I Watched Foreign Ghostbusters Knockoffs

Ghostbusters is a cultural phenomenon, and whilst American copyright laws prevented knockoffs being made, that didn't stop the rest of the world.
With the recent release of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, I decided to take a look at Ghostbusters themed films from around the world. I start with Indonesia, who in 2021, released Ghostbuser: Misteri Desa Penari on Disney+ Hotstar. A mediocre attempt with a very confusing tone. Next, it's off to Japan, with Highschool Ghostbusters. A baffling project that is too weird to appeal to most, and too tame to appeal to weirdos. Then, it's off to Hong Kong, where I get swindled into watching Chinese Ghostbusters, which has nothing to do with the 1984 film at all. But then, what about Bollywood? Cos they made a Ghostbusters knockoff in 2022 called Phone Bhoot. Another mostly unfunny attempt. I then need a palate cleanse, so it's off to Italy to check out an extensive and impressive fan film.
↓🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂↓
🟠 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗻 --- / theunusualsuspect
🌳 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮! --- linktr.ee/rjsuspect
🤌 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 --- • REAL! - A Ghostbuste...
⌛TIMECODES⌛
0:00 Intro
1:41 Indonesia - Ghostbuser: Misteri Desa Penari
10:50 Japan - Highschool Ghostbusters
16:36 Hong Kong - The Chinese Ghostbuster
22:44 India - Phone Bhoot
31:12 [BONUS] Italy - Real! A Ghostbusters Tale
36:23 Outro / Patreon Thank You's
#ghostbusters #ghostbustersmovie #ghostbustersfrozenempire #movies #retrospective #film #fanfilm #foreignlanguagecinema #japaneseghostbusters #phonebhoot

[@Suspect_Green]

↓🅻🅸🅽🅺🆂↓ 🟠 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗼𝗻 --- www.patreon.com/TheUnusualSuspect 🌳 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮! --- linktr.ee/rjsuspect 🤌 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗵𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗯𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 --- kzbin.info/www/bejne/h4PalIyYg6aFZ7c

[@reid3524]

Ok

[@realaghostbusterstale9042]

Thank you. Just THANK YOU for the beautiful words you spent on our project, for the truly constructive criticism and for helping us to make “REAL!” known to more people! We can’t tell you enough how much we appreciate it! 🙏🏻❤️

[@Suspect_Green]

You're very welcome! You guys did an amazing job. I hope more people get to see your film, fingers crossed the algorithm gives it some love.

[@realaghostbusterstale9042]

@@Suspect_Green a couple of new viewers already showed up, and we couldn’t be more grateful! 🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️

[@tommoiii]

The cultural divide between what we find funny is really apparent watching these. It’s so eye opening seeing the humour differences between the east and the west, especially the local references. Being so focussed on what hollywood makes, it’s easy to forget that there’s a whole other world of comedy out there. Thanks for the video Mr. Suspect!

[@tsartomato]

yeah absolutely most of english language things are not funny and in the same way as bharat movies aren't a lot of slapstick and "funny" noises and making faces and all the no effort references. me recognizing all of them doesn't make them funny Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe was a funny recent film

[@tommoiii]

@@tsartomato that’s really interesting to hear. it’s so rewarded experiencing culture outside of your own/what you usually consume.

[@Cindy.Wulan.Saputra]

True, but I'm Indonesian and still find our production worst. Those jokes weren't really funny for me as well

[@mydogslikeboiledeggs7094]

No, movies and TV in America aren't funny anymore either.

[@SoulStarSketchin]

that Italian Ghostbusters being a diamond in the rough wasn't what I was expecting at all but damn they put some work into it. I'm gonna be sure to check it out.

[@Suspect_Green]

Please do! 50,000 views is criminal.

[@OmnicidalClown1992]

If you really want to feel like you're a Ghostbuster, play the Ghostbusters video game. The one where they actually had Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson voicing their respected characters in the video game.

