Ghostbusters: Afterlife

While original Ghostbuster actor Harold Ramis (who played Egon Spengler) passed away in 2014, he nevertheless appears to play a big role in this latest instalment of the franchise. In keeping with this new turn in the plot, with kids in command, Afterlife sounds remarkably different from the get-go in this new trailer, at least appearing to diverge somewhat from its comedic roots.

In the first moments, we hear plaintive piano and a notably dramatic move from the initial chord to its chromatic mediant—in other words, moving outside the key, in pursuit of a particularly strong emotional reaction in the harmonic traditions of fantasy film and trailers. The music oscillates between these two chords, adding a voiceless choir at 0:27 to complement the shot of the open road.

Glimmering glockenspiel is added at 0:40, and below it the strings become much more active. This dynamic is mirrored in the dialogue and on-screen action: “Well, I wouldn’t say nothing,” someone explains about the house the family inherits from Egon as its lights shake and flicker.

By the minute mark, we’re on to the next segment of the trailer, introduced by the director’s title card and a mixed-mode motif in the strings (a descending melody including both the minor sixth and major third of the key, for those keeping score). This mixture of major and minor is a thematic continuation of the chord changes at the beginning of the trailer, retaining the dramatic sensibility while bringing more energy to the proceedings, with strings bowed in action-trailer double time and the brass offering ominous accents. Notice the key synch point at 1:15, as fire—or a spirit?—bursts out of the hole just as the music reaches its apex. The persistent half-steps at the top are added to the mix, another sonic trope familiar to fantasy/sci-fi buffs.

The next musical segment exudes a sense of triumphalism, though maybe it isn’t so much this as it is wonder. We hear and see various nostalgic callbacks to the first two Ghostbusters films, including voiceovers and footage (through on-screen television)—even a reference to the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man, albeit this time in multiple miniatures. This elevation of fond memories—not just pandering to nostalgia, but celebrating it—is evocative of what the initial trailer for the Star Wars sequel trilogy did, for example. Clearly, the primary aim is to evoke a sense of wonder rather than comedy. We then see some shots of the old Ectomobile in action as the musical arrangement reaches its epic climax, choirs, percussion and all. Just when one might think it doesn’t get any better, they save the best element, in the minds of long-time fans at least, for last—Dan Akroyd’s voice, seemingly reprising his role as Ray Stantz.

Nowhere in the trailer, one may have noticed, was the iconic Ray Parker Jr. song played. It could be that it’s simply too strongly associated with the original franchise entries to be included, tantamount to a nostalgic bludgeon: this franchise entry, like many other long-time franchises, needs to walk that fine line between being both novelty and pandering enough to be interesting. Avoiding the trademark “who you gonna call?” line entirely, and instead opting for an emotional turn towards wonderment (with these kids encountering the supernatural, offering a vibe not unlike Stranger Things) seems to be a suave bet.

— Curtis Perry