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Scaring the Straights is the nineteenth chapter on the DVD of Ghostbusters II. In this chapter, Egon, Ray and Winston get thrown out of the restaurant and go see the Mayor.

Cast[]

Environmental[]

Locations[]

Plot[]

A waiter placed a plate down for Peter Venkman as he spoke to Dana Barrett. Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler and Winston Zeddemore entered Armand's Restaurant still in their slimed long underwear. Winston asked if they were sure this was the right place. Ray was positive Peter mentioned Armand's. The Maître D' tried to talk. Egon informed him it was right. Ray promised they were going inside for a minute. They spotted Dana and Peter. Ray shouted his name. They shouted and walked over, to Peter's dismay. The Maitre D' followed them and asked them to please get out of his restaurant. Ray exclaimed it was absolutely incredible. The Maître D' yelled they could not come inside. Ray claimed it was the greatest tangible evidence of psychic energy in years. The Maître D' asked them leave because they were disturbing his guests. Ray told him to wait just a second. Peter talked at the top of his voice to get their undivided attention. He pointed out they were scaring the straights and asked if it could wait until tomorrow. Egon stated it could not wait because things were hot and ready to pop. Ray agreed and the slime was all over and under the city. Winston added there were rivers full of it. Egon revealed it was all flowing right to the museum. Ray exclaimed and threw out his arm to point towards the museum and ectoplasm was tossed around. Some landed on a woman's dress. She was disgusted and asked what it was. Ray spoke in a normal tone and apologized. Dana was concerned they were talking about the Manhattan Museum of Art. Peter confessed he was going to tell her between the dessert and the cheese course. "On Our Own" began to play. The Maitre D' returned to Peter and Dana's table with two police officers. Peter instructed Dana she could never go back to the museum again and she had to find a new job. Ray explained the slime was a psychomagnotheric plasm. Egon added it affected behavior. Ray talked about by they were fighting. Winston stated he held Ray by the throat. The officers attempted to get their attention. Ray declared they had see the mayor! The officers each corralled Ray and Egon towards the door with Winston talking to them. The Maitre D', the slimed patron, and the slimed patron's date followed them. Peter and Dana got up from their table.

The officers drove their police squad car up to the front door of Gracie Mansion and sounded its siren. The snippet of "On Our Own" ended. The doorman opened the passenger door. The Ghostbusters got out. The officer driving opened his door. The doorman was amazed to see the Ghostbusters. Peter asked him how he was doing. The doorman showed them the way and opened the front door for them then asked if he could get a Proton Pack for his little brother. Egon stated the pack was not a toy. Ray turned to the doorman in the doorway and admitted Egon was right.

Dana entered Peter's apartment and turned on the lights. Louis jumped off the couch in shock. He knocked over a stand. Janine peeked at Dana. Louis rambled about how they were just baby-sitting, watching television, eating, and one thing led to another. Dana told him it was all right. Louis assured her it he did not know anything was going to happen. Janine got up and adjusted her dress. She asked Dana how her date went. Dana stated it was not date, it was just dinner. Louis asked where Peter was. Dana placed her purse down and informed them Peter was arrested. Janine found that typical. Dana asked if Peter called. Louis told her nobody called. She asked how Oscar was. Janine assured her he was fine and a good baby. He was a little fussy at first, then they just gave him some French bread pizza and he passed right out. Dana was glad and decided to peek in on him. Louis sighed in relief. Dana leaned in on Oscar, who was asleep. Louis wondered if they should leave. Janine was not sure about leaving Dana alone. Louis agreed. They dropped back on the couch together.

