Every Ghost In The First Two 'Ghostbusters' Movies, Ranked

Every Ghost In The First Two 'Ghostbusters' Movies, Ranked

Jacob Shelton
Updated October 31, 2024 37.2K views 22 items
Ranked By
7.2K votes
978 voters
Voting Rules
Vote up the most memorably spooky specters from the original 'Ghostbusters' movies.

You can't have a Ghostbusters movie without ghosts. If there weren’t ghosts jogging through New York or menacingly shoving hot dogs in their faces, you’d just have four guys sitting around in brown uniforms quipping. Everyone knows the more popular ghosts in Ghostbusters, but what about the ghosts that don’t have a voice? This list of the all the Ghostbusters ghosts finally gives you a chance to speak up for the lesser known ghosts who you might prefer to Slimer or Zuul.

One of the most interesting things about every Ghostbusters ghost is how little the rules of traditional ghost movies matter to any of them. In the first film, you’ve got a demon dog coming out of a refrigerator and a giant marshmallow man wreaking havoc on New York. The ghosts in Ghostbusters II are all over the place. Some are 20-foot tall inter-dimensional creatures, while others are just heads on sticks. Is this kind of playful attitude that’s made the Ghostbusters films a touchstone for so many comedy, horror, and film fans since 1984. But as you know, all ghosts aren’t created equal, so it’s time to rank all the ghosts in the first two Ghostbusters.

Vote up the ghosts in Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II that made the biggest impression on you.

  • Appears In: Ghostbusters

    The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man might be the most iconic of all the Ghostbusters ghosts (one of two ghosts who made it to The Real Ghostbusters cartoon). Originally, Mr. Stay Puft was supposed to come out of the water next to the Statue of Liberty in order to get a size comparison. Unfortunately that idea was just too expensive. Lady Liberty would have to wait until another series of angry ghosts attacked New York. 
  • Slimer
    2
    510 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II

    You know Slimer. He's the ghoul who rules while he drools. According to Ghostbusters lore, on set Dan Aykroyd referred to Slimer as the "ghost of John Belushi." Even director Ivan Reitman has said that Slimer was a tribute to the late great comedian, with whom Aykroyd wrote the original (far different) Ghostbusters script.
  • Zuul
    3
    380 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    So is Zuul a dog or a sexy lady that sleeps way above the covers? The design for the dog form of Zuul comes from an old church in Philadelphia. Was it a satanic church? Or did they just worship giant evil dogs?
  • New York Public Library Ghost
    4

    New York Public Library Ghost

    425 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    Didn't Sheryl Crow say that "the first ghost is the deepest?" Anyway, the first ghost in the movie is stacking books and knocking over shelves in the basement of the New York Public Library. There probably isn't actually a ghost in the NYPL, but just to be safe you should burn your library card. 
  • The Scoleri Brothers
    5

    The Scoleri Brothers

    344 votes
    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    The malevolent duo are released by a glob of slime and a whole lot of yelling. These full torso apparitions were put to death in 1948 by Judge Wexler, and apparently they bided their time until the late '80s when they could haunt the eff out of his courtroom.
  • The Ghosts of the Titanic
    6

    The Ghosts of the Titanic

    352 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Initially the producers of the film wanted to include the Hindenburg to appear as a ghostly airship, but instead decided on the eerie visual of dead passengers finally disembarking the Titanic at its destination. Better late than never.
  • Gozer
    7

    Gozer

    327 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    Initially Gozer was meant to be played by Paul Reubens, who would take the form of the building's architect and founder of the Gozer cult. While that sounds cool, it means that the world would've been denied the sight of a super foxy androgynous ghost shooting lightning at Dan Aykroyd. 
  • Zombie Cab Driver
    8

    Zombie Cab Driver

    346 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    Not much is known about the zombie cab driver (other than the fact that he pulled himself up the grave by his bootstraps and GOT A JOB), but everybody likes him a lot. He is also responsible for a lot of nightmares.
  • Ye Olde Ghost Train
    9

    Ye Olde Ghost Train

    287 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    All aboard the ye olde ghoste traine of old New York Central! According to Egon, this train that derailed in Albany in 1920 and killed hundreds of people, leaving them to haunt Winston Zeddemore in 1989. A note of interest about this scene: the ghost train was added in reshoots to give the film "more effects."
  • Movie Theater Ghost
    10

