Ghostbusters (Chapter 02): Shock the Nerd

Shock the Nerd
Type:	Scene
From:	Ghostbusters
Character(s):	Peter Venkman Jennifer Male Student Ray Stantz
Run time:	03:41 (02:49 to 06:30)

Shock the Nerd is the second chapter on the DVD releases of Ghostbusters. This chapter introduces Peter and Ray.

Cast

• Peter Venkman
• Jennifer
• Male Student
• Ray Stantz

Equipment

• Electro-Shock Generator
• Camcorder

Locations

• Columbia University
  • Weaver Hall

Plot

Inside Weaver Hall was a section known as the Paranormal Studies Laboratory. Dr. Peter Venkman was inside conducting an ESP experiment with volunteers. On the laboratory's glass door were "Dr. Egon Spengler Dr. Raymond Stantz Dr. Peter Venkman" but someone used lipstick to write "Venkman burn in hell" over the names. A door knob hanger rested on the knob and read "Maid please make up this room as soon as possible." In Room 205 A, Peter instructed someone he was going to turn over the next card, wanted him to concentrate, and tell him what he thought it was. Peter sat on one side of a table. A Male Student and Jennifer sat on the other side. They were wired to electrodes of an electro-shock generator that laid in the middle of the table. He held up the back of the card to them. The card was a star. The male student pressed his left ring and middle finger to the side of his head and guessed it was a square. Peter revealed the card to them and shocked him. Jennifer was squeamish. Peter turned to Jennifer and smiled. Peter told her to clear her head. She smiled. He held up the next card. It was a circle. Peter asked her what she thought it was. The male student watched her. Jennifer asked if it was a star. Peter lied and pretended to be amazed she was correct. She was ecstatic. He held up a card for the male student. He instructed him to think hard. The male student guessed it was a circle. Peter revealed a square then shocked him. Pink gum shot out of his mouth. He grabbed it off the table, put it back in his mouth, and continued chewing. Peter jotted down a note, asked Jennifer is she was ready, and held up the next card for Jennifer. It was a plus sign. He pressed the eraser end of a pencil on the side of his head, smiled, and asked what it was. Jennifer stared at the back of the card. She guessed figure eight. Peter pretended to be surprised again. He remarked she was five for five. He asked if she could see the card. Peter moved the card around and squinted. The male student tried looking from her vantage point. Jennifer smiled and swore she wasn't cheating, the answers were coming to her.

Peter turned to the male student. The male student grabbed at his collar. Peter asked if he was nervous. The male student admitted he was. Peter reminded them they only had 75 more to go. He held up the next card. It had three wavy lines. The male student guessed it was a couple of wavy lines but Peter lied and told him it was wrong. Peter reached for the lever. The male student stuttered. Jennifer looked amused by the tension. Peter winked at her. Peter electrocuted him. The male student got agitated. Peter countered he volunteered and would be paid. The male student pointed out he didn't know Peter was giving the volunteers electric shocks. He asked Peter what he was trying to prove. Peter pressed his hands together and revealed he was studying the effect of negative reinforcement on ESP ability. The male student became irate and screamed the effect was the shocks were pissing him off. Peter stood and countered maybe his theory was correct. The male student ripped the electrodes off his hands, told Peter to keep the five bucks, then he stormed out of the room and slammed the door. Peter yelled he would. He changed his demeanor as he sat down next to Jennifer. He warned Jennifer to get used to that kind of resentment because her ability was going to provoke some people. Jennifer asked Peter if he really thought she had a gift. Peter promised her she was no fluke.

Dr. Ray Stantz entered the room excited about something, nearly killing the mood Peter has created. Ray exclaimed, "This is it! This is definitely it!" Ray grabbed a camcorder off a table near Peter then asked him if those UV lenses came in for the video camera and for the blank tape that he erased the day before. Ray gathered equipment from a shelf. Peter turned to Jennifer and asked if she would excuse him. Peter crept over to Ray, hopped off the floor, and cartoonishly slapped him on the head as he told him he was right in the middle of something. He was standing, pretending to be talking normally to Ray by the time Jennifer peaked over. Peter insisted he needed a little more time with Jennifer and asked him he could come back in an hour or hour and a half. Ray stated at 1:40 p.m. at the main branch of the New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue, ten people witnessed a free-floating, full-torso, vaporous apparition, it blew books off shelves from 20 away, and scared some poor librarian. Peter, uninterested, tried to handle him and told him get right down there, check it out and get back to him. Ray shook his head and told Peter he was coming, too. He revealed Egon took P.K.E. valances and it went right off the top of the scale. Ray emphasized it buried the needle and they were close. He could feel it. He walked past Peter. Peter repeated to himself that he could feel it and they were very, very close. He sat back down next to Jennifer and told her he had to go but he would like to work with her some more. He asked her if she could come back in the evening. Jennifer suggested 8:00. Peter, still pretending astonishment, lied he was just going to say 8:00. He called her a legitimate phenomenon. She giggled.

