Ivan Reitman, who forever seared his name into the pantheon of cinematic comedy by producing and directing 1984’s ‘Ghostbusters’ has died. He was 75.
Born in 1946, in Komárno, Czechoslovakia, Reitman was the son of survivors – his mother made it out of concentration camp Auschwitz alive, and his father fought in the Czech resistance. The family escaped the country in 1950 as the Communist regime took hold, arriving in the States and then to Toronto, where Reitman was raised.
Attending McMaster University in Hamilton, Reitman began the early days of a successful film career by producing and directing shorts, studying alongside a cadre of performers who would go on to be big names in movies and TV, and especially in Canadian comedy series SCTV, including Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, Andrea Martin, and Rick Moranis. On his return to Toronto, Reitman was hired to produce a comedy show for a local TV station and hired Dan Aykroyd, who would go on to become a lifelong friend and creative colleague.
On the movie front, Reitman started in horror, but always with a mix of comedy, his most notable initial effort being ‘Cannibal Girls’, which starred Levy and Martin. Also on the terror front, he became an influential supporter of other directors’ work, producing David Cronenberg’s ‘Shivers’ and ‘Rabid’.
Yet comedy would end up the defining genre of Reitman’s career, including producing ‘Animal House’, which launched several careers. He also had a keen eye for anarchic, creative talent in actors, working with Bill Murray on films including ‘Meatballs’ and ‘Stripes’ and then on the movie for which he’ll best be remembered: ‘Ghostbusters’.
Originally written by Aykroyd as a sprawling, expensive special effects adventure, Reitman realized the potential of the concept and brought in Harold Ramis, who had co-written ‘Animal House’, ‘Stripes’; and ‘Meatballs’, among others to work on honing it with Aykroyd. They, along with Murray and Ernie Hudson starred in the film, which remains a high watermark in comedy movies.
A sequel, 1989’s ‘Ghostbusters II’, couldn’t capture the same magic, but helped continue the franchise with which Reitman was associated until his death.
Just that movie on his resume would be enough to qualify him for the directing/producing hall of fame, but Reitman also made (or helped make) the likes of ‘Dave,’ ‘Beethoven’, ‘Evolution’, ‘Twins,’ ‘Junior’, ‘Kindergarten Cop’, ‘Private Parts’, ‘Road Trip’ and ‘Draft Day’, among others.
Reitman leaves behind a cinematic legacy not just his own, but that of his family – his wife, Geneviève Robert is an actress and director, son Jason is the Oscar-nominated writer and director of films including ‘Juno’, ‘Up in the Air’ and ‘Thank You for Smoking,’ and who brought the ‘Ghostbusters’ story roaring back to our screens last year with ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’. Eldest daughter Catherine is a writer and actor who created Netflix comedy series ‘Workin’ Moms’, while youngest Caroline is an actress and musician.
Jason took to twitter to pay tribute to his father:
I’ve lost my hero.
All I want is the chance to tell my father one more story.
He came from a family of survivors and turned his legacy into laughter.
Thank you for the kind messages. Enjoy his movies and remember his storytelling gifts. Nothing would make him happier. pic.twitter.com/tSijfxSnLg— Jason Reitman (@JasonReitman) February 14, 2022
