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Peter's Date with Zuul is the nineteenth chapter on the DVD of Ghostbusters. In this chapter Peter arrives at Dana's apartment for their date only to find her possessed by Zuul.

Cast[]

Locations[]

Plot[]

Peter Venkman stepped out of a yellow taxi cab with a bouquet of flowers. Police officers took statements from witnesses outside the Shandor Building. Peter asked a police officer what happened. A police officer stopped taking statements from the Doorman and a neighbor and looked up at Peter. The officer remarked some moron brought a cougar to a party, and it went berserk. Peter walked towards the door. The Doorman stepped over and opened them. Peter stated he was going up to Dana Barrett's. The Doorman nodded and showed him in.

Peter stepped out into the hall of the 22ndth floor, turned his head left, walked down the hall, and looked in Louis's apartment. Louis' guests gave their statements to officers inside. A woman spelled out Louis's last name.The police officer turned and looked at Peter. Peter turned and continued walking. A woman exclaimed, "No!" A man stated Louis Tully ran out. Peter knocked on Dana's door. Dana answered but she was possessed by Zuul. Eerie music played. She had wild hair and wore a bright orange dress. He commented that was a different look for her. She asked Peter if he was the Keymaster. Peter replied he was not, not that he knew of. She slammed the door in his face. He tried to look through peephole then he knocked again. She opened the door again and asked if he was the Keymaster.

Peter lied he was and made his way inside Dana's apartment. He lied he was a friend of his and he told him to meet him at her apartment. He inquired about her name. She stated she was Zuul, the Gatekeeper. A glass case in the living room was dripping with Ectoplasm. The kitchen door looked charred. He asked Zuul what they were going to do. She answered they must prepare for the coming of Gozer. Dana went into the bedroom and got on the bed. Peter played along. She referred to Gozer as The Destructor. Peter walked to doorway. He asked if they were still going out. He suggested she pick up the place if she was expecting someone. Dana sat up against the headboard. She asked him if he wanted this body. Peter asked if that was a trick question and joked the roses worked. She urged him to take her now. Peter quipped they never talked anymore. Dana grabbed him and pulled him down on the bed. He told her to take it easy and he made it a rule never to get involved with possessed people. She kissed him. Peter clarified it was more of a guideline than a rule. He rolled them over. She stated she wanted him insider her. Peter chuckled and quickly turned her down. He remarked it sounded like she had at least two people in there already. Peter broke off and went off the bed. She sat up. He urged her to just quit trying to upset and disturb him and to relax. He fixed her skirt and covered her legs then pushed her back down on her back and instructed her to put her hands on her chest. He asked to talk to Dana. She stated there was no Dana, only Zuul. Peter refused to believe that and kept asking for Dana. Dana smiled a vicious smile. The deep scary voice of Zuul emanated from her. Zuul repeated there was no Dana, only Zuul. Peter joked she must have lovely singing voice. He stated he was going to count to three and if he could not talk to Dana, there was going to be some real trouble. After Peter started counting, Dana's eyes fluttered and turned white. After "two," she turned her head side to side. After "two and a half," the voice of Zuul screamed out. Dana rose above the bed. Peter took it all in and slowly stood up. She turned over to face the bed. Peter peered up at her as he sat. Peter pleaded with her to come down. Zuul suddenly roared. He recoiled.

Quotes[]

Dana/Zuul: Are you the Keymaster?
Dana/Zuul: Do you want this body?

Peter: Is this a trick question?

Dana/Zuul: Take me now, subcreature.
Peter: I make it a rule never to get involved with possessed people.

[Dana kisses him passionately]
Peter: Actually it's more of a guideline than a rule.

Dana/Zuul: I want you inside me.

Peter: [laughs] Go ahead. No, I can't. Sounds like you got at least two people in there already. Might be a little crowded.

Dana/Zuul: There is no Dana, only Zuul.

Peter: What a lovely singing voice you must have.