Trivia

Ghostbusters (1984) Trivia

• Harold Ramis and Ivan Reitman suggested the idea of focusing the story on how the Ghostbusters started out.
• In the June 6, 1983 draft, the graffiti on the Paranomal Studies Laboratory door read, "Venkman sucks cock in Hell!" as a reference to "The Exorcist." Ivan Reitman decided to take the high road and the message was changed.
• In the July 6 and August 5, 1983 draft, Peter Venkman appeared before a university funding committee. Dean Yeager was up for a Nobel in Stockholm the previous week but didn't win. He presents research done so far: structural damage to a house caused by unknown hyperkinetic forces in a poltergeist incident in Vermont, rashes, bites and welts from a case they studied in Northern Quebec, a double exposure of a Polaroid photo showing people who were not there, a bent spoon. He reveals they are convinced that such events are about to increase to seriously uncomfortable proportions. He shines a pocket flashlight on his own face, providing spooky lighting and begs the question of will the world be ready.
• In the August 5, 1983 draft:
  • On page 3, Peter projects a still photo depicting a hideous demon face. He identifies it as the Shropshire Demon then explains it has been blamed for numerous livestock mutilations in the area and sketched by a local artist in 1910 from actual eyewitness accounts.
  • On page 4, Dean Yeager asks Peter if they have seen a ghost yet. Peter tells Dean Yeager and the committee about an instantaneous rockfall. In later drafts, the rockfall becomes one of Ray's lines at the library then in the final movie version, the Mass Sponge Migration.
  • On page 5, Ray appears outside the glass door of the meeting room and tries to get Peter's attention to tell him about the Library ghost sighting. He is described as Peter's oldest friend.
  • On page 6, Peter points out in the last 12 months, they investigated 72 ghost sightings and found nothing so he is skeptical about the Library ghost. In the movie, this line evolves into a less detailed retort from Peter as he and Ray trot up the stairs to the library and he asks Ray what they have seen.
• In the July 6 and August 5 drafts, Peter, Egon, and Ray are employed at New York University.
• Peter, Egon, and Ray are employed at Columbia University from the September 30, 1983 draft and on. Peter's ESP experiment appears for the first time in the drafts and takes the place of the university funding committee scene.
• Although permission was granted for the production unit to shoot on the Columbia University campus, it was with the understanding that the school not be identified as such in the film.
• There is no actual Weaver Hall at Columbia University.
• The 10/7/83 final shooting script mentions the Paranormal Studies Laboratory is located in the basement of Weaver Hall.
• The Paranormal lab scenes were also filmed at Columbia.
• The Zener cards were created for ESP experiments in the 1930s by Karl Zener. Each deck consisted of 25 cards total, five of each symbol: the hollow circle, plus sign, three vertical wavy lines, hollow square, and a star.
• The electric shocks were inspired by the Milgram experiment. Ramis commented the shocks scene spoke volumes about Peter Venkman and set him up as the skeptic of the group.
• To the Male Student's right is a Medrad Mark IV Angiographic Injector Injection System on a rolling stand. It is medical equipment used to inject ink into your brain, or other venous organ, that can been seen through imaging equipment like an MRI or X-Ray.
• To Peter's right during the experiment is an AVL Electrolyte Anaylzer. It is used in hospitals, labs, and physician's offices to test the levels of sodium, potassium, chloride, ionized calcium, and lithium in samples of blood, serum, plasma, urine, and aqueous standard solutions.
• It was discussed at length when the Male Student would spit out his gum.
• Right after the Male Student snaps and yells at Peter, in front of Peter on the desk is a waterful ring toss game.
• Ray tells Peter about the Library ghost, revealing the incident with Alice seen in Chapter 01: Start took place at 1:40 p.m. and adds there were 10 other witnesses. He had concluded the ghost was a "free-floating, full-torso, vaporous apparition."
• Ray also mentions Egon, who first appears in the next chapter.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trivia

• The maid door sign seen at the Weaver Hall lab's door in the first movie is present on the locker where Phoebe Spengler finds the Uniforms.
• The pattern on Phoebe's maroon shirt are all the shapes on the Zener cards, the same used by Peter for his research at the start of the first movie.
• In the mid-credits tag, Dana Barrett tests Peter with his own experiment, using the Zener cards and Electro-Shock Generator. He admits he only shocked the male subjects.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Trivia

• The door to the interview room of in the Paranormal Research Center has the maid service handing sign from the Paranormal Studies Laboratory.

The Real Ghostbusters Trivia

• At the end of the The Real Ghostbusters episode "Take Two", the beginning of Chapter 2 is seen on screen but the voice of Bill Murray was dubbed by Maurice LaMarche.
• In The Real Ghostbusters episode "The Collect Call of Cathulhu", in the script, when Ecto-1 departed the Firehouse for the library, there was an exchange between Ray and Peter. Peter hopes he doesn't find another Library ghost.

