Ghostbusters II (Chapter 17): Fire-Trapped

Fire-Trapped
Type:	Scene
From:	Ghostbusters II
Character(s):	Egon Spengler Ray Stantz Winston Zeddemore Peter Venkman Dana Barrett
Run time:	02:20 (57:33 to 59:53)

Fire-Trapped is the seventeenth chapter on the DVD of Ghostbusters II. In this chapter, Egon and Ray are analyzing photos of the Vigo painting.

Cast

• Egon Spengler
• Ray Stantz
• Winston Zeddemore
• Peter Venkman
• Dana Barrett

Equipment

• Uniform
• Spectral analyzer

Vehicles

• Ecto-1a

Locations

• Firehouse
• Peter's apartment

Plot

Ray Stantz and Egon Spengler processed Peter Venkman's photographs of Vigo in a photo lab set up somewhere in the Firehouse. Ray pinned one on the line. Egon used a magnifying lens. Egon confirmed Ray was right and there were multi-planar Kirlian emanations present. Ray joked about Vigo being next month's cover of GQ. He believed there was definitely a living presence. Egon proposed taking a deeper look. Ray suggested putting the wider shot through the Spectral analyzer. Egon agreed and tried turning up the Roentgens. Ray fed a photograph into the Spectral analyzer, which looked like a copy machine. Egon pressed some buttons on a pad. Ray changed the subject to dinner. He pitched Chinese. Egon countered with Thai. Ray found it too spicy and suggested Greek. Egon asked about Mexican. Ray suggested Pizza. Egon asked if they should get thin or thick. Ray wanted Chicago. A photograph came out of the analyzer. Egon hung it up. The photograph was of the floating head of Vigo and the River of Slime. Egon was shocked and picked up the magnifying lens. The lab door's deadbolt moved on its own and locked the door. Ray instantly recognized it. Egon inquired where he saw it. Ray informed him it was the River of Slime he saw under First Avenue. Suddenly, the photographs ignited. They ran to the door and realized it was locked. Ray started thinking of what to grab like a blanket of hose. Egon chose the simple solution, get out of the room. Ray realized the door was locked. Egon and Ray called out to Winston Zeddemore. Egon suggested going in the other direction. Ray sarcastically asked if they were going to stick their heads in the toilet. Winston used a fire extinguisher to smash the door down then used it to extinguish the photographs.

It was evening. Peter walked outside his building and tried to hail a taxi cab. Ecto-1a pulled up. Ray, Egon, and Winston came out wearing yellow rubber jackets. Ray announced they had incredible news. Peter joked it was all-you-can-eat barbecue rib night at the Sizzler. Egon briefed him on the photograph analysis and the connection to the river. Ray added they were going underground into the subway and sewer system to see if they could trace the source of the flow. Egon told Peter to change. Winston revealed Egon theorized there might even be a tremendous breeding surge in the cockroach population. Dana stepped out and greeted the guys. Peter told her what the guys were going to do and asked if she wanted to blow off dinner and go with them. Dana smiled, walked to the edge of the sidewalk, and called out for a taxi. Peter quipped.

Trivia

Ghostbusters II Trivia

• The Egon and Ray photo lab scene was filmed during reshoots to add a moment of danger. This was filmed on April 5, 1989 at Burbank Studios.
• Egon mentions Multi-planar Kirlian emanations. Kirlian photography is a collection of photographic techniques used to capture the phenomenon of electrical coronal discharges. Semyon Kirlian believed it supposedly measured the "auras" of a living being.
• Ray mentions the magazine Gentleman's Quarterly.
• Egon mentions Roentgens, a unit of ionizing radiation or the amount producing one electrostatic unit of positive or negative ionic charge in one cubic centimeter of air under standard conditions.
• Ray mentions when he first saw the River of Slime in Chapter 8: Down the Shaft.
• In the August 5, 1988 Draft, on page 58, Egon and Ray arrive at Lane's apartment to take Peter underground to investigate the surge in insects. Peter's 'All you can eat' line appears.
• In the September 29, 1988 draft
  • On page 70, Egon, Ray, and Winston arrive outside Peter's door to invite him to their sewer investigation. Peter guesses an all-you-can-eat barbecue at Sizzler.
    • In the movie, they approach Peter outside his apartment. This becomes an alternate scene.
  • On page 72, they pass by Janine Melnitz and Louis Tully in the hall. Peter jokes they were helping change a diaper. Janine survey's Peter's apartment and asks him if he really lives there. Peter jokes it's a front and his real apartment is behind one of the walls.
    • In the movie, this is omitted.
  • On page 73, Peter is okay with Louis joining and tells him he doesn't want to come home and find them humping on his couch.
    • In the movie, this scene is omitted.
• In the November 27, 1988 draft:
  • On page 86 to 87, the Ghostbusters knock on Peter's front door then invite him to the sewer investigation. Egon thinks there could be a roach surge because animals and lower life forms often anticipate major disasters.
    • In the movie, the Ghostbusters pull up and talk to Peter outside the building. The reason for the surge is omitted. This becomes the Sewer Invitation alternate scene.
  • On page 87, they pass by Janine and Louis in the hall. Peter jokes they were helping change a diaper.
  • On page 88, Janine survey's Peter's apartment and asks him if he really lives there. Peter is okay with Louis joining and tells him he doesn't want to come home and find them humping on his couch.
• In the February 27, 1989 draft, Janine and Louis are not part of the scene.
• The tie worn by Peter for his dinner date with Dana was kept by Joe Medjuck.
• Ecto-1a pulling up to Peter filmed at 644 Broadway in New York City on March 31, 1989.
• Peter mentions the restaurant chain Sizzler.

IDW Comics Trivia

• In Ghostbusters Annual 2015:
  • On Page 19, in panel 2, left of Egon's boots is "Thai Mexican," two ideas Egon proposed to Ray for take out as they analyzed the photographs of Vigo in the second movie.

Tertiary Canon Trivia

• On page 13 of Egon's Journal, a supplement of the Hasbro Haslab Ghostbusters Plasma Series Spengler's Proton Pack, there is a reference to Chapter 17: Fire-Trapped:
  • The photograph of Vigo and the mention of running it through the Spectral analyzer.
• In Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, as of April 20, 2023, the Sewer Explorer Suit and Hard Headed helmet are a nod to the outfit worn by Egon, Ray, and Winston when they go underground.

See Also

• Deleted Scene: Sewer Invitation

Gallery

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Chapter 16: Vigo 101	Chapter 18: In the Tunnel