Trivia[]

Ghostbusters (1984) Trivia[]

  • In the July 6, 1983 draft:
    • On page 74, Peter takes Dana/Zuul on a date. They walk toward a restaurant and Dana/Zuul comments on the city. They enter a restaurant and sit down. As they are seated, men in the restaurant ogle Zuul which makes Peter uncomfortable. He orders them dinner: veal and white wine.
    • On page 76, Louis/Vinz enters the same restaurant. Louis doesn't cross paths and Peter nor Dana/Zuul make reference to Louis. Louis/Vinz argues with Maitre D' who denies him a table when Vinz asks if he's the "keeper of the first portal". He gets frustrated during the argument and lets out an unearthly roar, covering the Maitre D' in slime.
    • On page 79, Dana/Zuul and Peter see a horse and carriage as they walk back to her apartment post-dinner. Zuul feels sorry for the horse and kisses it compassionately. They go back to Dana's apartment and Peter tries to calm her down in bed (as in the final movie). He is able to hypnotize her and in this version, Peter is actually able to talk to Dana. He tells her she's having a psychotic break and that she will go sleep on his command. Peter gets her to fall asleep and leaves her room. After he leaves, she begins to levitate.
  • When Peter shows up at the Shandor building for his date, the exterior was filmed in a back lot of Columbia Studios.[1]
  • The actor who portrays the Doorman is different than the actor used in the New York shoots because the decision was made to save money from the expense of bringing the New York actor to Los Angeles.[2]
  • On his resume, the late Ric Mancini listed his character as Patrolman Bill Young.[3] In the end credits, his character is listed as "Policeman at Apartment."
  • The man who exchanges greetings with Dana at the elevator in Chapter 06: Spook Central gives his statement to the Policeman at Apartment.
  • As Peter peers into Louis's apartment, a woman can be heard spelling out Louis's last name to the police officer.
  • A man states Louis ran out the door, as seen last chapter.
  • Theoni Aldredge chose a lavender dress for when Dana was possessed by Zuul but Bill Murray suggested orange. Aldredge and Suzy Benzinger took influence from "Flashdance" went with a Jennifer Beals sort of dress.[4]
  • The hall and apartment scenes were filmed at Stage 12 and 18 at The Burbank Studios in Los Angeles.
  • For possessed Dana's hair, Sigourney Weaver suggested that it should look like she was electrified, other-earthly, and unlike anything Dana would logically do.[5]
  • Possessed Dana mentions The Keymaster and Gozer.
  • The dialogue in the bedroom scene was not improvised.[6]
  • Ivan Reitman provided Dana's demonic Zuul voice.[7][8]
  • During the shot of possessed Dana levitating, Sigourney Weaver was placed in a fiberglass body shell concealed beneath her flowing gown. It wasn't discovered until later in dailies, but the shadow of the motorized support bar was seen moving up and down the wall. The shot was redone with a new lighting scheme.[9][10]
  • The bar was supposed to be hidden in the drapery. Ivan Reitman purposefully kept the camera level at the same level so the audience couldn't see it.[11]
  • The levitating trick inspired by Doug Henning's flying trick on "Merlin" on Broadway. Ivan Reitman directed it.[12]
  • The bedroom scene also had to be re-shot because Sheldon Kahn and the other editors noticed a crew member in the shot sitting over in the far corner of the room.[13][14][15][16]
  • In Chapter 22: Holding Cell, Peter alludes to what he experienced with the possessed Dana.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trivia[]

  • Possessed Callie Spengler repeats to Phoebe Spengler, "There is no Mom, only Zuul."
  • It is revealed Zuul materializes a shiny dress from her host's clothing.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Trivia[]

  • On page 124 of the February 11, 2008 draft revision of Ghostbusters: The Video Game, Peter alludes to when he saw the possessed Dana Barrett levitate above her bed.[17]

IDW Comics Trivia[]

  • On page 4 of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #14, Peter is wearing the attire he wore in the first movie, from Chapter 19 "Peter's Date with Zuul" to Chapter 24 "Biblical".
  • On the Story So Far page of Ghostbusters Volume 2 Issue #19, the title of this issue's story "...At Least Two" appears to have a double meaning - Ray is possessed by Gozer and Tiamat and the title is a callback to one of Peter's lines when he meets the possessed Dana in the first movie.
  • On the Retailer Exclusive Cover of Ghostbusters: Funko Universe, Dana is in the red dress she wore while possessed by Zuul.
  • On Cover B of Ghostbusters Year One Issue #3 is a Post-It note reminder to meet Dana Barrett after practice and bring flowers, a nod to Peter's bouquet in Chapter 19: Peter's Date with Zuul.

