights of the Roundtable (Part 2)
3. No Pharoah At All (Part 3)
4. The Secret of Mastadon Valley (Part 4)
5. The Ones Who Saved the Future (Part 5)
6. Witch's Stew
7. Mummy Dearest
8. Wacky Wax Museum
9. Statue of Liberty
10. The Ransom of Eddie Spenser
11. Eddie Takes Charge
12. The Great Ghost Gorilla
13. A Friend in Need
14. No Mo Snow
15. Prime Evil's Good Deed
16. Cyman's Revenge
17. The Headless Horseman Caper
18. Banish the Banshee
19. Rollerghoster
20. He Went Brataway
21. The Looking-Glass Warrior
22. Laser and Future Rock
23. Runaway Choo Choo
24. Dynamite Dinosaurs
25. Ghostbunglers
26. My Present to the Future
27. The Beastly Buggy
28. Belfry Leads the Way
29. The Battle for Ghost Command
30. Going Ape
31. The Haunting of Gizmo
32. Ghostnappers

Ghostbusters - Volume One:
Feb. 27th!
"

I'm Spencer, He's Tracy, I'm Kong... Redux

J. Rose | Greenwood, MS USA | 03/06/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of Saturday morning's mainstays during the 70's was Filmation Studios' THE GHOST BUSTERS, a live-action show starring Forrest Tucker and Larry Storch (of F TROOP fame) as Jake Kong and Eddie Spencer, paranormal investigators teamed with "Tracy," a supersmart gorilla (Bob Burns in a suit) who hunt down and dematerialize ghosts. Combining a limited budget, Tucker and Storch's vaudevillian shtick and some rather imaginative storytelling, THE GHOST BUSTERS became one of the most oft-remembered shows of the '70's Saturday Morning experience.

One decade later, at the height of Akyroyd and Company's GHOSTBUSTERS craze and coming off the success of HE-MAN and SHE-RA, Filmation revived the idea into FILMATION'S GHOSTBUSTERS, a syndicated animated series now reintroduced on this DVD set, which gives us the first half of FGB's 65-episode run. Showcasing colorful, much-improved animation and an even more imaginative turn at comedic storytelling that brought in elements of science fiction and time travel, FILMATION'S GHOSTBUSTERS continues the legacy of Spencer, Tracy and Kong with their sons, Eddie Jr. and Jake Jr., taking over the family business with Tracy. Armed with more ghost weapons besides their updated and venerable Ghost-Dematerializer, a number of revolving allies (such as intrepid reporter Jessica Wray and flirtatious future sorceress Futura) and the cantankerous transforming Ghost Buggy, Jake, Eddie and Tracy go into battle with the bad-tempered Prime Evil, a robotic, Darth-Vaderesque ghost who runs the spook-filled HauntQuarters in an alternate dimension. The gang's continuous mission is to stop the various schemes of Prime Evil and his gang of ne'er-do-well ghosts, who read like lost children of WACKY RACES (among them the neurotic-robotic skeleton ScaredStiff, bullying future werewolf Fangster, the Terry-Thomas-like Haunter, moronic jokester mummy Airhead, who literally lives up to his name, and the egotistical self-obsessed sorceress Mysteria). The ghost gang are often the major cause of Prime Evil's defeats; all are lazy, extremely self-promoting and somewhat incompetent at teamwork.

Occasionally, some of the jokes wear thin: Eddie's constant bungling, Ghost Buggy's continuous criticism of the Busters, and Prime Evil's inability to say "Ghostbusters" without wincing are all pretty much one-note jokes. Despite this, the series shines as one of Filmation's finest efforts, and the transfers on this DVD set are excellent, with scripts, commentaries on episodes and original artwork all featured. Also on this set is "The Maltese Monkey," the first episode of the live-action GHOST BUSTERS series, soon to follow on its own DVD set release. Volume II of the animated series will be out soon as well.

If you like good storytelling and would enjoy seeing another take on the notion of "ghost busters," this set would be an excellent buy. If you're an animation fan and, in particular, a Filmation completist, this set is a must-have."

Filmation Ghostbusters DVD

Jay Amabile | www.TheSexyArmpit.com | 06/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's been a blast getting to see this show again. I haven't seen these episodes since I was a kid. I did prefer Real Ghostbusters, but Filmation GB was a pretty close second. Some of the shows don't hold up that well but it still has a fun vibe and great characters like Primeval. After watching the first episode, I vividly remembered the intro and the sequence where they get into their GB gear. The show had great music as well. Includes great packaging and features so get it if you're a fan or just like to remember your childhood."

Love The Set Thanks Bci , Filmation Rocks.

Brent Hilton | Layton, Utah USA | 07/13/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this Ghostbusters box set from Bci / Eclipse because I love the show and also I'm a big Filmation fan of such classics as He-Man , She-Ra , Fat Albert and The Cosby kids, Flash Gordon etc. these shows would always have a lesson within the show and teach good morals and principles that kids could learn from if they weren't get it at home exactly. Stuff that is lacking in many of the so called hip programs of today go figure. People say that this is a rip off give a break. from what I've read this was the original, a take off on the live action series of same name, not the one based on film by Sony/ Columbia while I like that movie and cartoon a lot some things are slightly similar, others are not. Plus there's enough room in the media sea to fit both of them I mean I watched both of them. The humor is what I liked in this one and the wonderful animation is what I love as kid and I can't believe how well it's held up over the years. Thank to Bci / Eclipse this wonderful company has got my respect for giving the fans what they wanted and put out killer sets . Unfortunately I learned that Bci / Eclipse was going out of business which sadden me, because I was hoping for more wonderful stellar sets from this company. I'm not sure if the other company getting the catalog will give much thought and care to it as this one did. So thank you Bci , Navarre has got to be nuts for letting this gem of a company go . Like I said before I was hoping for more great releases like The Get along Gang, and my wish off the top of my head would've been ,Saturday Supercade the full complete version like it was on TV, Monchhichis, Shazam! And many others that I can't think right now.

Anyway this set is worth the money to get, plus there are some interviews with people that were involved in the making of Filmation Ghostbusters Cartoon. Clean entertainment for kids of all ages and worry free i'd buy any Filmation release because they are good. just love the series it has many good memories of rushing home on turning the tv on to Fox 13 to watch it every afternoon on a certain day. and just being entertained for an hr.

Highly Recommended"