Ghostbusters (1984) - Parents Guide Movie Rating

MPA: PG BBFC: 12 Maturity Rating 13+

BBFC Reason: Contains moderate sex references Three former parapsychology professors set up shop as a unique ghost removal service.

BBFC Ratings info: GHOSTBUSTERS is a comedy about a group of research scientists who go into business together hunting down ghosts and poltergeists in New York City. Sex: Sex references includes a scene in which it is implied that a ghost is performing oral sex on a man. As the man's trousers and zip are unfastened, the camera moves to his face as he sinks back on the bed with his eyes crossed in pleasure. There are scenes of mild horror as ghosts threaten the city, with scary faces looming at the camera.

Sex & Nudity

mild

Violence & Gore

mild

A ghost which looks like an old woman, transforms into a grotesque and frightening appearance in two scenes. One is not shown, but a woman who encounters it screams in fear. Dana opens her refrigerator and sees a hallucination of a rooftop building with a vicious dog, which roars loudly and frightens her. A hungry ghost eating food on a cart is shot at by Ray with his taser-gun, where it fearfully runs away, accidentally grabbing the cart and disappearing through a wall where it crashes and objects splatter everywhere. A slimy-poltergeist ghost flying towards Venkman slimes him (offscreen), done for comical effect though. The main characters cause multiple damage to property and create explosions in the process ,while they're capturing a ghost. The Ghostbusters use their proton guns to reel a ghost into their trap by tazing it. Non-graphic. Dana is attacked by demonic creatures in her apartment, where one visibly grabs her mouth and a spirit drags her violently into her kitchen, while she screams helplessly and is consumed by it (off-screen). Could be disturbing for some. Ghosts (which were released from the Ghostbusters vault) terrorize New York City by damaging objects and creating panic across the area. Visibly, several are shown that will frighten young viewers, especially one which looks like a rotted and bloodied skeleton. In the climax, the Ghostbusters crossed the streams with proton packs to destroy the gate. The giant marshmallow monster was blowed up in the gallons of marshmallow landed into the streets. A large marshmallow giant wrecks havoc through a city, causing panic and distress for many people. No one is visibly crushed or killed. The Ghostbusters use their proton packs to taze the giant which only causes it to burst in flames. We see its pained expression. The team then "cross" their proton chargers and shoot at a small structure on a building rooftop which causes a massive explosion that blows off the top of the skyscraper and destroys the marshmallow giant in the process.

Profanity

moderate

many uses of shit

Alcohol, Drugs & Smoking

mild

Drugs, recreational: None Some characters can be seen casually smoking and drinking throughout the film.

Frightening & Intense Scenes

mild

Several demonic arms burst through a chair and grab a seated woman. This is widely considered the most frightening scene in the film. Ghosts and monsters appear in some scenes, which young viewers may find frightening. Especially the one in the library at the beginning of the film. However, young viewers will more reassured as soon as the main characters develop their weapons that can affect and capture those creatures with surprising ease. Some monsters look particularly vicious and menacing, with one which growls like a dog. Some monsters however, while menacing, appear to be quite cartoon-like, including a monster with a love of food, and later in the film, one assuming the form of a giant marshmallow man. In one scene, the main characters fall into a fissure. Two characters transform into vicious dog-like demons. We see one ghost like creature take the position of a taxi driver. He is visually part skeleton and part zombie with rotten flesh on his face, nasty ! The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's appearance may be too frightening for younger viewers, but that scene is definitely played for laughs. The scene where Zuul possesses Dana in her apartment is incredibly dark and terrifying.