[@samamies88]

is it the ps2 game you are talking about? iirc there are 2 decent ghostbuesters game and the older of the two was seen as "canon 3rd film of the series" until 2016 "reboot" - and was there also one recent ghostbusters game also that was seen as decent or am i just over my head?

[@OmnicidalClown1992]

​@samamies88 I'm talking about both versions. There's the Realistic Version that's still out to this day, and is available on game systems like the PS3, PS4 and even the Switch. And the PS2 was the Stylish Version, which was also available on the Wii. Like I said though, both versions were great Ghostbusters games, and I recommend both of them to anyone who's a Ghostbusters fan

[@chrishackwood]

"These readings are off the charts - I guess I'll have to make new charts." Yep the 2009 Ghostbusters game was a gem!

[@GavinHaydam]

I have all of them

[@edwardjohnson6744]

For an even DEEPER experience, play it on the Wii, the graphics are cartoonist, but you get to hold the control like a neutrona wand and blast the screen, so it's a trade off worth making.

[@JurassicLion2049]

One movie I always considered inspired by Ghostbusters was Rooster Teeth’s Lazer Team. Though inspired, not so much a knockoff. I cant see Lazer Team existing without Ghostbusters preceding it.

[@cristiancalabretta9575]

I'm very happy you enjoyed Real! A Ghostbusters Tale. Thank you very much for the review.🙏 Egon speaks in Italian because we were able to use the voice of Mario Cordova, the actor who dubbed Harold Ramis in italian in 1984's Ghostbusters

[@Suspect_Green]

Ahh! That makes sense now. Awesome you got an official actor for that role :) And congrats on the movie! It's criminal how few views it has; I hope it gets more.

[@jacobmatthewcrawford2120]

This was a very fun and intriguing video! The main vibe I'm getting with these movies is, "Lots of potential, but not a ton of good execution!" The Italian fan does look like it has the most heart... Kinda surprised the rip-off maestro of Italy himself Bruno Mattei never made a Ghostbusters knock off!

[@BrandonCroker]

Completely random note here, I dig that jacket you're wearing. Your fashion sense is always on point.

[@Suspect_Green]

Haha, thanks :)

[@Codraroll]

A Not Just Bikes reference in a Suspect video? Not what I expected, but I certainly appreciate it!

[@cudak888]

Came here to say just that! Talk about a relatable reference - LOL

[@RageONTv]

I really liked the Italian Fan film ! The fxs are amazing and there are beautiful references to the real ghostbusters and the original movie ❤

[@SirIsaacFortesque]

When you announced this vid, I actually said to myself, "Huh, didn't think there would be enough of these to fill out a whole video" and I can say I was not expecting what you showed off, they were all interesting though. Although when you got to the Chinese Ghostbuster, I thought, "Y'know, why didn't they just make a movie based on Zhong Kui?" I mean they had an actor who looked like him already so why not just do that? it sounds like an easy concept to turn into a comedy.

[@StickNik]

18:45 - not far off Corpse Bride

[@Suspect_Green]

Ahh! Of course! I knew that plot-line sounded familiar. Thanks for scratching that brain itch I had.

[@alessiominervini1175]

funnily enough the voice of egon in the italian movie really sounds like the italian voice actor, i wonder if they managed to get the actual VA on board

[@janklake]

They actually did, it’s him!

[@FranciscoSilva-bv9qq]

When I was younger I used to get annoyed whenever people would compare the proton pack to a vaccuum cleaner.

[@williamdixon-gk2sk]

Ya, it's not like the beam sucks the ghost into the pack. Other kids were dumb and adults were worse.

[@jacksprofessionalproductio9403]

I get slightly annoyed whenever I’m in uniform with the pack and people as if the pack is what I use to catch the ghosts. Where I explain that the pack is like a gun/lasso, while the trap is like handcuffs.

