{{Infobox Film
|name = Ghostbusters
|image = Return_Ghostbusters_Poster.jpg|222px|Return of the Ghostbusters Movie Poster
|caption = Theatrical poster
|writer = Hank Braxtan<br>Tim Johnson
|starring = J. Michael Weiss<br>Tim Johnson<br>Joel Hanson<br>Ron Vischer<br>Arielle Brachfeld<br>Donte Essien<br>Lisa Wegener<br>Heath C. Heine
|director = Hank Braxtan
|producer = Scott Douglas<br>Hank Braxtan
|cinematography = Drew Adams
|visual effects = Ryan P. Wilson<br>Justin Rader
|editing = Hank Braxtan
|distributor = BraxtanFILM
|released = [[October 31]], [[2007]]
|runtime = 85 minutes
|country = {{USA}}
|language = English
|budget = Approx. $3,000|
|preceded_by = ''[[Freddy vs Ghostbusters]]''
}}
'''''Return of the Ghostbusters''''' is a [[fan film]] of the [[Ghostbusters]] franchise, and is directed by Hank Braxtan, released on [[October 31]], [[2007]]. The film serves as a sequel to Braxtan's [[2004]] fan film ''[[Freddy vs. Ghostbusters]]''<ref>{{cite web
| url =
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439576/| title = Freddy VS Ghostbusters
| accessdate = 2007-10-2
| publisher = IMDB.com
}}</ref>
, and continues the story of the Ghostbusters franchise based out of [[Denver]], [[Colorado]]. The fim is noteworthy for a feature-length running time (85 minutes), being a sequel to a fan film, the acquisition of funding and production by numerous Ghosbusters fans from around the world, as well as the tremendously increased production values from the previous film.''Return of the Ghostbusters'' features [[CGI]] [[visual effects]] that technologically surpass the quality of effects used in the source films, ''[[Ghostbusters]]'' and ''[[Ghostbusters II]]'' thanks to the talents of Ryan P. Wilson & Justin Rader. The film also features an Original Score by Composer Jon Vandergriff.
==Plot==
The mile high city is rocked when an ancient Egyptian menace comes to town, and the Denver Ghostbusters must return to save the universe once more. In this sequel to the internet cult hit Freddy VS Ghostbusters, the boys in gray find themselves up to their eyeballs in spooks, as a greater threat looms on the horizon...<ref>{{cite web
| url =
http://www.mscd.edu/~themet/TheMetropolitan/06_07/Vol29_issue15/metrospective/ghostbusters.html| title = I ain't 'fraid of no ghost
| accessdate = 2007-10-2
| publisher = Denver Metropolitan Newspaper
}}</ref>
==Cast==
*'''J. Michael Weiss''' as '''Neil Anderson'''
*'''Tim Johnson''' as '''Ed Spengler'''
*'''Joel Hanson''' as '''Pavel Karnov'''
*'''Ron Vischer''' as '''Klaus Konstantin'''
*'''Arielle Brachfeld''' as '''April Hunter'''
*'''Donte Essien''' as '''Levar Gordon'''
*'''Lisa Wegener''' as '''Annie'''
*'''Heath C. Heine''' as '''Gallagher Jablan'''
==Releases==
A premiere event was held on October 25, 2007 at the Mayan Theater in Denver, CO. The premiere was attended by the cast and crew of the film, as well as over 400 fans, family members, and members of the Braxtanfilm Message Boards.
The film was released for free distribution on the internet on October 31, 2007. The first day of the film's availability was exclusively as a streaming video on [[iFilm]], and has since been released in versions which are downloadable for [[Zune]] and [[iPod]] devices. A downloadable high resolution [[Torrent]] has also been released. All versions are available on the official ''Return of the Ghostbusters'' website.<ref>{{cite web
| url =
http://joblo.com/arrow/index.php?id=9940| title = Arrow-In-The-Head: ROTGB makes it's debut.
| accessdate = 2007-10-2
| publisher = Arrow-In-The-Head
}}</ref>
==Cultural References==
While ''Return of the Ghostbusters'' is rife with references and homages to the original ''Ghostbusters'' films, there are many other pop culture references throughout the film:
*News reporter April Hunter could have gotten her first name from the character [[April O'Neil]], a news reporter in ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''.
*Ed is a fan of ''[[American Idol]]'', and his cell phone ringtone is the ''[[Legend of Zelda]]'' theme.
*Neil mentions plans to spend all day watching ''[[Quantum Leap]]'' reruns.
*Ed's television persona is "Ed Spengler, the Science Nerd," a nod to scientist [[Bill Nye]]'s persona (and television show) ''[[Bill Nye the Science Guy]]''. During taping for the show, Ed paraphrases [[Gary Coleman]]'s famous line from [[Diff'rent Strokes]], asking "wha'choo talkin' 'bout, Pavel?"
*The bar fight sequence features the famous [[Wilhelm scream]] sound effect, used in many films and video games.