A butler opened the doors of the Gracie Mansion study. Mayor Lenny entered. There was a reception going on elsewhere in the mansion. The Ghostbusters greeted him with open arms. Mayor Lenny was not so cheerful. Winston offered his hand out to shake. Mayor Lenny looked at him, in his slime drenched long underwear. Winston awkwardly pulled his hand away. Mayor Lenny asked if there was a slumber party going on. Jack Hardemeyer snickered. The Ghostbusters all talked at once. Mayor Lenny stopped them and declared they had two minutes to talk to him. Ray stated it was a great pleasure to see him again, and almost 50% of them voted for him in the last election. Mayor Lenny appreciated it. Peter apologized they always had to meet under these circumstances. Ray informed him a psychomagnotheric slime flow of immense proportions was building up beneath the city. Mayor Lenny had no idea what he said. Egon repeated "psychomagnotheric." Peter quipped it was a big word. Egon explained negative human emotions were materializing in the form of a viscous, psychoreactive plasm with explosive supernormal potential. Mayor asked if anybody spoke English. Winston volunteered and told him all the bad feelings, all the hate, the anger and vibes of the city was turning into the sludge. Winston admitted he did not believe it at first either, but they just went for a swim in it and ended up almost killing each other. Jack found it all preposterous. Peter asked him to stop his lips from flapping for two little minutes then went over and touched Jack's lips. Peter asked Mayor Lenny if he had been out on the street lately because it got weird lately. He estimated there was three million completely miserable assholes living in the tristate area. Jack rolled his eyes. Peter adjusted his claim to three million and one. Jack took offense. Ray emphasized they had to do something fast or the whole place was going to blow like a frog on a hot plate. Jack was skeptical. Mayor Lenny asked them what he was supposed to do and balked at the notion of going on television and telling ten million people they had to be nice to each other. He stated being miserable and treating other people like dirt was every New Yorker's God-given right. He declared their two minutes were up and bid them good night. Mayor Lenny left the room as they called out. Egon told him to wait. Ray promised he was making a big mistake. Peter called it a very newsworthy mistake. He mused the Times was going be interested and the polls were going to go down. Jack became alarmed. Winston pitched the headline, "Mayor Hides Slime." Ray suggested, "Times Square Slime". Egon thought of "Slime Square". Ray liked Slime Square. Jack asked them if they would consider telling some of their people downtown about the slime. They seemed amiable. Peter told it had to be done right away.

The Ghostbusters exclaimed as they were led through Parkview Psychiatric Hospital in straitjackets. Ray shouted, "It all comes back" was going to happen. One of the police officers from Armand's and Gracie Mansion opened the doors. He seemed conflicted. Ray shouted they just wanted to help save the city, state, and world from danger. An orderly warned him. Jack spoke to a psychiatric doctor and lied that the mayor wanted the Ghostbusters kept under strict observation for the next few days because they thought they were seriously disturbed and potentially dangerous. The doctor promised they would do whatever was necessary. Jack thanked him and left.

Janosz venerated Vigo. Vigo's giant head appeared in the painting and stated, "I, Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia..." Janosz stood in a circles of candles laid out on the floor. Janosz noted he heard the introduction before. Vigo continued, "--the sorrow of Moldavia..." Janosz got impatient. Vigo commanded him. Janosz asked Vigo to command him. Vigo stated the season of evil began with the birth of an new year. Janosz was pleased. Vigo told him to bring a child so he could live again. Janosz made a pitch for getting to have Dana after he brought Oscar. He touched the flame on one of the candles then quickly pulled back. Vigo obliged him and declared she would be theirs, a wife to Janosz and his new mother. Janosz hopped up and spun around in elation then thanked him.

Trivia[]

Ghostbusters II Trivia[]