[@FranciscoSilva-bv9qq]

@jacksprofessionalproductio9403 I think Casper is what did it. Also seeing the vacuum hose.

[@RambunctiousMouse]

I'm so glad you posted that video announcing you did a review on your other channel, because for some reason I wasnt notified on this channel. Thank you for doing that, you're on of my favorite reviewers and you don't upload much (which is okay!), so because your review uploads are so rare it's always very exciting when you post!

[@JAProductions494]

You know, I think Ross really needs to watch some good movies for one of these videos to make up for all the garbage he’s had to suffer through 😅 I mean, the Soviet LOTR was bad enough but some of these films also looked terrible

[@samamies88]

18:54 "has that been done". I think kinda yes. I didn't find any with ghosts but i did find "Life After Beth (2014)" where a zombie wants to go back to her boyfriend to do stuff that they didn't do while they were alive. And this also reminds me bit of 90s movie "My Boyfriend's back" where a guy dies, becomes a zombie and starts dating a girl. I haven't seen the Beth movie (but the premise makes me want to ! I might try and look it up for tonight) and that 90s movie is bit.... ehh.. mostly boring but has few alright jokes. The 90s movie predates this hong kong one so yes, it was done before (kinda).

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

23:25 Funny enough a couple of ghosts helping a guy "bust" ghosts or stop hauntings is what happened in the movie The Frighteners which came out several decades before either of these movies.

[@cedbanani]

When you were talking about the Indonesian version, for some reason I kept thinking about how the show "Ghosts" did it better (the UK version, I've never seen the American version). The comedic timing and delivery, the characters (alive and dead) communicating with each other, and the presentations of the ghosts' deaths. If the film did those more like how "Ghosts" did it, I think it would have been better.

[@misterknite]

Fantastic video dude. You always knock it out of the park. I absolutely died at your "I preferred not getting the references" read.

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

12:00 Japan did makke an anime that's kind of like Ghostbusters called Ghost Stories, though that's mostly famous for it's English Dub which was basically a parody where all the VAs just said "fuck it" and did whatever the hell they wanted...it was actually hilarious.

[@MazinGo-1972]

That's not Ghostbusters at all.

[@TheNewBloodDan]

10:40 okay that audio jungle bit was personally funny to me! Love that you're doing long form videos again! Missed that!

[@JOSH-lw2jv]

1:00 "The soundtrack is burned in our brains!" If only we can be able to hear the alternate *"Ghostbusters"* theme from the original teaser trailer.

[@adamoconnor8964]

Really loving these new videos

[@RiderNexus]

Even if they're loose on the paranormal aspects of their stories, I've always loved how both the series Yu Yu Hakusho and Bleach handled their initial story arcs dealing with ghosts and the supernatural. Whilst having similar setups, how they handle individual stories and how they spawn into bigger ones is an interesting discussion. For Yu Yu Hakusho, one story that I was sad to see never getting adapted into the anime was when Yusuke, our lead tries to help a young boy go through the stages of grief with his dog said to be passing on in a few days. It's an actually touching and powerful chapter that stayed with me after I finished the whole story Bleach on the other hand also has a really good story about how Ichigo finds out that the source of all his guilt for his mother's death was because of a Hollow (What this series classifies as bad Ghosts fyi) and it revitalises his motivation to keep being a Soul Reaper and fulfil the promise he made to himself to protect others. Absolutely check out both manga out... even if I like the latter more than the former

[@henrymockingbird9645]

It just does gulu look 23:11 like an adult gender swapped version of phoebe from ghostbusters afterlife & frozen empire

[@BrandonCroker]

Bustin makes me feel bizarre as much as these knockoffs make me feel dizzy.

[@nightsedge1993]

18:55 i think the same thing happened in corpse bride

[@Psl989]

18:46 I genuinely thought you were going to lead into a Corpse Bride joke.

