Ghostbusters - Why Isn't Murray Covered in Marshmallow?

[Andonagio]

I just caught the tail end of Ghostbusters on TV, and I was reminded how, after the foursome destroys Stay Puft, Murray is the only one of the Ghostbusters who emerges not covered head to toe in marshmallow. Why is this? Was there a narrative reason, or something to do with Murray?

 

[Timby]

That's the joke -- while the new recruit and the two guys who are the heart of the science of the operation are completely gunked up, the easygoing, free-wheeling character is the one who escapes and is able to say, "I'm fine." It's a gag.

 

[Cyke101]

He was also the one who got slimed early on while the others were relatively untouched. It was payback time

From a production level though, I always thought they needed Murray relatively clean for the big romantic kiss with Dana at the end. That or Murray (who's known to be pretty demanding) argued not to be covered in gunk.

 

[Brent]

he just wasn't in the line of fire to get rained on by marshmellow, not in the right place, or had some kind of protection around him keeping it from hitting him a lot, that's how i took it

 

[Timby]

he just wasn't in the line of fire to get rained on by marshmellow, not in the right place, or had some kind of protection around him keeping it from hitting him a lot, that's how i took it

You're over-thinking a comedy. Sometimes jokes are subtle.

 

[Brent]

i didn't see it as comedy, i didn't see it as anything really, its never been an issue for me, haven't even thought about it till i saw this thread

 

[OmahaStar]

he just wasn't in the line of fire to get rained on by marshmellow, not in the right place, or had some kind of protection around him keeping it from hitting him a lot, that's how i took it

You're over-thinking a comedy. Sometimes jokes are subtle.

Sure, but subtle? And Bill Murray? Together?

 

[MyCylon]

Maybe it's because he's 'so odd' :-D.

Which reminds me: Everytime I watch the film I'm a bit puzzled by the fact that Weaver's character points this out at least twice. At times it almost seems like there was a story thread in there they dropped about him being possessed or something like that.

 

[Trekker4747]

I just caught the tail end of Ghostbusters on TV, and I was reminded how, after the foursome destroys Stay Puft, Murray is the only one of the Ghostbusters who emerges not covered head to toe in marshmallow. Why is this? Was there a narrative reason, or something to do with Murray?

Murray's a prima donna he didn't want to get the "marshmallow" (really shaving foam) on him. IIRC this is mentioned in the DVD's commentary.

 

[Broccoli]

i didn't see it as comedy, i didn't see it as anything really, its never been an issue for me, haven't even thought about it till i saw this thread

You never thought Ghostbusters was a comedy?

 

[Shazam!]

Regardless of what the reasons are, it's funny, so it works.

 

[JiNX-01]

Weaver didn't want to kiss a guy covered in marshmallow fluff.

 

[stonester1]

For the same reason he didn't have a military reg hair cut when coming out of the Army barber's in Stripes.

 

[Andonagio]

For the same reason he didn't have a military reg hair cut when coming out of the Army barber's in Stripes.

Oh yeah, I remember that, too. What reason was that?

 

[Trekker4747]

Weaver didn't want to kiss a guy covered in marshmallow fluff.

It wasn't marshmallow fluff or marshmallow anything, it was shaving foam.

 

[Mr. Adventure]

That's the joke -- while the new recruit and the two guys who are the heart of the science of the operation are completely gunked up, the easygoing, free-wheeling character is the one who escapes and is able to say, "I'm fine." It's a gag.

That's how I saw it, the "cool" guy gets away with it using the Fonz Factor. The same way Blade never gets any blood on him.

 

[stueyross]

every now and then a queston comes up on the board and I grin my ass off. Its just a joke guys. Venkmans the cool one of the gang. He steps out, totally uncovered and is all "heh....look at you guys...and look how clean I am cos Im better than you". Its just a funny, thats all.

Oh, and he is odd. funny and charming but odd

 

[Technobuilder]

He was also the one who got slimed early on while the others were relatively untouched. It was payback time

From a production level though, I always thought they needed Murray relatively clean for the big romantic kiss with Dana at the end. That or Murray (who's known to be pretty demanding) argued not to be covered in gunk.

^^^THIS

That kiss seemed like the main reason.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I also recall hearing Ramis and Reitman explain that Murray didn't want to be covered in the foam but forget their reason why now.

 

[Andonagio]

I also recall hearing Ramis and Reitman explain that Murray didn't want to be covered in the foam but forget their reason why now.

Which always struck me as odd, because Murray was obviously okay being covered with slime earlier in the film. It seems like foam would be less messy.