  • In the August 5, 1988 draft
    • On page 63, Ray and Egon enter the Memphis caked with mashed bugs and some sort of foul muck.
    • On page 64, Ray reveals he and Egon fell into a slime pit full of bugs and rodents.
  • In the September 29, 1988 draft:
    • On page 57, after Ray and Egon first share their findings on the Psychomagnotheric Slime, Peter ponders the implications and estimates there are at least two million miserable assholes in the five boroughs with bad vibes.
      • In the movie, Peter's two million line is used when the Ghostbusters meet with the Mayor in this chapter.
    • On page 78, Ray, Egon, and Winston enter dripping with foul muck.
      • In the movie, Ray, Egon, and Winston's sewer investigation is shown.
    • On page 79, taking note of Lane Walker's reaction Peter takes them aside and tells them he realizes they have no personal lives but he would like to score at least once a year.
      • In the movie, Peter yells at them at the table that they are scaring the straights.
    • On page 80, Ray takes out a street map. Lane points out the slime flows right around the museum.
      • In the movie, no map is used and they just excitedly tell them about their discovery.
  • In the November 27, 1988 draft:
    • On page 94, Peter tells Egon, Ray, and Winston that Armand's is really kind of a coat and tie place.
    • On page 95, Dana suggests they talk someplace else but the police arrive and tells the Ghostbusters they are out of uniform. Ray realizes they look ridiculous.
    • On page 96, the police are hesitant to take them to Gracie Mansion because there is a big official dinner going on. The cop recognizes Peter from The World of the Psychic and tells him it's one of his two favorite shows. He tells him not to tell him the other, a callback to when he met Rudy the Museum Guard. He asks the cop to call the Mayor and tell him the city is in danger otherwise they'll be going to the New York Times.
    • On page 97, Peter jokes at the Mayor's party there's tons of bad caviar, Iranian terrorists, one in every five eggs is poisoned one and they know which ones, and they have to get there before the canapes. The cop frowns. Peter tells him to just make the call.
  • In the February 27, 1989 draft:
    • On page 95, Ray insists they need to see the Mayor. A cop ends up arm locking Peter. Peter tells Dana to finish the dessert and it's all paid for.
    • On page 96, Peter looks at the cops' name badges for when the Mayor asks them why they didn't let him know sooner what was happening. The cops relent to tell them to follow them.
  • The interiors were filmed at Val's on Riverside Drive in California.[1][2]
  • The man eating dinner with the woman who gets slimed by Ray is Peter Mosen, a famous Ghostbusters fan.
  • Ray, Winston, and Egon talk about the River of Slime and their fight in the previous chapter.
  • When Peter admits to Dana he was going to tell her about the slime between the dessert and the cheese course, "On Our Own" plays.
  • In the August 5, 1988 Draft:
    • On pages 82-83, the Ghostbusters arrive at Gracie Mansion where the Mayor is already waiting for them. He wants to keep their involvement a secret or risk his job. He asks the Ghostbusters for their help and offers to indemnify and insure the Ghostbusters against any and all damage claims resulting from anything done while in the employ of the city. The Ghostbusters agree and hold a meeting with all city department and agency heads and major business and community leaders.
    • On page 85, Egon explains negative human emotions generate measurable amounts of psychomagnetic energy. Ray elaborates about 65 GeVs per person. Peter's '3 million miserable people' line comes up.
    • On page 86, the Mayor's 'you're telling me that if people don't stop being nasty to each other' line appears. The NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw is interrupted with the Ghostbusters and Mayor at The World of the Psychic set.
    • On page 95, Winston walks in on Louis and Janine making out and retorts he 'knows what you were doing'.
  • In the September 29, 1988 Draft:
    • On page 84, the Ghostbusters meet with the Mayor, City Council, and heads of departments in secret at the City Council Chambers because they don't want to start a panic.
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
    • On page 85, the Mayor mentions the Titanic. Peter quips, "Better late than never." Before they agree to help, Peter points out to the Mayor the last time they helped the city, he stiffed them and brings up "Ancient Sumerians, big lizard dogs, and a hundred-foot marshmallow man." Peter wants them to be paid upfront this time.
      • In the movie, the Dock Supervisor has the "Better late than never" line. The rest is omitted.
    • On page 86, the Mayor tells them he is prepared to indemnify and insure them against any and all damage claims. Winston request to have his parking tickets fixed, too. The Ghostbusters explain anarchy and chaos threatens the world. Ray likens it to the Fall of Rome, the Hundred Year War, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution, and two World Wars.
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
    • On page 87, the Ghostbusters stipulate that everyone being nice to each other will prevent things from getting any worse. The Mayor is adamant being miserable and treating other people like dirt is every New Yorker's God-given right. He asks what they're supposed to do, go on television and tell people to be nice to one another. The NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw is interrupted by the Ghostbusters and Mayor
      • In the movie, the Mayor's line appears earlier during the meeting with the Ghostbusters. The rest is omitted.
    • On page 88, the Ghostbusters and Mayor present a special edition of the World of the Psychic. The Mayor declares a state of emergency. Peter states everyone has to lighten up for a couple of days.
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
    • On page 89, a hotline 1-800-SHAPE-UP is presented. Priests, rabbis, and licensed psychotherapists are on stand by to counsel people. Egon lists Cumbaya, All You Need Is Love, Give Peace a Chance, It's a Small World, and Ray Steven's Everything is Beautiful are listed as songs that have a calming effect. The first chorus of Everything is Beautiful is sung by the Ghostbusters and City Council.
