'Ghostbusters' Should Have Kept Chris's Dance

If you've seen the trailer, you'll know that Chris Hemsworth is bolstering the gender-swapping grooviness of the Ghostbusters remake by serving as the women's secretary. So far, so good. But secretary Kevin isn't great at his job and his most eye catching moment comes during the one Chris Hemsworth Ghostbusters scene that was cut: a dance sequence. If you can't exactly imagine the somewhat chaotic secretary Kevin busting some moves, you're right on target. The dance scene only took place post Kevin's metamorphosis, when he was possessed by the movie's most evil villain, Rowan.

When an army is sent to restrain the now-evil Kevin, who's busy causing mayhem over the Mercado Hotel, Kevin is able to manipulate them at will, causing their arms and legs to jerk in motion. Then the scene changes rather abruptly. As Vulture was quick to notice (see above), a longer scene had been cut here, and we see some of this after the credits roll, when Kevin controls the troops into dancing en masse, but even this is only a fraction of the full scene. So why did it get cut? Ghostbusters director Paul Feig explained to Vulture that it was all a matter of consistency, but argued he was conflicted about doing so.

Feig told them it was one of his favorite scenes in the whole movie and that the audience loved it, but:

There was something about it where it became a bit of an island. It was stopping the flow for the audience, because even though they really loved it, they were having trouble coming back out of it. It was making the rhythm a little too goofy, in a weird way, and it was hurting our story a little bit … but it was Chris Hemsworth doing this amazing dance sequence!

I mean... sure. I get that as a director, consistency and flow is key. But the comic potential in this scene is endless. You've got the inherent humor in lackadaisical, sweet secretary Kevin becoming the most potent force for evil. You've got an added helping of humor in that although he's now a baddie, he's still using his evil forces to have a bit of fun. And what's funnier than the army dancing?

Not much, that's what. To me, Feig's decision to cut the scene wasn't necessarily the right one. If the movie is meant as a heartfelt tribute to the joy of the original Ghostbusters, what was so special about the movie was its humor. Because, let's face it, sure, there was plot, but Ghostbusters functions above all other genres (whether action, horror, or buddy movie) as a comedy. Remember how one of the scariest monsters in the original is a Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? Or when Dr Peter Venkman tries to get through to his girlfriend Dana who, possessed, growls in bass "There is no Dana, only Zuul," with the juxtaposition between her pretty feminine face and the male monster's voice making you jump? So yes, sure, the Chris Hemsworth dance scene is goofy, but it is all the more fitting for a Ghostbusters remake for that very reason. Feig shouldn't banish it to the extras.

So Mr Feig, if you're reading this, please give us a director's cut with a difference. You know what I'm talking about — give us that extra long Chris Hemsworth led dance scene included this time round. If we're committed enough to buy the DVD, we're committed enough to stay engaged by the plot post the dance scene.

Images: Columbia Pictures (2)