This scene begins with another establishing shot of the New York Public Library, accompanied by playful, haunted house style piano-led music. Part of the entrance is blocked by scaffolding – something the director would have preferred not to be there. We then cut to Venkman and Stantz walking side-by-side up the library steps. Venkman is berating Stantz over his belief in the paranormal.
Venkman: “As a friend I have to tell you: you’ve finally gone round the bend on this ghost business. You guys have been running your ass off meeting and greeting every schizo in the five boroughs who says he has a paranormal experience. What have you seen?”
So our assumptions are correct. Venkman confirms that he has no belief in the paranormal. Clearly, Stantz & Spengler have spent much time investigating potential leads, whereas Venkman has not. We learn here (though we already guessed it from the opening scene), that Venkman is a casual backseat passenger in Stantz and Spengler’s drive for ghost research. He doesn’t take it or them seriously, yet, it somehow suits him to play along…possibly it allows him other opportunities, like the one he took with Jennifer in the previous scene.
Trivia: Venkman’s referral to “the five boroughs” covers Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island.
Words by Gareth Rhodes.
Ghostbusters: Scene by Scene 