    Movie Theater Ghost

    258 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Who can forget the four-armed ghost chasing viewers who dared to use their giant mobile phones during a viewing of Cannibal Girls? Is that what happens? That's probably what happens.
  • Vigo the Carpathian
    11

    Vigo the Carpathian

    286 votes
    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Equal parts Vlad the Impaler and Rasputin, Vigo is a 16th century despot who uses his powerful art-based magic to trap himself in a painting in order to transfer his consciousness to a willing body in the 20th century. And he would have gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling Ghostbusters. 
  • The Angry Fur Coat
    12

    The Angry Fur Coat

    253 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Originally, the angry fur coat ghost was supposed to appear in the first Ghostbusters, but instead of freaking out on a woman on Park Avenue, it would attack a runway model. Instead it ended up in the sequel, and the visual of a coat running down the sidewalk might be the most satisfying thing in the entire film. 
  • The Creature at the Washington Arch
    13

    The Creature at the Washington Arch

    265 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    After you watch the scene featuring a giant creature spooking people out at the Washington Arch, you might begin to notice that it resembles a few creatures from the Ray Harryhausen school of stop motion design. The shot of the creature was actually done in one take, but legendary creature creator Phil Tippett isn't even credited. 
  • Subway Ghost
    14

    Subway Ghost

    241 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    Everyone loves the subway ghost from the first Ghostbusters film. Remember how he threw six-inch sandwiches at passers by and screeched about five dollar footlongs? Oh no, apparently the subway ghost is actually a ghost that pops out of the subway, and not a Subway restaurant. 
  • Vinz Clortho
    15

    Vinz Clortho

    232 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    Vinz Clortho, the keymaster of Gozer! His original form was that of a Sumerian god some time around 6,000 BC, and as luck would have it he winds up in the body of Rick Moranis! For all of you Vinz Clorthoheads out there, in IDW's Ghostbusters: Total Containment series, Clothro appears briefly hanging out with Gozer. 
  • Bath Tub Slime Ghost
    16

    Bath Tub Slime Ghost

    228 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    This solid goo manifestation sent to eat Dana and steal her baby (or something like that) might be the scariest ghost in the entire movie. A whole generation of kids scared witless by this thing had a whole new reason to avoid bath time.
  • Ray's Dream Ghost
    17

    Ray's Dream Ghost

    261 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters

    The super sexy ghost from Ray's dream is actually one of the ZZ Top video girls who enjoyed a short career playing ladies being ogled. You wouldn't think that playing an oral sex-loving ghost is her proudest moment, but judging from her IMDb, it might be. 
  • Ghost Jogger
    18

    Ghost Jogger

    202 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Fitness is important, even in the afterlife. According to the "Ghostbusters Revisited" article in Cinefex #40, the jogger had to be painted completely white and photographed against a blue screen, while on set the crew had to balance the background plate and the scene's action to perfectly sequence the effect. 
  • Ghost Nanny
    19

    Ghost Nanny

    201 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Yes, this is technically a possessed version of Dr. Janosz Poha, but "ghost nanny" is definitely a better fit for this paranormal entity. There were a ton of ideas thrown out for what should kidnap Oscar at the end of the film including, "a face on the moon, vapor rising from the street, and a horrible Santa Claus," but the filmmakers decided to with Janosz in spectral drag instead.
  • Possessed Ray
    20

    Possessed Ray

    209 votes
    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Is Ray the least capable Ghostbuster? Not only is he sexually attracted to ghosts, but if he's not covered in goo, he's getting possessed and that's not ideal for someone who should be busting ghosts. Possessed Ray might be the creepiest ghost in Ghostbusters II, mostly because of the GIANT pores on his nose. It's called exfoliant, Ray.
  • These Heads on Sticks
    21

    These Heads on Sticks

    200 votes
    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    Why are there heads on sticks in the "old pneumatic railway system?" Maybe director Ivan Reitman was trying to make reference to the indigenous people of North America, or maybe he just thought it was cool to have a bunch of impaled heads screaming at the characters. Nicely done either way.  
  • Floating Crystal Ghosts
    22

    Floating Crystal Ghosts

    182 votes

    Appears In: Ghostbusters II

    What is even happening in this scene? Maybe the crystal is haunted? Is there a ghost that just likes to hold lightweight glass items? Someone call Dan Aykroyd and see if he can explain this scene.