IDW Comics Trivia

• On page 12 of Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #5, the phrase "Burn in Hell Venkman" can be partially seen outside Ray's Occult Books.
• In Ghostbusters Volume 1 Issue #7:
  • On page 4, Peter talks to the Hungry Manitou in the Paranormal Studies Laboratory of Weaver Hall from the first movie. The Manitou holds up the ESP cards Peter used for his test at the start of the first movie.
  • On pages 4 and 9, the I Love New York ceramic pig is behind the Hungry Manitou.
  • On Page 19, there is a card from Jennifer and the interior references the 8 o'clock appointment Peter made with her before he went to the library with Ray.
• On page 1 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #5, outside the Pequod's on the left is the Male Student.
• On page 9 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #6, Peter holds a Weaver Hall mug.
• On page 21 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #9, the pin up is also a nod to Peter's electric shock experiment at the start of the first movie, complete with the Male Student.
• On page 15 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #11, in the middle is a square Zener card, used by Peter.
• On page 9 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #15, there are some Zener cards in Eduardo's deck.
• On page 7 of Ghostbusters: Get Real Issue #2, on the chalkboard, on the far left is a reference to a 8'o clock appointment at Weaver Hall.
• In Ghostbusters International Issue #1:
  • On Page 2, Ray is wearing the outfit he wore when he first appeared in the first movie.
  • On Page 3, as in the movie, a call about a ghost interrupts a session with Jennifer.
• On page 13 of Ghostbusters International Issue #2, Ray has on the first outfit he's seen in during the first movie when he mentioned Egon's scans at the library buried the needle.
• On page 8 of Ghostbusters 101 #1, in panel 3, behind Peter, is the I Love New York ceramic pig seen behind him in Chapter Two of the first movie when he administers electric shocks.
• On page 23 of Ghostbusters 101 #3, in the Yellow Ectoplasm section, up to five bucks is offered to volunteers.
• On page 20 Transformers/Ghostbusters Issue #3, in panel 3, "Burn in Hell, Venkman" is one of the pieces of graffiti on Optimus Prime.
• On page 1 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #2:
  • Jennifer brings up Peter convincing her of her psychic ability in Chapter 2 "Shock The Nerd" of the first movie.
  • Bob refers to his repeated electrocutions in Peter's experiment in Chapter 2.
• On page 6 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #2:
  • The flashback takes place between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 and recreates how the New York Public Library exterior looked like in the movie down to the ongoing renovation and background extras.
  • The moment of Ray and Egon first detecting the Library ghost, mentioned in Chapter 2, is shown.
• On Cover A of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3, there is the scene of Peter holding up a Zener card in Chapter 2: Shock The Nerd.
• On Cover B of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3 are Zener Cards from Chapter 2: Shock The Nerd.
• On Cover RI of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3, a nod to the cover of Batman #251:
  • The wavy line Zener card replaces the Ace of Spade playing card.
  • Peter's "8'o clock" quote replaces the Ha Ha Ha.
  • Male Student is spitting gum like he did in Chapter 2: Shock The Nerd.
• On page 6 of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3, Peter alludes to his experiment in Chapter 2: Shock the Nerd.

Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Trivia

• In Ghostbusters (2016_Movie), Abby Yates and Jillian Holtzmann were employed by the Kenneth P. Higgins Institute and worked in Paranormal Studies like Egon, Peter, and Ray. There is even a sign on the doors, "Do not write stupid things on this door!" with 'stupid' added on in red marker.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Trivia

• In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the far corner of the Firehouse's second floor lab is the MEDRAD Mark IV Angiographic Injector from the Paranormal Studies Laboratory in the first movie.
• In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, in the alley between Ray's Occult Books and the Firehouse, behind the targets on the wall and on a pile of junk is "Venkman Burn in Hell," a nod to the message left on the Paranormal Studies Lab door.

Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord Trivia

• The story trailer, released on June 1, 2023, reuses the shot of the Paranormal Studies Laboratory door.

Hasbro Trivia

• On page 28 of Egon's Journal, a supplement of the Hasbro Haslab Ghostbusters Plasma Series Spengler's Proton Pack, there is a reference to Chapter 2: Shock The Nerd:
  • The flier for the male student mentions "shocks."

Quotes

Male Student: What are you trying to prove here, anyway? Peter: I'm studying the effect of negative reinforcement on ESP ability. Male Student: The effect? I'll tell you what the effect is, IT'S PISSING ME OFF!

Gallery

Selected Images

Secondary Canon Images

Peter finds Paranormal Studies Laboratory on mental plane in Ghostbusters Volume 1 #7 on page 3

As seen in Volume 1 Issue #7

As seen in Volume 1 Issue #7

As seen in Volume 1 Issue #7

As seen in Ghostbusters 101 #1

Nod seen in Transformers/Ghostbusters Issue #3

Reference to experiment seen on Cover A of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3

Tertiary Canon Images

Medrad Injector seen in second floor lab in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed

Venkman Burn in Hell graffiti in Firehouse alley in Spirits Unleashed

Second Venkman Burn in Hell graffiti in Firehouse alley in Spirits Unleashed

Behind The Scenes Images

Maid service hanging sign (Credit: Alex Newborn)

Interview room door in Paranormal Research Center in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Credit: Yes Have Some)

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