[@RAN480L64]

thabk you for coining toping yourself, excellent, wherever it was minted from

[@dvass7253]

Another enjoyable offering, Suspect. If I may throw in another suggestion for a future topic (my previous one was westerns with female leads), I know superheroes are a topic that people are getting sick of, but I think a retrospective on all the TV shows and movies that the Fantastic Four have been adapted into would be pretty fun. Considering the luck they've had on that front, especially movies, I'd definitely love to hear your two cents on the matter.

[@Suspect_Green]

A Fantastic Four retrospective could be fun. Might just do that to coincide with the next FF film.

[@youreviltwinLP]

Thank you for drawing my attention to the Italian fan film "Real! A Ghostbusters Story"! I had heard about it years ago while it was in production, but mistakenly thought I'd already seen it... Perhaps because there has also been another Italian Ghostbusters fan film. And, to confuse matters, there's an English "The Real Ghostbusters" fan film, which was a live action remake of the Boogieman episode of the 80s "Real Ghostbusters" cartoon. I dont know why they decided to call this film "Real!" as it is clearly based on the movies, not that cartoon, AND there's already an English fan film with Real in the title! So the title just confuses matters. Looks like i missed out on a real gem.

[@jalarasstudios414]

I have not seen Ghostbusters in any way, shape or form. *sits back and waits for comments on how weird I am with a grin on my face and my hands behind my head*

[@jugghead82]

12:42 MARK BUSTIN MAKES ME FEEL GOOD HAHA remembering the OG Ghostbusters was an adult movie for sure AWESOME MOVIE

[@thelavenderhatter5924]

I like how the actors were strange in their own way…and then there’s Ernie Hudson😎

[@Smuelaham]

I've been watching since those long ago Home Alone reviews and im so glad to see your back with some more banger content. You popped up in my recommended feed which was amazing to see. Hope all is well and love the reviews

[@weirdkitty07]

Also the naughty mango juice ads, there is something similar here with Sunny Delight and with Pepsi and Coke. I get it even if I haven't seen many Indian mango juice ads.

[@t6kr958]

Both this video and the foreign superhero video makes me want to watch more foreign films

[@petehill7280]

16:32 Or read the manga Chrono Crusade, which covers similar territory to Ghostbusters (heck, it's even partially set in New York).

[@619WWEFAN]

When your name is green, and you’re a suspect. Who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS

[@Honest_Lobo]

18:55 Yes, that has been done, albeit after this movie. It is called Tim Burton's Corpse Bride. A few other comedies may have also done this premise, but Corpse Bride is the one that comes to mind for me.

[@JenMistress]

Yeah, you could probably do a video all to itself on the number of Ghostbusters fan films out there. However, some of the ones you showed, ones they actually tried to make money with, well, surprising that 2016 isn't the worse one out there like I thought it was. Since Filmation made Ghost Busters before the Ghostbusters, wonder what they think about that. Anyways, enjoyed this video, thank you.

[@alexpollock6932]

I feel like I’m late to the party because this video didn’t get recommended or put in my sub feed

[@citywitt3202]

I have never, ever, seen ghost busters. But this still had me dead :)

[@supermegabenji1026]

There is one Film that is kinda like Ghostbusters called "Evolution" Which is made by Ivan Reitman and said that this movie is a Successor to 'Ghostbusters'. Since Nobody remembers the Movie, It is not a sequel Anymore. When Ghostbusters: Afterlife came out, It became the True Sequel but, "Evolution" has been a Forgotten Sequel.

[@tdcamper7623]

Gotta love The Boys reference.

[@Gutsman14]

12:11 "alright" "no no not alright"

[@Jess-yo3dy]

Just Like Heaven and Over Her Dead Body both have ghost characters who love someone who is alive.

[@cpmario97227]

Didn’t know any of that first bit other than that Dan Aykroyd is a wackadoo

[@alltimelowbro227]

Men In Black is just like ghostbusters when you think about it

[@Ramblinman26]

Well Spangler was the biggest genius out of all of them, it’s reasonable that he would be fluent in Italian. and personally I can buy him moving to Europe and getting a job with CERN.

