Geeks abound were excited at the announcement that Ghostbusters 3 is going to happen. However, there was some uncertainty on whether or not Bill Murray will be reprising his iconic role as Dr. Peter Venkman. Many would admit that Murray’s performance made Ghostbusters as funny as it ended up being. While we don’t know what direction the script is going to go, early reports about the possible film had Bill Murray stating he would like to come back as a ghost in a third chapter. Along this same line, some would actually like to see a film that more resembles the Ghostbuster’s cartoon reboot with a new team of Ghostbusters under the tutelage of an aged Egon Spengler. This would be an interesting take, but would definitely have a different feel and humor without Murray’s Venkman.

This got me thinking in regards to the Bill Murray films that every geek should see at least once because, as noted in Zombieland, he really is an iconic actor. Today, we’re going to take a look at five films that not only entertained masses to become classics, but what they mean for the geek community as a whole.

Stripes

This comedy hit theaters in mid-1981 and really just set the bar for pretty much any screwball buddy movie that came after it. It centers around two friends, Murray and Harold Ramis, who decide to join the Army to meet girls. Murray’s character stands out as a misfit that really doesn’t mesh with the army mentality and hilarity ensues as his antics ruffle the feathers of their commanding officer, played by John Larroquette. Other films repeated this formula which places two buddies into an unfamiliar setting that contradicts the personalities of the main characters. One notable attempt to recreate the comedy of this film would be In the Army Now with Pauly Shore.

Why this is important for geeks

Beyond the comedy, this movie really speaks to anyone who is labeled a misfit or felt like one. Especially when we wish we could retaliate in our own special brand of mayhem against the status quo.

Groundhog Day

Time travel stands as one of the most difficult elements to tame when it comes to creating a story. Things could very quickly derail and the story get lost in all the what-if scenarios; chaos theory definitely plays havoc in these situations. Groundhog Day instead chooses to embrace this theory to hilarious results. Murray’s character finds himself stuck in an endless loop of reliving the same day over and over again. What is amazing about the film is that it really delves into the pathos of what it means to exist and live, then how a person would react when they realize they live in a world with absolutely no lingering consequences.

Why this is important for geeks

This concept really broke the mold in terms of storytelling. Prior to this film, the time loop concept never really played a central role. Of course, we can see this storyline explored in other sci-fi/fantasy shows such as Supernatural, Angel, Daybreak, and others. After Back to the Future, this is one of the first films to mainstream such an abstract sci-fi concept. Beyond that, it successfully played as a comedy and is regarded as one of the best comedies by the American Film Institute.

Scrooged

Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol has seen countless interpretations, several of those attempting to modernize the classic tale. It has seen Muppets, McDucks, Looney Tunes, Mister Magoo, and the Flintstones to name a few. This film sought to modernize it by bringing it into the heart of New York City in a time that was already increasingly cynical and lacking in that certain playful irreverence that we, as geeks, enjoy and live for. The concept of A Christmas Carol already possesses many of the usual fantasy tropes with spirits, ghosts, and time travel, but Scrooged pulls off the movie within a movie theme really well which is also a difficult line to tap dance around. Of course, we know how the movie ends, with the miserly cynic finding new faith because of divine intervention.

Why this is important to geeks

Okay, really, this is just a funny movie and your life is lesser by not seeing it. So there.

Lost In Translation

Sophia Coppola’s second venture into filmmaking showed that you could really beat your own records. Winning the Academy Award for Best Screenplay and garnering several other nominations, this film speaks to anyone who ever felt like an outsider. Translation places us into a world where we don’t know the culture, the scenery, or the language. Very much an outsider looking in, Bill Murray showed amazing talent in his performance reacting to this simple event. Playing an actor in Japan to film a commercial, his inability to acclimate to the time shift leads him to experience late night adventures with another hotel visitor Charlotte, played by Scarlet Johansson. Very much a slice of life story it shares a lot of the same characteristics as some anime of the same genre.

Why this is important to geeks

As stated before, this film speaks directly to the heart of what every geek has felt at one time or another. Even in this country, we can find ourselves in a situation where we are completely out of place in culture, appearance, and even language. Every social circle has its own way of speaking and conversation, and being on the outside looking in is even easier to label yourself as the outsider. This movie illustrates that unique moment of finding a kindred spirit in the sea of humanity.

Ghostbusters

A film that really should not need any introduction. Ghostbusters stands as one of the most quoted films made in the 20th century. This is also one of the most popular films to bring sci-fi/fantasy into the mainstream popularity. For those who are not familiar with this movie, it centers around a group of scientists who decide to utilize their skills to start hunting and catching ghosts on the level of being paranormal exterminators. Along the way, they stumble on the machinations of a ancient Sumerian deity itching to make a comeback. This movie forever ingrained phrases like “Keymaster,” what to say when someone asks you if you’re a God, “Crossing the Streams,” “Who’re you gonna call?”, and so many others. Geek media continues to reference characters and lines from this movie in places such as World of Warcraft, How I Met Your Mother, and Starcraft II.

Why this is important for geeks

This is one of the movies that helped us start pushing into the mainstream. Being the most successful comedy of the 1980s, it has utterly saturated popular culture almost on par with the original Star Wars trilogy. Flat out, every geek should see this movie. If anything, to know what your friends are referring to when rolling D20s or shouting mid-raid just before a boss pull. Just for the record, “Let’s show this prehistoric b*%#h how we do things downtown,” is what I like to macro on my Warlock just before the Tank’s opening pull.