      • In the movie, the sole song is Higher and Higher.
    • On page 90, at a bar, a stevedore and a trucker get into it. A tremor rumbles. They get nervous and sing. On a crowded city bus, lady enters with an armload of packages.
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
    • On page 91, everyone one the bus greats her with a rousing welcome. In Madison Square Garden, the New York Islanders and Chicago Blackhawks clear their benches for a brawl but a tremor cracks the ice. The organist plays "Everything is Beautiful."
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
    • On page 92, two players smile sweetly at each other and reveal they have a lot of teeth already missing.
      • In the movie, the scene is omitted.
  • In the November 27, 1988 Draft:
    • On page 97, Peter jokes at the Mayor's party there's tons of bad caviar, Iranian terrorists, one in every five eggs is poisoned one and they know which ones, and they have to get there before the canapes. The cop frowns. Peter tells him to just make the call. Ecto-2, later Ecto-1a, drives to Gracie Mansion. The Ghostbusters are given police raincoats to wear. The Mayor is already in his study and grumbles he has 200 of the heaviest campaign contributors in the city eating a bad roast chicken waiting for him to give the speech of his life. Winston suggests they tell him about the Animated Toaster. They start thinking about going to the Times or the Post.
      • In the movie, only the police car is seen driving to Gracie. Egon, Ray, and Winston are still in their long underwear. The Mayor walks into the study to meet with them. He doesn't note his contributors.
    • On page 97, the Ghostbusters are in a padded cell in Bellevue Hospital talking to a psychiatrist. Louis returns to Peter's apartment to inform her he found the guys.
      • In the movie, the hospital is Parkview Psychiatric Hospital and the discussion with the psychiatrist is a little later on.
    • On page 98-99, Vigo's speech is a little longer and he mentions he watched for centuries and waited for the time when the tide of men's sins would well to bring him forth again. There is a scene of the Ghostbusters in Bellevue lounge area and Ray predicts "Shitstorm 2000" is about to begin. Winston wonders if the predictions about the world ending in the 90s was true.
  • In the February 27, 1989 Draft:
    • On page 97, Dana starts to change her clothes when she checks on Oscar. Ecto-2 drives to Gracie Mansion. The Ghostbusters are given police raincoats to wear. The Mayor is already in his study and grumbles he has 200 of the heaviest campaign contributors in the city eating a bad roast chicken waiting for him to give the speech of his life. Winston suggests they tell him about the Animated Toaster.
    • On page 101 to 104, there is a scene of the Ghostbusters in the Parkview Psychiatric Hospital lounge area and Ray predicts "Shitstorm 2000" is about to begin. Winston wonders if the predictions about the world ending in the 90s was true. A patient in the room tells them his Labrador Retriever told him the world ends in 1997. Peter thinks Labradors are habitual liars. Louis pleads with his cousin Sherman Tully to help free the Ghostbusters but Sherman insists he's just a dermatologist at Parkview and can't. Louis reminds him he got him out of that bad tax shelter. Sherman remembers Louis got him in that bad tax shelter. Louis recalls he set him up with Diane Troxler. Sherman remembered that didn't pan out and he ended up giving Troxler free dermatology for a year.
  • The Gracie Mansion scene was filmed at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, California. Bill Murray and Harold Ramis previously filmed there during production of "Stripes" in 1981.[3][4]
  • The doorman is portrayed by Bobby Brown.
  • Winston mentions the River of Slime and their fight in the previous chapter.
  • Peter mentions the New York Times.
  • The guys mention Times Square and think of one of its nicknames, Slime Square, to use for a headline.
  • The Parkview interiors were filmed at the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Brentwood, California.[5]
  • The Psychiatric Doctor is portrayed by one of Bill Murray's brothers, Brian Doyle-Murray.
  • Jack tells the Psychiatric Doctor the Ghostbusters are "seriously disturbed and potentially dangerous."
    • Pursuant to New York State Mental Hygiene Law section 9.27, an alleged mentally ill person may be involuntarily committed to a mental health facility if:
      • Two physicians agree and present certifications that the person has a mental illness for which care and treatment in a mental hospital is essential to his or her welfare,
      • The person's judgment is too impaired for him or her to understand the need for such care and treatment,
      • Or, as a result of his or her mental illness, the person poses a substantial threat of harm to self or others. "Substantial threat of harm" may encompass (i) the person's refusal or inability to meet his or her essential need for food, shelter, clothing or health care, or (ii) the person's history of dangerous conduct associated with noncompliance with mental health treatment programs.
    • Upon arrival at a mental health facility, a staff psychiatrist of any hospital, other than one of the two original certifying doctors, must examine and confirm that the person meets the involuntary standard. The patient may be held involuntarily for up to 60 days. The patient may be held involuntarily beyond 60 days if the hospital applies for a court order of retention and the court is satisfied the patient continues to meet the Involuntary Standard.
  • The restoration room was filmed at Burbank Studios.
  • Vigo's floating head was filmed at ILM.
  • In Chapter 21: Tenth Level of Hell, Jack confesses to admitting the Ghostbusters to Parkview over the insinuation they were going to the press.
  • In the deleted scene Can You Get Into That Museum, Peter alludes to Jack committing the Ghostbusters to the Parkview Psychiatric Hospital in Chapter 19: Scaring The Straights.[6]

