I know this can be frustrating to some listeners. The album is presented out of film sequence, with many tracks combined with other moments elsewhere in the film. It’s almost as if entire phases in Ivan Reitman’s career were also accompanied by the music of singular composers until recently, where one doesn’t get the sense he’s found his next match still. And, as Reitman’s choices in projects shifted into the 2000’s and beyond, his relationship with Edelman came to a close as well. Where Reitman’s working relationship with Bernstein seemed to have soured after the original Ghostbusters, he continued to collaborate with Edelman following this film and far beyond. Listening to the album, it’s hard not to also get a sense of Kindergarten Cop and other Reitman films that shared this same optimistic and whimsical sense of comedy. In fact, many of Reitman’s films during that period have the same look and feel and the score followed in step. It’s also interesting that Edelman and Ivan Reitman were virtually inseparable for a ten year streak starting with Twins in 1988 and ending with Six Days Seven Nights in 1998. More on the themes and motifs here as they become clearer. Oscar’s theme sounds like a very sweet and melodic variation on “Rockabye Baby.” There’s even a recurring love theme for sentimental moments between Peter and Dana. There’s a Ghostbusters “hero theme” that’s present for when all four of them gather together. Dana has a lovely theme to counter that, which is thoughtful and measured, and quite a bit different than that which Bernstein presented in the first film that was far more romantic. Peter has a recurring theme that gives him swagger and confidence.
But upon first listenings of this incredible remastered score, the themes that present themselves are very apparent. Elmer Bernstein’s original film score usually commands the majority of the spotlight. Randy Edelman’s Ghostbusters II score is often overlooked. Which is why it’s been such a treat to have in my hands the score to the 1989 film Ghostbusters II and to hear all the nuances and decisions made that aren’t necessarily audible in the film, nor the unofficial bootleg releases, we’ve all listened to repeatedly over the course of a few decades. Nothing can evoke images and memories from your favorite films like sitting and listening to a well-crafted film score.
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