[@nicolasribeirodossantos6082]

In my area we have "Exterminadores do além contra a loira do banheiro" it's kind of a Ghostbusters knockoff.

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

0:30 and much like the movie, Ernie Hudson get's the proverbial shaft.

[@OmnicidalClown1992]

13:23 And to make things even more interesting; the Ghostbusters video game, the one on the NES, and presumably the other iterations, also had a Ghost Vacuum. And that game was released in 1984. So in other words, High School Ghostbusters ripped off the Ghostbusters video game 11 years after that game was released.

[@weirdkitty07]

Ha. I get that ya haven't seen Enthiran, of which the sequel was the highest rated Indian scifi movie of all time, over 5 billion, billion, but you should get that Titanic (1997), over 2 billion, reference at 30:36. They even play a few bars of My Heart will Go On backwards. It's a parody of the scene where Jack does it with the girl in the old car in the cargo bay. The hand goes up in the fog right on cue.

[@weirdkitty07]

I do like the kung fu stuff in the Hong Kong Ghostbusters, meets American Gigalo.

[@mattyrolph8429]

2:55 First movie is more like a mash up of Frighteners w Michael J Fox and Ghostbusters.

[@SergioKoolhaas]

12:41 Bustin' makes me feel good!🎶🕺🏼

[@thesailormercury2]

the Ghostbusters in the video game did say they want to get a franchise.

[@alfonsusenggarbramantyo381]

We even have tv reallty show about ghost hunting. Called "pemburu hantu", "dunia lain" but not exist any more. 🇮🇩

[@projp9057]

13:14 Actually i was thinking more in The Casper movie that came out also in 1995

[@Homerstar]

16:40 I think Jeremy Clarkson has ruined that phrase for me.

[@williamdixon-gk2sk]

I want an English 'Ghost Busers' remake.. helmed by Darren Aronofsky.

[@JOSH-lw2jv]

14:17-14:21 You think that's bad? Look closely at the famous scene in *"THE BLOB"* (1958) where the theatre patrons ran out of the Colonel Theatre to get away from The Blob. You can clearly see the extras smiling and laughing as they are running away! It's like the director didn't told them that this was not to be a funny scene.

[@gavrail9568]

Dusk maiden of amnesia is a anime with a good way of handling the ghost x human romance properly

[@steelmagnum5131]

11:42 NAH NOT THE FUCKING SEAN LOCK MEME

[@reid3524]

Never knew there existed

[@nealo6488]

You know that vodka is only £49 for a 70cl bottle. So not a grand a litre…

[@Shades14]

Who you gonna call? A lawyer.

[@jacksprofessionalproductio9403]

The hit animated series called Helluva Boss is in NO WAY a knockoff of Ghostbusters, but the main characters run a business that is VERY similar. In that the business consists of 4 members (3 are one race, while the last is a different race), they work in an old building, they have an old car, a logo, a music jingle and the characters treat the job of going to the living world to exterminate specific people as basic as spraying raid at ants. Blitzø is Peter, Millie is Ray, Moxxie is Egon, Loona is Winston and Jannie (as Loona is also the secretary)

[@KasumiKenshirou]

There was a completely different Japanese Ghostbusters ripoff TV series that I saw a few episodes of that was a lot better than the one featured in this video. Unfortunately I don't know the name of it. They had devices like proton packs, but I don't think it was officially licensed. Don't worry. There was an earlier ghost vacuum in the 1984 Ghostbusters computer game for the Commodore 64.

[@jimmyju76]

honestly i think that first one is better then you say it is plus it's more like a Korean ghost drama

[@MatthewCaunsfield]

Fan films, eh? It's a bold strategy Cotton (etc etc)

[@johnnysparkle]

Casper also did the vacuuming the ghosts the same year as high school ghostbusters

[@notRusl]

Hil-fkn-arious!

