Danielle Solzman
Ghost is officially added to the Paramount Presents line today with a limited edition Blu-ray in honor of the film’s 30th anniversary.
Jerry Zucker is probably the last filmmaker anybody could think when it comes to directing the film. Ten years before the release, Zucker was also behind hit comedy spoof Airplane! in 1980. In fact, Zucker tells of how screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin cried when he learned the Airplane! director would be making the film. In all honesty, so would I. Funny enough, both films hit stores today with new anniversary Blu-rays.
Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore) have recently moved into their Manhattan apartment. After informing co-worker Carl Bruner (Tony Goldwyn) of abnormal balances in bank accounts at work, Sam and Molly are both mugged. It’s not longer thereafter that we learn that Sam is dead but remains in spirit form. As Sam makes his attempts to have some sort of connection with Molly, he makes the discovery that his death was no accident.
Not long after Sam’s death, the mugger returns to the apartment. Molly isn’t home but Sam is and thankfully, the cat is able to scare the mugger away. Sam follows him back to his place where he learns that another party sent up over to their Manhattan party to begin with. It’s this moment that leads Sam to encounter Oda Mae Brown (Whoopi Goldberg). The actress would go on to win an Oscar for the role of a psychic who is shocked when she encounters a spirit. You can’t help but laugh at the shear absurdity of it–a psychic without no beliefs in what she’s doing!
Knowing Sam, he’s going to use Oda in his attempts to communicate with Molly. This is where things can get a bit complicated because Molly isn’t going to easily buy it. And yet, Oda certainly tells Molly the one word that will get her to believe Sam is attempting to communicate.
There’s a subplot involving Sam and a violent spirit haunting the subway. This proves beneficial for the second half of the film. The final act comes down to solving Sam’s murder and getting a final goodbye with Molly.
The limited edition Blu-ray, the 8th Paramount Presents installment, also features collectible packaging. Ghost is also presented by way of a 4K film transfer supervised by director Jerry Zucker. In terms of the Blu-ray features, a new feature joins the previously released bonus content.
In addition to Goldberg’s Oscar, the film also won for Best Original Screenplay. Other Oscar nominations included Best Picture, Best Editing, and Best Score. The film would lose all three Oscars to Dances with Wolves. In 2002, the American Film Institute would honor the film as one of the greatest love stories in cinema.
Ghost is a real genre-bender of a film with romance, comedy fantasy, and thrills while the film would become one of the most popular and memorable films of all time.
BONUS FEATURES
- Filmmaker Focus: Director Jerry Zucker on Ghost
- Commentary by Jerry Zucker and Writer Bruce Joel Rubin
- Alchemy of a Love Scene
- Theatrical Trailer
- Ghost Stories: The Making of a Classic
DIRECTOR: Jerry Zucker
SCREENWRITER: Bruce Joel Rubin
CAST: Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn
