1. Ghostbusters hit movie theatres 35 years ago. It became the highest grossing comedy of all time (until Home Alone in 1990) and earned two Oscar nominations, including Best Original Song.
  2. The score was composed by Elmer Bernstein, who brought in a musician from England to play the ondes Martenot — the keyboard equivalent of a theremin — that created the music’s ‘eerie’ effect.
  3. Actor Bill Murray wasn’t the first choice for his role, and at one point, the film’s working title was ‘Ghostsmashers.’ The title changed and Murray, who ad-libbed most of his lines, got the part.
  4. The American Film Institute ranked Ghostbusters No. 28 on its ‘100 Years… 100 Laughs’ list — it spawned TV shows, video games, and a 2016 remake with an all-female cast. A new Ghostbusters movie, shot in Calgary this summer with members of the original cast, will be released in 2020.
  5. The Ghostbusters hotline was real! The promotional trailer featured a working 1-800 number featuring a pre-recorded message saying the Ghostbusters were too busy catching ghosts to answer the phone.

Watch the revolutionary film on the big screen 25 + 26 October with a live performance of the score by the CPO!

Watch the classic spooky comedy on the big screen 25 + 26 October with a live performance of the score by the CPO!

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