For the various Ghostbusters Cartoon series. Real Ghostbusters, Extreme Ghostbusters and more!
By 80sguy
#4879847
Fritz wrote:And they were changing the show anyway...even if Music had stayed, DiC was under orders from ABC to "improve" the show. I'm not sure how much better it would have been with Lorenzo being all buddy buddy with Slimer.
The thing with Coulier was that he didn't have that same comedic punch in his delivery. Music would have delivered the lines better, but that's really it. The show probably wouldn't have much improvement beyond that.
By GhostJay
#4879904
I never minded Coulier's Venkman. As a child I immediately noticed the difference but missed the Garfield voice all the same. I think the writers got in the habit of having Venkman call Slimer "Spud" but I was always fine with it.

The only thing I didn't like about the show is when it became Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters and it became less about the guys and more about Slimer's adventures with the dog or Louis.
#4880209
Wafflerobot wrote: By that point, the show was a huge success, spawned a successful toy line and had a good 70 episodes under its belt. Clearly the audience had no problem with a Venkman that didn't sound like murray so why make any changes at all?
I know, studio execs always think they can fix what ain't broke. I really would have liked to have seen a Seasons 3-7 like 1 and 2.
Wafflerobot liked this
#4893235
I didn't like his Venkman either. I will say Season 3 was a bit enjoyable when I watched it a few years ago when first getting my box set of the show. But as others in this thread have said the show did go downhill from that point. I didn't care for Janine's change in season 3 and focusing more on Slimer. I also hated that they made Peter love Slimer later on. The only later season episode of Real Ghostbusters I like is Haunting of Heck House. But other than that, pretty much everything was pretty terrible Season 4 onward. I prefer the first 2 seasons before Coulier took over though. I'll never get the executives deciding to make the show all about Slimer and in the end making the Ghostbusters supporting characters.
pferreira1983 liked this
#4893678
I'm still baffled by the fact that Dave Coulier seems to think it was a mega brainwave to impersonate Caddyshack Murray rather than Venkman. Why would you be proud of that?
Wafflerobot liked this
#4893697
TBH watching them back again, LM was by far the superior Venkman and I wish they kept him but I'm probably gonna get stoned for saying this but I don't think DC is as bad as the rep his version seems to have built up over the past few years. I personally blame that Phelan Porteous guy for making it the popular opinion to hate on it as vigorously as some do.
#4893963
LordVigo82 wrote:I could see it; we're not exactly talking about an actor with much range here.....
Dave Coulier is an impressionist, not dissing his work but if he's asked to do Bill Murray at short notice as an impressionist he's going to be limited because he doesn't have the time to perfect the voice. The only Murray impression he probably knew to do at short notice was the Caddyshack one.
#4944614
I was just watching America's Funniest People on YouTube the other day. It struck me: Had Coulier just stuck with his own, non-impression voice, with just a hint of Murray-ish inflection, he might have done a truly impressive job.
#4944616
I find the weirdest thing - given that it was Bill whose “why do I sound like Garfield?” instigated the change - is how much Bill’s “You’re my number one Christmas boutique gift item!” in GB2 sounds like Lorenzo Music!

You actually do sound a bit like Garfield, Bill, you big plum!
RedSpecial, Wafflerobot liked this
By ccv66
#4944630
Think we need to start sharing the blame, I don't think it's all Dave's fault. #1 blame goes to the guy that replaced Lorenzo. Egon didn't look anything like Harold Ramis. I doubt Bill Murray woke up every Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and watched RGB, any of Bill's passing comments should have been ignored. #2 person to blame is the director. Dave Coulier was probably capable, but I understand his logic. He's doing a cartoon Venkman so he does a cartoony Bill Murray. It's wrong, but I get it. He probably seen Ghostbusters once and been doing caddy shack voices for 7-8 years. It's not like he could jump on the internet and do research. Plus VHS were like $50 in the 80s, I'm sure that's over $100 now with inflation
#4944655
I skipped pages 2 and 3 of this discussion, but folks were questioning the logic of the original story of Murray challenging why Venkman didn't sound like him, leading to Music being replaced by Coulier.

The story that gets leaked probably isn't the whole truth and the most logical explanation is more likely someone BTS took issue with Music, or someone pulling strings to get Coulier the gig.

Coulier was a terrible Venkman and that in large part sank my interest in the show. There are a few of his episodes I can tolerate, but coupled with the other changes, the show was downgraded in almost every way. Pretty incredible to think you have a successful show off a huge IP, and then you send a team in to change as much as possible and ruin it.
#4944656
Long story short, yes it was both a combination of Bill Murray's query about Peter's voice and unnamed people concerned about Music's connection to Garfield and other things that led to Coulier taking over.

