Harold Ramis
Harold Ramis
Harold Allen Ramiswas an American actor, director, writer, and comedian. His best-known film acting roles were as Egon Spengler in Ghostbustersand Ghostbusters IIand Russell Ziskey in Stripes; he also co-wrote those films. As a writer-director, his films include the comedies Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation, Groundhog Day, and Analyze This. Ramis was the original head writer of the television series SCTV, on which he also performed, and he was one of three screenwriters of the film National Lampoon's Animal House...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionDirector
Date of Birth21 November 1944
CityChicago, IL
CountryUnited States of America
I've always thought that comedy was just another dramatic expression. I try to measure the amount of truth in a work rather than just looking at the generic distinction between comedy and drama. There's a lot of bullshit drama that leaves you totally cold. And there's a lot of wasted comedy time too. But when you get something honest, it doesn't matter what label you give it.
The trick with sequels is, you have to give people what they liked before, yet be innovative enough so they don't feel like they're seeing the same movie.
If you're doing six takes, instead of doing six variations on the same words, why not just throw out the words and make them up as you go along, if you're comfortable with it? It gives the movies a slightly rangier feeling, and more of an accidental feel, but it also makes them edgier.
When you're a big enough part of the process that the Writers Guild gives you a lot of credit, that's a good thing. It tells me that I've had a significant impact on the film as a writer.
The first comedy screenplay that I wrote was Animal House and I always thought I could and should be a director but no one was about to give me that opportunity on Animal House.
I've never been a big believer in ghosts or the spirit world, and for me, that was part of the point of the movie, ... What the 'Ghostbusters' represented was the triumph of human courage and human ingenuity. People create their own monsters. Our fears come from within us, not outside.
Plus I'm not so sure Bill was wildly enthusiastic about putting the suit on again,
As much as we'd like to believe that our work is great and that we're infallible, we're not. Hollywood movies are made for the audience. These are not small European art films we're making.
You just make sure you don't screw it up. It's going to work as long as you don't mess it up. Hopefully you have plenty of those moments in a big comedy.
Dan has many interesting sidelines and he's fascinated by the world of paranormal. It's part of his family history, in fact, ... He has relatives he claims were spirit mediums. He also believes in alien visitation and there is some speculation that Dan is an alien. He's so genuinely enthusiastic about the stuff. That's what was on the page when he showed it to us.
They both have this really explosive unpredictable energy. You just don't know what they're going to do,
I totally claim that it was us that turned 'slimed' into a verb,
And then there's some certain physical similarities just in stature and the way they move. They move funny. Belushi used to just walk out onstage, audiences would laugh. And I see that in Jack.
Approaching it skeptically, I wanted to know if you were going to make a sincere scientific investigation, what would be the parameters of that,