[@joanahkirk338]

I wouldn't mind a Ghostbuster's movie where their main client is a ghost who was killed and they need to find their murderer. Shame that neither the Indonesian film or the Bollywood film... are Ghostbusters movies

[@billymountiii5788]

10:56 - 🤣🤣🤣

[@hipstersephiroth3722]

Thank you for this day thank you for being so kind help me and these people to better understand u God

[@jimmyju76]

i like knock off movies, many unique and great homage

[@Mario_Angel_Medina]

This reminds me that there's a Brazilian Ghostbusters knock-off called "Ghost Killers vs Bloody Mary". Its about a group of Ghost Hunters-style youtubers (sorry, they are "paranormal investigators") that go to investigate a haunted school. It has a lot of gross-out humor in the vein of "Evil Dead" and I'm not saying is good, but it can really be worse than the Indonesian Ghostbusters so 🤷‍♂️

[@Suspect_Green]

Ahh; wish I had known about that. Thanks for sharing :)

[@Mario_Angel_Medina]

@@Suspect_Green you can always make a Part 2 of this video. I'm sure there are many more Ghostbuster-inspired films out there

[@jamesartron2652]

35 seconds in and I love this video

[@OmnicidalClown1992]

Next video focusing on ripoffs should be about the many Star Wars ripoff.

[@Suspect_Green]

Funny you should say that. Actually planning on something kinda similar. Not ripoffs of Star Wars, but something Star Wars related :)

[@conormckee6700]

why is there an irish flag in the thumbnail

[@user-xi2pn7vb7d]

Can you react to Thomas and friends day of the diesels movie please?

[@shortsmiddleton]

Harry Potter knockoffs? I wonder?

[@dvass7253]

Too easy IMO. People are already pretty familiar with those.

[@MrLotso89]

Or watch the new ghostbusters music video from Japan

[@daimonatkins3046]

The better Japanese Ghostbusters was the Pachinko one

[@debthe2nd444]

Honestly Luigi manson is a better Ghostbusters than highschool ghost busters

[@KirbyLinkACW]

27:45 Great, now I need an American reference to counteract THAT.

[@GoatAndDog]

This should be interesting considering I've only ever seen the first movie and that was only because my English teacher couldn't be bothered to teach us that day (well technically over 2 days because we couldn't watch the full movie in an hour)

[@syntaxusdogmata3333]

You haven't missed much, in my opinion. GB2 was so off-putting, I didn't care that they passed on a third movie. I didn't bother watching the 2016 movie. Afterlife was okay, but I could live without it.

[@phoebeslovesscience]

LMAOOO

[@StuartLugsden]

Ghostbusters should have been a 1 and done. We didn't need sequels and knockoffs.

[@tsartomato]

wait even i didn't recognize rajinikanth

[@abid2784]

im indonesian by the way

[@Amsosorryscotty]

1:23 Disney fans wean steam boat Mickey copyright ran out,

[@redwallfan123]

Why dont you take a look at more fan films? See if fans cant do things alot better than hollywood. Might be interesting to see if fans on a much lower budget can do better than the suits in big studios

[@Suspect_Green]

Yeah, could be interesting. Might trial that one day. Maybe look at Star Wars fan films.

[@CivilisedThwomp]

999 likes holy crap imma do it

[@zeo1chris]

So the last film in a video about knock offs is best because it's NOT a knock off, you admit that you may not have gotten the references to the Bollywood version because your not if that culture... yet knocked the first two films for their not so serious take of suicide references despite the fact that that topic is viewed fairly different in those cultures... so since the first three don't meet your sensibilities from your culture but the last one references the accepted materials and technically isn't a knock off... it's best? BRAVO (golf clap) ...admittedly I've only seen 2 of your videos now but this one seemed... I dunno one sided

[@tsartomato]

29:08 no no no references are bad jokes inherintly