*Levar Gordon, Ed's hosting replacement, could have gotten his name from the actor [[LeVar Burton]] of [[Star Trek: The Next Generation]] fame, and the character [[Gordon Freeman]], protagonist of the [[computer game]] [[Half-Life]].
*Ed's producer refers to Levar as "a black [[Doogie Howser, M.D.|Doogie Howser]]." LeVar had also claimed to write a [[New York Times]] bestseller, to which Ed retorts "[[Dr. Phil]] is on that list for a diet book! A diet book!"
*Scenes filmed outside of the Mayan Theater feature posters for ''[[Lucky Number Slevin]]'' in the background.
*Neil refers to Ed as [[MacGyver]] on his way to take April out for dinner.
*Agents J and K are a reference to [[Will Smith]] and [[Tommy Lee Jones]]' characters in the ''[[Men in Black]]'' films. The detectives also end up getting into a discussion about ''[[Batman & Robin (film)|Batman & Robin]]''.
*Ed compares the potential growth of the ghost infestation to the franchising of [[Starbucks]].
*There is a cameo appearance by the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angry_Video_Game_Nerd#The_Angry_Video_Game_Nerd| Angry Video Game Nerd]], watching the final battle via news broadcast.
==Prequel Comic==
[[Image:rotgcomic.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Ed & Eugene to the rescue.]]
A web comic entitled ''Ghostbusters: The Denver Chronicles'' was released on the ''Return of the Ghostbusters'' website one day prior to the film's release. Co-written by Hank Braxtan & "The Sandman," the comic bridges the gap between the years between ''Freddy vs. Ghostbusters'' and ''Return of the Ghostbusters''. The comic explains several changes that occur between the two films, primarily the loss of Ghostbuster Eugene O'Fitzpatrick (portrayed by Jason Cook in ''Freddy vs. Ghostbusters'').
The comic finds Neil Anderson alone in Denver busting ghosts, and dealing with a few vandals who damaged the original Ecto truck from ''Freddy vs. Ghostbusters.'' Ed Spengler & Eugene O'Fitzpatrick are in London at the [[British Museum]] to answer a call that the "New York Chapter" (the original four Ghostbusters from the feature films) was too busy to handle. There, Eugene discovers a map inside an artifact to the lost city of [[Cynopolis]]. Janosz Poha, a character from ''Ghostbusters II'' (who has since moved to England to "get away from you guys"), takes this map to the sole financier of the Ancient Egypt exhibit Klaus Konstantin (and his assistant, Pavel Karnov). Twenty-eight days ater, Ed and Eugene are invited to the archaeological site they helped Konstantin discover. They drive through the desert in an undecorated white automobile, presumably the future Ectomobile featured in ''Return of the Ghostbusters''. Unfortunately they arrive to discover a cave-in where several crew members are injured, and Konstantin is crippled, explaining his paralysis in the film. The two Ghostbusters run to the rescue, only to have Ed incapacitated by a group of ressurected [[mummies]], leaving Eugene to fight against them by himself. During the confrontation of Eugene and the last mummy, there's another cave-in and Eugene is killed. Ed survives.
The comic's final panel features brief appearances by the four original Ghostbusters (Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, Egon Spengler, Winston Zeddemore), and their secretary Janine Melnitz, attending Eugene's funeral along with the surviving Denver Ghostbusters. Also in attendance are [[Mario]] and [[Luigi]] from the [[Super Mario Bros.]] video games, bearing the likenesses of [[Lou Albano|"Captain" Lou Albano]] and [[Danny Wells]] from ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Super Show]]''.<ref>{{cite web
| url =
http://www.returnoftheghostbusters.com/comic_cover.html| title = Ghostbusters: The Denver Chronicles
| accessdate = 2007-10-2
| publisher = BraxtanFILM.com
}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Refimprove|date=November 2007}}
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
{{wikiquote}}
* [http://www.returnoftheghostbusters.com/ Return of the Ghostbusters official site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/returnoftheghostbusters Return of the Ghostbusters] on [[MySpace]]
* ''[http://www.ifilm.com/video/2907944 Return of the Ghostbusters]'' at [[Ifilm]]
* [http://www.braxtanfilm.com/smf/index.php Message Boards]
* [http://www.braxtanfilm.com/main.html Hank Braxtan's Official Site]
* [http://www.jonvandergriff.com/Main%20Page.htm Original Score Composer Jon Vandergriff's Official Site]
* [http://www.gbprops.com Ghostbusters Prop Archive]
* [http://www.protoncharging.com Proton Charging - Ghostbusters news website]
== "Freddy vs. Ghostbusters" links ==
* [http://www.braxtanfilm.com/fvgb.html Freddy vs. Ghostbusters official site]
*{{imdb title|id=0439576|title=Freddy vs. Ghostbusters}}
* [http://runleiarun.com/fanfilms/freddygb.html Freddy vs. Ghostbusters review] at [http://runleiarun.com/fanfilms/ The Fan Film Menace]
{{Ghostbusters}}
[[Category:Ghostbusters| ]]
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