Ghostbusters II (Chapter 05): Investigating Oscar

Investigating Oscar
Type:	Scene
From:	Ghostbusters II
Character(s):	Dana Barrett Oscar Maria, Dana's Maid Egon Spengler Peter Venkman
Run time:	05:28 (15:31 to 20:59)

Investigating Oscar is the fifth Chapter on the DVDs of Ghostbusters II. This Chapter shows the ghostbusters investigating the events with the baby buggy.

Cast

• Maria, Dana's Maid
• Oscar
• Dana Barrett
• Ray Stantz
• Egon Spengler
• Peter Venkman

Equipment

• Stethoscope
• Panasonic RN-185 Microcassette Recorder
• P.K.E. Meter
• Giga meter

Locations

• Dana's apartment
• First Avenue

Plot

Dana Barrett played her cello in her apartment. She was about two to three minutes into performing Joseph Haydn's "Cello Concerto No. 1" in C Major the first movement (Moderato). Maria, Dana's nanny, fed Oscar in the kitchen. There was a knock on the door. Dana shouted to Maria that she would get the door. She placed her cello on her stand, walked over, and opened her door to Ray and Egon. Ray greeted her first. She hugged him and thanked him for coming. Ray played it off as no problem and was always happy to help and hug. Egon stepped in next. Dana shook Egon's hand. Ray complimented the apartment. Egon tried to tell Dana about Peter but Dana pushed the door to close it. Peter slipped in through the door and stopped it. He quipped about giving them one more chance. Ray rubbed his palms. Egon glared at Peter's back. Ray told Dana he tortured him by pulling his ears. Dana greeted Peter. Peter turned to them, modulated his voice to sound deep and sexy. Instead of responding, Dana turned to Egon and asked him what he would like to do first. Egon wanted to start with examining Oscar first. Maria handed the baby to Dana then went back into the kitchen. They walked over to a round table. Ray added they should check out anything associated with the baby, especially stuffed toys and things with fabrics in them. Egon wanted to check out the buggy after that. Dana agreed to their requests then asked if she could put Oscar on the table. Ray wanted to also see where he slept. Egon told her the table would be fine. Ray laid a blue pad over the table. Egon placed his briefcase on a chair at the table. Ray took off his jacket. Ray informed Dana they would have to lay him down flat. Peter took his jacket off and tossed it. He looked around at the book shelves. Dana reassured Oscar. Egon called it a little precursory medical examination. Ray proposed the Gammill and Pross Infant Acuity Test. Egon agreed and suggested they finish off with an Apgar score. Dana asked if any of that would hurt Oscar. They both replied it wouldn't. Egon assured her he would be fine. Ray handed Egon calipers. Dana became concerned from the look of them. Peter played Dana's cello like a guitar. Egon looked away. Ray also held back. She walked over to him. Ray asked Egon if ever examined a baby before. Egon replied he did once on a chimp.

Peter inquired what happened to Dana's husband. He claimed he heard he ditched Dana and ran off to Europe. Dana clarified he did not ditch her, they had some problems and he got a very good job offer from an orchestra in London, and he took it. Dana placed her cello back on its stand. Peter held a mini-snow globe upside down. Peter summed that up as being ditched. Ray spoke into a tape recorder as he and Egon checked out Oscar. Ray recorded the subject was a male Caucasian. Egon measured Oscar and stated he was 24 inches. Ray stated he weighed approximately 18 pounds and was about eight months old. He moved on to ocular tests. Egon shined a small flashlight at Oscar. He confirmed the pupillary response was normal. He placed his flashlight back into his pocket protector. Ray asked about auditory. They snapped their fingers. Oscar moved his head around in reaction to them. Egon confirmed his responses were normal. Ray asked about papillary reflex. They tickled Oscar. Egon noted he appeared to be ticklish. Ray agreed.

Peter mused Dana would have been better off marrying him. He held the miniature snow globe upright. Dana recalled he never asked me and whenever she brought it up, he got drowsy and fell asleep. Peter placed the globe back on the shelf and walked away. He declared she never got it. He explained he was a man, he was sensitive, he needed to feel loved and he needed to be desired. Dana placed her left hand on his shoulder. She reminded him she broke up with him when he started introducing her as the old ball and chain. Peter grimaced. Peter admitted he may have a lot of personal problems but he was a total professional when it came to his job. He walked over to Egon and Ray before Dana could get there. Egon was using a Grafco fetal stethoscope on Oscar as he lay on his back. Ray scanned him with a P.K.E. Meter. Peter got Egon's attention. He looked up at Peter, who spoke up close right into the stethoscope asking what they were doing. He recoiled then told Dana that Oscar seemed to be fine. Dana noted he was very healthy. Peter thought it he looked okay. Ray asked where he slept. Dana led Ray right around the corner to Oscar's bedroom. Egon turned to Peter and handed him a specimen jar and walked away with a new device, the Giga meter. He asked Peter to acquire a stool specimen. Peter quipped, "Business or personal?"