Ghostbusters: Afterlife Trivia[]

  • Callie Spengler downplays her date with Gary Grooberson, saying "it's just dinner" like when Dana Barrett downplayed her date with Peter in Ghostbusters II.

IDW Comics Trivia[]

See Also[]

Quotes[]

Peter: There seem to be three million completely miserable assholes living in the tri-state area.

Hardemeyer: Oh please.
Peter: I beg your pardon. Three million and one.

Vigo: So be it. On this day of darkness, she will be ours. Wife to you, and mother to me.

References[]

  1. Wallace, Daniel (2015). Ghostbusters The Ultimate Visual History, p. 151. Insight Editions, San Rafael CA USA, ISBN 9781608875108. Line reads: "Elsewhere, Val's on Riverside Drive (identified in dialogue as Armand's) served as the site of Peter and Dana's dinner date ."
  2. Wallace, Daniel (2015). Ghostbusters The Ultimate Visual History, p. 151. Insight Editions, San Rafael CA USA, ISBN 9781608875108. Tom Duffield says: "It was two blocks from the studio. It was the closest restaurant that still had an upscale feeling to it."
  3. Spook Central Shot on Site 7/16/12
  4. Joe Medjuck (2019). Ghostbusters II- Commentary (2019) (Blu-ray ts. 1:09:42-1:09:44). Sony Home Entertainment. Joe Medjuck says: "This, as I remember it, was shot at the Greystone Mansion."
  5. Wallace, Daniel (2015). Ghostbusters The Ultimate Visual History, p. 151. Insight Editions, San Rafael CA USA, ISBN 9781608875108. Tom Duffield says: "The interiors were set at the VA Medical Center in Brentwood. When they're coming out of the mental hospital in their ghostbusters uniforms, that was shot at a side door service entrance of the Biltmore Hotel."
  6. Peter Venkman (2022). Ghostbusters Ultimate Edition (2022), Ghostbusters II, Can You Get Into That Museum (1989) (Blu-ray ts. 00:19-00:23). Columbia Pictures. Peter Venkman says: "We tried to tell you last night but we all got thrown into the loony bin by Mr. Hard On."

Gallery[]

Episode Screen Caps[]

Collages and Edits[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Storyboards of Final Version[]

Storyboards of Previous Drafts[]

 
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