This Day in Pop Culture for June 8

1984: Who You Gonna Call?

The original movie about the famous ghost-chashers, Ghostbusters was released in theaters on this day in 1984. Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, the filmed starred Bill Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, Annie Potts, and Ernie Hudson. Originally planned as a project for Aykroyd and fellow former Saturday Night Live actor, John Belushi, plans changed when Belushi passed away. It is said that the film was the first comedy to incorporate a bunch of expensive special effects which made Columbia Pictures concerned about the film’s big budget and feared that the film would fail. Instead, it got good reviews from critics and earned over $280 million in tickets sales. In fact, it was the second-highest grossing film of 1984. It was also the #1 movie for seven weeks. The movie is also remembered for its popular theme song by Ray Parker, Jr. The sequel Ghostbusters II followed in 1989, a all-female reboot of the movie was released in 2016 and a second sequel based on the original films known as Ghostbusters: Afterlife, is scheduled to be released sometime in 2021. (Image: Columbia Pictures)

1948: ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ is Published

On this day in 1948, the book, 1984 was published. The dystopian, science fiction novel by George Orwell was a warning of sorts about the consequences of a dictatorial society. In the book, natural feelings and emotions are forbidden, family values are destroyed and perhaps the most terrifying of all, chocolate is extremely hard to find! Phrases such as “Big brother is watching,” “doublethink” and “memory hole” have become part of our culture. In 2005, magazine included the book in their list of 100 Best English Language Novels.