Dana picked up a ring stacking toy in Oscar's bedroom. Ray picked up a small yellow Stegosaurus stuffed animal and swept it the P.K.E. Meter. Dana told them the room was a little messy. Ray assured he they did not plan on playing with anything, they just wanted to sweep for valances. Egon thought the room was very cheerful and revealed his parents didn't believe in toys. He picked up a rattle. Peter smiled down at Oscar and asked him if he wanted to play with a big kid. He told him he should have been his father. He clarified he could have been. Oscar held out a hand. Peter shook it and replied he understood. He picked Oscar up and started singing "Dixie." Oscar bit him softly on the nose. Peter playfully shouted for help because he had gone completely berserk. Ray, Egon, and Dana heard Peter. Ray and Egon exchanged concern. Dana left the room. Egon shook the rattle. Ray walked over to Egon. Ray asked him if he never even had a Slinky. Egon confirmed they had part of a Slinky but he straightened it. Peter's voice returned to normal once he saw Dana. He claimed Oscar had some sort of a clear liquid coming out of his mouth, too. Dana was amused and asked what he thought. Peter thought he was ugly but not Elephant Man ugly. He asked if his father was ugly. She implored Oscar not to listen. Peter joked he stunk, too, and spoke in a Mexican accent. Oscar giggled. Peter played along and asked him if his father was a smelly. He asked him what his name was. Dana told her it was Oscar. Peter lamented how he was named after a hot dog and sympathized. Dana asked him if he seriously found anything unusual. Peter admitted he did not have a lot of experience with babies. He then told Oscar his mama was going get a stool sample. Dana was confused. They laid Oscar down on the table.

Ray was lying down his back and swept the underside of Oscar's crib with his P.K.E. Meter when Peter entered. Ray announced he got nothing. Peter asked Egon what was next. Egon wanted to perform some gynecological tests on Dana. Peter joked, "Who wouldn't?" Egon proposed they check out the street next. A short time later, Dana showed Peter, Egon, and Ray where the incident happened on First Avenue. Behind them, the corner shop was selling Christmas trees. She told them how the carriage stopped right in the middle of the crosswalk. Peter took charge, dashed into the middle of the street, and started directing traffic. Cars honked at them. Ray tried to tell to stop Peter in vain. Peter told the annoyed motorists they were scientists and to get out of the way. He thanked them. A taxi driver braked and honked. He asked Peter if he was gonna get out of the way. Peter told him to relax and pointed out he was on the meter. Ray used a P.K.E. Meter on the spot where the carriage stopped. Egon used the Giga Meter. Both were lit up. Ray declared they hit the honey pot and speculated something was brewing under the street. He revealed the P.K.E. Meter got a reading of 1,118. Egon stated he got 2.5 GEVs on the Giga Meter. Dana asked them what that meant. Ray and Egon exchanged looks.