Circa 2000, the late Michael Gross said the following:
"Then mid-way through production Bill was having lunch with Ivan Reitman and said how much he liked the show and said "why doesn't he sound like me?" We just assumed we wouldn't get permission and worked around it. Ivan came and told us to change it. Then because we had impressionists/comics doing the voices any way, we went for Bill and figured it wouldn't be the first time changes in a character would be made mid-season on Television. I missed Lorenzo.... on the other hand some people didn't care for him because his voice was so well known for Garfield among many other things."
http://www.ghostbustershq.net/home/2015 ... el-c-gross
Chicken, He Clucked and -1 others liked this
#4944665
I think Dave did a great job & don’t mind the switch at all.

What kills me is that they didn’t give Ernie Hudson the Winston role. What a slap in the face that must’ve been. I can’t even believe they asked him to audition.

Imagine you’re Ernie Hudson! it’s hard not to feel like race didn’t play in a role in the constant disrespect he’s been shown with this franchise. I mean the guy shows up to film the first movie & found out his parts been completely re written and his role dramatically reduced. When the poster comes out he’s nowhere to be seen. The big iconic “dolly in” shot of the GB’s while they look up at Dana’s apartment, guess whose face is obscured & not in frame?

Then they make a cartoon kids show, and you’re a working actor that could probably use the regular paycheque. They make you audition, which is an indignity in and of itself, but they don’t even tell you that you didn’t get the part.

So then Ghostbusters 2 finally gets made. Time for a big pay day, right? Wrong! Again, you’re barely featured for the first 30 minutes, so the studio lowballs your paycheque. But guess what? They decide to do a bunch of reshoots after production & they feature your character. But because you were barely in the original script you got low balled pay day wise, so you are essentially doing these reshoots for free.

Oh. What’s that you say? They are recasting the role of Winston in the Real Ghostbusters? Ok well sign me up! Opps. Too bad. They already recast the part. Who the hell is “Buster Jones”?

But it’s ok. You’re part of a franchise, they’ll probably make a bunch of these Ghostbusters movies. Just be patient. Oh. What’s that? They want to do a third film? What great timing too because your career is kind of stalling. But wait. What? Bill Murray has veto power & won’t allow the film to happen?

Oh well. It’s 1999 I’m sure Bill will change his mind.
#4944685
For the life of me, I never understood why Dave Coulier got scapegoated for the demise of RGB. It's not like it was his idea to fire Lorenzo Music, he was just an actor taking a paycheck -- can't blame him for that. Music was a better Venkman, for sure, but Coulier was still great, and I agree, if he would've done a straight Bill Murray impression, he would've been even better. There are certain moments on the show where he kinda does sound like Bill Murray.

Dave Coulier isn't what ruined RGB. What ruined RGB was the dumbing-down of the characters -- a general infantilization of the whole production -- and crappy writing. The changes to Janine irked me a thousand times more.
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By Kingpin
#4944706
I guess he's focused on because he's one of the most prominent detrimental changes that occurred (though not as bad as what happened to Janine), and I guess I'm just as guilty of piling on him as most other fans...

And yeah, he doesn't deserve it... Because his depiction of Venkman was perfectly fine in Extreme Ghostbusters, which saw Venkman back to his old, slightly sleazy (though not Murray-sleazy standards), Slimer-hating self.

He wasn't as good a voice for Venkman as Lorenzo, but had Coulier been playing the role for the beginning he probably wouldn't be copping as much of the heat as he historically has.
#4971340
Forgot to mention there were some early episodes I didn't like. Such as Ghosts R Us, Killerwatt, Troll Bridge, and Banshee bake a Cherry Pie. Honestly my absolute favorites are the Syndicated episodes. But yeah. Once Lorenzo and Laura were fired from the show, it wasn't very good. I own the 5 volume Firehouse set but only watch the first 3 volumes.
#4971414
ghoulishfright wrote: January 21st, 2021, 9:01 am For the life of me, I never understood why Dave Coulier got scapegoated for the demise of RGB. It's not like it was his idea to fire Lorenzo Music, he was just an actor taking a paycheck -- can't blame him for that. Music was a better Venkman, for sure, but Coulier was still great, and I agree, if he would've done a straight Bill Murray impression, he would've been even better. There are certain moments on the show where he kinda does sound like Bill Murray.

Dave Coulier isn't what ruined RGB. What ruined RGB was the dumbing-down of the characters -- a general infantilization of the whole production -- and crappy writing. The changes to Janine irked me a thousand times more.
That's why JMS left. Some company was brought in for an overhaul at one point - they even said Ray was a superfluous character and to get rid of him.

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