Paul Feig and cast will be bringing us a new take on Ghostbusters this summer, but for now, let’s take a look back to celebrate the original.
The 80s were epic–in fashion and in film. From the defining blockbuster of the decade, Top Gun, to the timeless classic E.T., it’s hard to pick a favorite. We narrowed it down to five and pulled together some ideas for costumes so you can get your own retro style on.
GHOSTBUSTERS:
Peter Venkman (Bill Murray) – White Oxford Shirt with French Cuffs – $49.50
Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd) – Dark Blue Gingham Shirt – $69.50
Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) – Striped Oxford Shirt – $49.50
Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) – Dark Blue Gingham Shirt – $69.50
E.T.:
Elliott (Henry Thomas) – Red Plaid Shirt – $59.50
Michael (Robert MacNaughton) – Light Blue Gingham Shirt – $59.50
Gertie (Drew Barrymore) – Pink Gingham Dress – $34.99
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The summer of 1984, the year I graduated from high school, was a summer of blockbusters. Ghostbusters and Gremlins made their debuts in June, followed closely by Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Karate Kid in May. I was so enamored with all-things-80s that I even dressed as Gizmo for Halloween (and my younger brother went as Stripe).
My love for the decade has continued to grow over the years. So when I found out that I would be working on the costumes for Paul Feig’s new Ghostbusters movie, I couldn’t have been more excited. This was the ultimate retro throwback project!
Of course, with a new cast comes a new set of wardrobe needs. Although there were some pieces that were kept from the first film—those iconic jumpsuits—most of the costumes had to be recreated from scratch. The jumpsuits were made in New York by an amazing company called Workroom Social run by two sisters who love fashion and are doing great things in our industry.
Costumes from the original film were brought to me to use as reference when designing the new jumpsuits. To make them feel modern (and to accommodate some very different body types), we made some changes in
The new Ghostbusters movie hits theaters today, and we’re excited to see the costumes in the much-hyped reboot. We’ve been looking back at some of our favorite 80s style from the original films this week (if you haven’t seen ’em yet, check out Dana’s outfits and Venkman’s look) and today we’re going to share a few more of our favorites.
If you’re heading out to the theater tonight or watching a marathon of the originals before seeing the new film, take a moment to absorb some of these retro-cool looks. And if you can’t get enough Ghostbusters, check back tomorrow!
We’ve been loving the 80s-inspired makeup and costumes in the new Ghostbusters film! To celebrate its release, we’re taking a look at other movies and TV shows that have brought back the 80s.
Back to the Future (1985)
The 1985 classic Back to the Future gave us Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), a teenager who was accidentally sent back in time to 1955. In 1955, Marty meets his parents when they were still teenagers, which complicates his very existence. After he returns to 1985, he has to make sure his future parents fall in love or else he’ll cease to exist.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
John Hughes’ 1985 movie The Breakfast Club tells the story of five high school students from different social groups who are forced to spend a Saturday together in detention. They slowly open up to each other, and learn that they have more in common than they imagined.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
In this 1986 comedy classic, Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) spends a day off from school by faking illness so that he can hang out with his girlfriend and best friend. He spends a crazy day going on adventures around Chicago with his friends before returning home for dinner with his
As the summer movie season is drawing to a close, we have a slew of blockbusters to look back on–some successful and some not. One of the most successful has been Ghostbusters. The reboot, led by an all-female cast, has been receiving rave reviews and has earned over $180 million worldwide.
The new Ghostbusters follows in the tradition of the original film, which was released in 1984 and earned over $242 million worldwide that year. The two films are a testament to the lasting legacy of 80s cinema, but also to the power of 80s fashion.
While today’s movie costumes are often designed for maximum visual impact and comfort, especially for actresses on press tours, 80s costumes were more about creating a believable world for viewers. As such, characters often wore everyday clothing with special touches that made them stand out from your average Joe or Jane–something that’s evident when you compare the clothes worn by Bill Murray’s Peter Venkman in Ghostbusters with those worn by Kristen Wiig’s Erin Gilbert in Ghostbusters.
In her article “Stripes on Stripes: The Costume Design of Ghostbusters,” costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis writes about how she created Venkman’s distinctive look:
Hello! This is the first of a series of posts that I’ll be doing about the costumes from some of my favorite 1980s movies. Today I’m looking at Ghostbusters, and later this week Friday the 13th, The Lost Boys, and Back to the Future will get their own posts. And if you’re interested in seeing more 80s movies analyzed by yours truly, please let me know in the comments.
I’m going to start with Ray Stantz, because his outfit is so easy: jeans, a t-shirt and an amazing striped shirt. You can buy the shirt here, but I’m not sure that it’s 100% accurate. If you have any ideas on how to recreate it yourself, please let me know in the comments!
It’s been over 30 years since the original Ghostbusters film’s 1984 debut, but from its all-star cast of comedians (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson) to its iconic theme song, the film has not lost a step in keeping audiences entertained. In fact, Ghostbusters is getting ready to hit theaters again–this time in an all-female reboot starring Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon.
If you’re a fan of the original Ghostbusters film (or any of its spin-offs), get ready to be swept off your feet by a wave of nostalgia with these behind-the-scenes pictures!