References[]

  1. Ivan Reitman (2005). Ghostbusters- Commentary (2005) (DVD ts. 55:05-55:14). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "And this was the street we created in the back lot of Columbia... Columbia Studios. "
  2. Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 124 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Paragraph reads: "Because shooting time ran out in New York, Venkman's entrance into Dana's apartment house was not shot at the 55 Central Park West location -- but rather at a facsimile of its ground floor constructed at the Columbia Ranch in Burbank for the later sinkhole sequence. Rather than go to the expense of bringing the New York 'doorman' to Los Angeles, a different, but similar-looking actor was hired for the pickup scene."
  3. Scan of Ric Mancini's Resume
  4. Wallace, Daniel (2015). Ghostbusters The Ultimate Visual History, p. 28. Insight Editions, San Rafael CA USA, ISBN 9781608875108. Suzy Benzinger says: "Bill picked out the color. Theoni wanted to put her in a lavender dress, but Bill said, I think it should be orange.' We were trying to use a dress that looked sort of dated and weird and strange. Flashdance had been out for a while, and it was very outre to have that off-the-shoulder look. We did it as a Jennifer Beal sort of dress."
  5. Wallace, Daniel (2015). Ghostbusters The Ultimate Visual History, p. 28. Insight Editions, San Rafael CA USA, ISBN 9781608875108. Line reads: "I said, I wanted my hair to be like I've been electrified, like I put my finger in a socket.' I wanted to my make up to be – not really Bride of Frankenstein – but to be other-earthly, and unlike anything that would logically happen to Dana."
  6. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 57:15-57:18). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "And that was written. A lot of people think that that was improvised."
  7. Ivan Reitman (2005). Ghostbusters- Commentary (2005) (DVD ts. 56:49-57:02). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "I actually do the voice, the deep voice of...that's me. I did Slimer and the voice that comes out of her here. "
  8. Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 127 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Paragraph reads: "In an unusual twist on the directorial cameo, Dana's demonic voice -- reminiscent of Mercedes McCambridge's intonations in The Exorcist -- was actually that of Ivan Reitman. Reitman, in fact, provided all of the unearthly voices in the film, except that of Gozer."
  9. Shay, Don (November 1985). Making Ghostbusters, p. 128 annotation. New York Zoetrope, New York NY USA, ISBN 0918432685. Paragraph reads: "Members of Chuck Gaspar's physical effects team make adjustments to the levitation rig employed to lift Dana off the bed and roll her over in midair. During the shot, Sigourney Weaver was placed in a fiberglass body shell concealed beneath her flowing gown. Attached at the waist was a motorized support bar which extended out through a hidden slot in the rear wall. The effect worked well on the first take -- in fact, not until later in dailies did anyone notice that the support bar shadow could be seen moving up and down the wall. As a result, the shot had to be reaccomplished with a different lighting scheme."
  10. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 57:51-58:05). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "Now she's got a full body cast on to take the weight--her weight... as she starts to rise. And it's on a pivot. It's got a built-in steel band around it that pivots around an arm that..."
  11. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 58:06-58:17). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "Hidden in the drapery that you can't see because of the camera angle. I always kept the level of the camera at the same level as the horizontal pole, so that you can't see it on film."
  12. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 55:36-56:14). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "Yeah. The-- In fact... I did this show "Merlin" on Broadway with Doug Henning and he had a flying... He had a flying trick in the show. And that's where I learned how we could do this sort of 360-degree turn, which is a very tough thing to pull off live. So this next sequence is all live, there are no special--no optical effects in it at all. It was all done... And I think it's what allows the actors to both improvise... and respond to the reality of that situation in a way that you can't when you're, sort of, pretending with optical effects."
  13. Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 58:27-58:35). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "Now we had to re-shoot this scene. Because we're sitting in dailies saying how good it was and Shelley, I think, said, "Look over in the corner," and you could see a shadow of the arm."
  14. Ivan Reitman (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 58:36-58:42). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Ivan Reitman says: "No, it wasn't the arm. No, you saw a guy. There was a guy in the shot. Yeah, I think he was sitting way over there, in the far corner."
  15. Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 58:42-58:43). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "No one was looking at him, except the editors."
  16. Joe Medjuck (1999). Ghostbusters- Commentary (1999) (DVD ts. 58:46-58:50). Columbia TriStar Home Video. Joe Medjuck says: "We had to go back. Nowadays you go optically to take it out."
  17. Dille, Flint & Platten, John Z. (2009). Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Draft Revision February 11, 2008) (Script p. 124). Peter Venkman says: "What can I say? I've got a thing for levitating women."


Gallery[]

Primary Canon[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Secondary Canon[]

 
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