Trivia

Ghostbusters II Trivia

• In the August 5, 1988 draft:
  • On page 10, Lane's son is 9 months old and has no name throughout the draft. Peter's 'He's gone completely berserk' line appears.
  • On page 11, Peter replies his thinks the infant is cute. Lane notes things have moved around in the nursery.
  • On page 22, Peter's 'mine or the baby's' line is changed to 'business or personal?' in the movie. Egon's 'run gynecological tests' line appears.
• In the September 29, 1988 draft:
  • On page 17, Peter notices a tape measure and calipers and asks Egon if he's going to knit Mikey a playsuit. Egon hands Peter a specimen jar for a stool sample and Peter asks him 'mine or the baby?' then Peter's "got my nose" happens.
    • In the movie, Peter asks 'business or personal' and the "got my nose" happens when he's alone with Oscar after everyone went to his bedroom.
  • On page 18, Peter admits he doesn't have a lot of experience with babies. Lane reveals she is divorced and her husband left her when she was pregnant. Peter calls Ray "Holmes" but Ray informs him the room is subdued and there are no valences off of Mikey.
    • In the movie, Peter admits his inexperience to Dana then tells Oscar 'mama's come to take a stool sample' to Dana's confusion. Peter enters the bedroom and talks to Egon and Ray.
  • On page 19, Ray reveals he spoke to the superintendent and the building has no history of anything paranormal. Egon states he would like to run some gynecological tests on Lane.
    • In the movie, Ray's speaking to the super is omitted. Egon's line is preserved in the movie.
  • On page 20, Ray gets no trace on the P.K.E. Meter on Sixth Avenue. The Giga meter is introduced and explained as a gauge to measure psychomagnetheric energy in GEVs.
    • In the movie, both the P.K.E. Meter and Giga meter pick up readings.
• In the November 27, 1988 and February 27, 1989 drafts:
  • On page 22, Peter remarks he knew Dana would come crawling back to him and is hurt she didn't call him first. He asks her is she's seen his show. She replies she has and that's why she didn't call.
  • On page 24, Egon hands Peter a specimen jar for a stool sample and Peter asks him 'personal or professional?' then Peter's "got my nose" happens. Dana reveals the baby's name is Oscar. This the first known time the infant is named in a draft.
  • On page 25, Dana says she'll take the stool sample. Peter enters the bedroom and calls Ray "Holmes" but Ray informs him the room is subdued. Egon enters next and wants to look for anything abnormal on the street. Peter doesn't think that will be too hard.
  • On page 26, Peter gets nostalgic outside and points out the old cash machine, dry cleaners and video store he and Dana used to go to. There is no trace on the P.K.E. Meter.
  • On page 27, Ray explains the Giga meter is a gauge to measure psychomagnetheric energy in GEVs. Dana asks if it's in her genetics that makes her vulnerable to the supernatural. Peter asks if she means like when she turned into a Terror Dogs. He calls it a total coincidence.
    • This becomes the deleted scene "Dana's Curse" but in it Egon comes up with a genetic disposition theory.
• In the February 27, 1989 Draft:
  • On page 23, before the stool sample line, Peter sees the measuring tape and calipers then asks Egon if he's making Oscar a snowsuit.
• Dana's apartment room was on a sound stage in Burbank Studios in Los Angeles.
• When the scene begins, Dana is two to three minutes into performing Joseph Haydn's "Cello Concerto No. 1" in C Major the first movement (Moderato).
• When Ray, Egon and Peter first visit, the 1989 calendar near Maria is on the month of November.
• Ray alludes to his ears being pulled by Peter in the Chapter 4: Ray's Occult Books.
• The Gammill and Pross Infant Acuity Test is named after comedy writing duo Tom Gammill and Max Pross.
• The Apgar Score is a test used to evaluate a newborn baby on five simple criteria (Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration) on a scale from zero to two, then summing up the five values thus obtained. The resulting score ranges from 0 to 10.
• Peter playing Dana's cello like a guitar is similar to a discarded idea from the October 7, 1983 draft of the first movie. On page 24, Peter played the cello like a stand-up bass.
• Egon admits he only performed a precursory medical exam on a chimpanzee prior to Oscar.
• There is a frame of Johannes Brahms near the book shelf when Peter picks up the snow globe.
• Dana mentions her ex-husband took a job with an orchestra in London.
• It has been speculated that the Violinist from the first movie is the father of Oscar:
  • Sigourney Weaver, on the June 14, 1989 episode of "The Arsenio Hall Show" recalled she thought the Violinist was the father.
  • Joe Medjuck and Ivan Reitman, on the 1999 Ghostbusters DVD commentary track, both state that Oscar's father is the Violinist.
• About five versions of Oscar's examination were filmed.
• Ray mentions Oscar is approximately 24 inches in length, weighs approximately 18 pounds and is about eight months old.
  • "About eight months old" would place Oscar's birth to be around March or April 1989.
• When Peter speaks into Egon's stethoscope, the gag is similar to a gag in the first movie when Peter slammed a book on a table that Egon was examining with his stethoscope in Chapter 03: "Get Her!".
• Egon telling Peter to get a stool specimen is similar to a gag when he told Peter to get a sample of ectoplasm in Chapter 3: "Get Her!" in the stacks.
• Dana picks up an infant ring stacking toy.
• Ray picks up a stuffed animal of a Stegosaurus.
• Egon mentions his parents and how they didn't believe in raising him with toys.
• Peter sings "Dixie" to Oscar.
• Ray mentions the Slinky toy.
• Egon reveals when he was a child he had part of a Slinky but he straightened it.
• Peter mentions the Elephant Man, a 19th century sideshow star.
• Peter alludes to Oscar Mayer.
• Peter refers to Egon as Brainiac, a classic Superman villain from DC Comics.
• The First Avenue scene was also filmed at the same spot at the intersection of East 77th Street and First Avenue in New York City.
• For the first time, a numerical reading is read aloud from the P.K.E. Meter.
• The Giga meter's readings are in GEVs or Giga Electron Volt.
• In Chapter 28: World is Safe Again:
  • A shot of Dana tickling Oscar during his medical exam scene appears with the Sigourney Weaver end credit.
  • There is a shot of Oscar during his medical exam with the William T. Deutschendorf and Henry J. Deutschendorf II end credit.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trivia

