Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Ghostbusters II arrived in 1989 as Columbia Pictures' sequel to one of the defining comedy hits of the 1980s, reuniting the original cast and creative team five years after the first film's release. It never matched its predecessor's cultural saturation, but it extended the franchise's reach into merchandising, animation, and a new generation of viewers, cementing the Ghostbusters as a fixture of studio franchise history well before "franchise" became an industry buzzword.
This cell centers on Ecto-1, the converted ambulance that serves as the team's signature vehicle throughout the series. It stands as one of the most recognizable pieces of set design in the franchise, instantly tied to the Ghostbusters' identity alongside the proton packs and firehouse. For collectors, a cell bearing this name represents the mechanical heart of the operation, the vehicle that carries the team into every job and back out again, a steady presence across both films.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Ghostbusters II (1989).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on each edge; spacing appears even and the punched corners look clean throughout the visible strip.
Soundtrack
Two variable-area optical tracks run along one edge beside the picture area, consistent with a stereo optical print.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read manufacturer codes or key numbers.
Base & colour
Base appears neutral to very slightly warm; dye image shows strong colour saturation with no visible fading or red shift.
Projection history
Fine longitudinal lines consistent with projection are visible across the frame area; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot and the night-exterior imagery is consistent with Ghostbusters II (1989).
Era check
Dual variable-area optical soundtrack, neutral safety base, and saturated Eastmancolor-type dye image are all consistent with a theatrical release print from the late 1980s.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063290
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
