Home   •   Films   •   TV Series   •   Everything Else   •   Store   •   Help/Search   •   Credits/Contact   •   The Corner Penthouse
« Shot On Site - Ghostbusters 2016 Ben's Deli Deleted Shot Location VisitedHasbro 2020 Toy Fair - Attendee Report & Ghostbusters Product Line Details »

Ghostbusters Reference Review - Vibes

 By Paul Rudoff on Mar. 5, 2020 at 4:10 PM , Categories: Ghostbusters 1, References
Image

Most Ghostbusters references are short bits that can best be encapsulated with a small video clip, as evidenced by Spook Central's collection of Ghostbusters reference videos on Critical Commons. However, sometimes there's a reference for which a small clip won't do it justice. It is for these types of references that I have this reoccurring feature here at Spook Central, the Ghostbusters Reference Review.

Mill Creek Entertainment recently released Vibes (1988) onto Blu-ray, with a VHS-inspired slipsleeve. The film, which I just reviewed on The Corner Penthouse, stars Jeff Goldblum and Cyndi Lauper as a pair of psychics hired by a mysterious man played by Peter Falk to find treasure in South America.

After the opening sequence at the very foggy treasure site, we meet our ragtag group of psychics getting tested by a bunch of scientists at the Department of Para-Normal Studies Testing Laboratory in New York City.

Image

Geez, why does that seem awfully familiar?

Image

The first psychic being tested is Ingo Swedlin, portrayed by the awesomely-named Googy Gress. Ingo gets every question correct, except for when the tester is clearly not paying any attention to the card in his hand, thereby stymieing Ingo's own psychic abilities to read the man's mind.

Play Video

Image

Again, I'm getting deja vu, only I get the feeling that the test was not performed quite so legitimately last time.

Image

Vibes has other less direct connections to Ghostbusters. The film was released by Columbia Pictures', so there's that. The visual effects were handled by Richard Edlund, who also did those same duties for Ghostbusters. Also, co-star Peter Falk was one of the celebrity cameos in Ray Parker Junior's "Ghostbusters" music video.

Less obvious, and less direct, is star Cyndi Lauper. Cyndi has always reminded me of Janine Melnitz, as portrayed by Laura Summer, in the first season of The Real Ghostbusters. Both are quirky, unafraid to speak their mind, and I can't be the only one who thinks that their voices are oh-so-similar. I always wondered if this was just a coincidence, or if Laura based her voice for Janine on Cyndi, who was already established as a popular recording artist by 1986. Since the lovely Laura Summer is easy to get in touch with, I decided to ask her.
Q: Did you base your Janine Melnitz voice on Cyndi Lauper? If not, was it based on anyone?

A: No not Cyndi... Amalgam of my Mom & neighbors. [this was followed by another comment] Good ear Paul....The connection is we both grew up in Queens, NYC.
Since both Cyndi and Laura are from Queens, New York, it's not a surprise that Janine and Cyndi give off the same vibes (pun intended). I wouldn't be surprised to find out they were neighbors, or maybe even cousins. Hey, it's not like Ghostbusters hasn't already had weirder cross-overs.


For the complete list of Spook Central's Ghostbusters Reference Review posts from years past, check out the References category.

No feedback yet

Leave a comment


Click here to log in if you already have an account on this site.
Your email address will not be revealed on this site.
(Set cookies so I don't need to fill out my details next time)
(Allow users to contact me through a message form -- Your email will not be revealed!)

 
 
Who you gonna call?

Please answer the question above.
We ask for this in order to slow down spammers.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Please log in to avoid this antispam check.

Established August 1996
SpookCentral.tk


Search (Articles Only)

Ghostbusters Afterlife Posters For Sale

Ghostbusters Merch at Amazon.com

Ghostbusters Officially Licensed Amazon Store

Please be aware that as an Amazon Associate, I earn a very tiny commission from purchases made though the Amazon links on this site.

Want to see your product reviewed here? Click for details.

Official Spook Central Merchandise

www.BuyItHere.tk - Paul's Merchandise For Sale

COMMUNITY LINKS

NEWS
Ghostbusters Wiki
GB News
GB Fans
Ghostbusters Mania
GB Reboot Facebook
Proton Charging News Archive

FORUMS
GB Fans
EctoZone

OFFICIAL
Ghost Corps Facebook
Ghostbusters Facebook
Ghostbusters YouTube
Ghostbusters.com

In Loving Memory of Joel Richard Rudoff (July 28, 1944 - January 20, 2014)

In Loving Memory of Linda Joyce Rudoff (July 12, 1948 - November 29, 2015)

Doreen Mulman (May 22, 1961 - March 14, 2014)



Pirate Ship - Cheap USPS Postage
( MY COMPARISON REVIEW )
( AVOID SHIPPINGEASY/STAMPS.COM )

The Art Of Tristan Jones

James Eatock's eBay Auctions
U.S. eBay (Ghostbusters stuff)
U.K. eBay (Ghostbusters stuff)

  XML Feeds

AWARDS I'VE WON



CMS with Bootstrap