• There is a straightened Slinky on Phoebe Spengler's night stand in her apartment bedroom in Chicago, a callback to Egon's line in about straightening part of one in his childhood.
• To Phoebe's left, when she opens the locker and sees the Uniforms, there is a Slinky. It disappears in one shot, then reappears in the next.
• The Giga Meter has a brief cameo when Egon's ghost shows Phoebe his wall for framed diplomas.

Ghostbusters: Answer The Call Trivia

• The back of the P.K.E. Meter (2016) prop has a label that references Ray and Egon's readings of 1118 on the P.K.E. Meter and 2.5 GeVs on the Giga meter in Ghostbusters II, Chapter 5: Investigating Oscar.

IDW Comics Trivia

• In Ghostbusters Volume 2 #13:
  • On Page 14, the frame of Johannes Brahms from Dana's apartment.
• In Ghostbusters Volume 2 #14:
  • On Page 5, Dana mentions Oscar is with his father.
  • On Page 5, Janine is wearing a blouse and has the fur jacket from Ghostbusters II.
  • On Page 10, the Brahm and cello art from Dana's Ghostbusters II-era apartment are present.
  • On Page 20, the red lamp to the right of Dana is from her bedroom in the first movie. On the nightstand is a baby picture of Oscar in clothes from Ghostbusters II. The note by the phone refers to Dana's Maid, Maria from Ghostbusters II. Maria's last name 'Cruise' is taken from the name of the actress who portrayed her, Yvette Cruise.
• In Ghostbusters Volume 2 #17:
  • On Page 20, Egon's foot locker has a Slinkie inside.
• In Ghostbusters Volume 2 #18:
  • On Page 9, Egon's footlocker has a Slinkie.
  • On Page 15, Peter holds up a snow globe like in the second movie when he enters Dana's apartment.
• In Ghostbusters Annual 2015:
  • On Page 19, in panel 2, in the lower right is a nod to Egon admitting to straightening part of a slinky to Ray in Ghostbusters II.
• In Ghostbusters International #11:
  • On Page 20, in panel 3, Peter plays with a Slinkie - a nod to a line about Egon's childhood in Ghostbusters II.
• In Ghostbusters 101 Issue #1:
  • On Page 7, in panel 2, on the table are a Slinkie.
• In Ghostbusters 101 Issue #3:
  • On Page 20, panel 1, Kevin Beckman is playing with a Slinkie - a nod to Ghostbusters II.
• In Ghostbusters Year One Issue #4:
  • On Cover B, above the photo of Egon with a Trap is a Slinky, a nod to Egon's anecdote in Ghostbusters II Chapter 5: Investigating Oscar.

Tertiary Canon Trivia

• On page 10 of Egon's Journal, a supplement of the Hasbro Haslab Ghostbusters Plasma Series Spengler's Proton Pack, there is a reference to Chapter 5: Investigating Oscar:
  • Ray and Egon's readings of 1118 on the P.K.E. Meter and 2.5 GeVs on the Giga Meter.
• In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, in the Firehouse back office, on the desk near the printer is Dana Barrett's mini snow globe from the second movie that Peter holds upside down in Chapter 5: Investigating Oscar. Dana is mentioned in the description box.

See Also

• Deleted Scene: This Is Hard for Me
• Deleted Scene: It Was Right Here
• Deleted Scene: Dana's Curse

Quotes

Dana: Thanks for coming. Ray: Hey, no problem. Always glad to help ... and hug.

Peter: What's your name? Dana: His name is Oscar. Peter: Named after a hot dog, you poor man, you poor, poor man.

Egon: I'd like to run some gynecological tests on the mother. Peter: Who wouldn't?

Gallery

Selected Screengrabs

Behind the Scenes

Still of Dana playing cello, seen in Ghostbusters II: Storybook

Still of Dana and Peter, seen in Ghostbusters II: Storybook

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

As seen in Ghostbusters II Electronic Press Kit

Filming taking readings scene, seen on page 154 of Ghostbusters: The Ultimate Visual History

Filming scene of "What does it mean?", seen in Ghostbusters II: Novel

Secondary Canon Images

Non-Canon Cameo on Ghostbusters Year One Issue #4 Cover B

Tertiary Canon Images

Dana's mini snow globe in Firehouse in Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed

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