This is a list of all known alternate versions of The Real Ghostbusters episodes. For the most part, there are two types of variants: Original/Redubbed Voices and Series/Tahiti Music. Episodes with the first variant exist with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine. Episodes with the second variant exist with two different music scores for one or two scenes only; one in which the standard series music composed by Shuki Levy and Haim Saban is used, and the other in which a pop song performed by Tahiti from the soundtrack album is used. Alternate episodes that have any other type of variant aren’t common and will be described in detail per episode below.
“The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD Box Set from Time Life contains one copy of every episode of The Real Ghostbusters and Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters. With the exception of “Deja Boo”, it does not contain any alternate versions – though it contains the “Series Music Version” of some episodes, and the “Tahiti Music Version” of other episodes. More information can be found on the DVD Box Set page here on Spook Central.
Please don’t ask me for copies of these episodes. If an alternate is available on home video, it will be noted below. Purchase links for those home video products can be found on the Store page. If an alternate is not available on home video, you can try asking other fans in the forums listed on my e-mail page, and maybe someone there will be able to help you.
Attack Of The B-Movie Monsters (BRIDGE/NO BRIDGE)
The difference occurs right after the Ghostbusters turn on the air raid siren and Ray says, “OK, Lizardo. Come to mama.” In the “Bridge Version”, the scene plays like this: Lizardo hears the air raid siren and looks at the tower. There’s a shot of the tower and some surrounding buildings. The next shot has Lizardo, blocked by a bridge, grooving to the siren. Then we see Winston (who says, “Man, check out the moves”) and Peter (who says “And they said disco was dead”) in a two-shot (with thuds heard in the background). The next shot has Lizardo, again blocked by a bridge, grooving to the siren then advancing toward the tower. In the “No Bridge Version”, the scene plays like this: Lizardo hears the air raid siren and looks at the tower. There’s a shot of the tower and some surrounding buildings. The next shot has Lizardo jumping, in full frame. Then we see Winston (who says, “Man, check out the moves”) and Peter (who says “And they said disco was dead”) in a two-shot (with thuds heard in the background). The next shot has Lizardo again jumping, in full frame, then advancing toward the tower.
The Bridge version is not available on home video. The No Bridge version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set.
The Bird Of Kildarby (SERIES/TAHITI MUSIC)
Each version features different background music at the end of the scene where the Bird of Kildarby chases the Ghostbusters in Ecto-1. One version features standard series music, whereas “Driving Me Crazy” performed by Tahiti (from the soundtrack album) is played in the other version.
The Series Music version can be found on Sony’s “Creatures Of The Night” DVD. The Tahiti Music version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set, Sony’s “Volume 4” DVD (with no title card), and Magic Window’s “The Bird Of Kildarby And Other Stories” VHS released in the 1980s.
The Boogieman Cometh (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video.
Deja Boo (HOUR/HALF-HOUR)
The original Network (ABC) version runs an hour (approximately 45 minutes without commercials) and features scenes from “The Copycat“, “Halloween II 1/2“, “Sticky Business“, and “The Two Faces Of Slimer“. The Syndicated version runs a half-hour (approximately 25 minutes without commercials) and features edited scenes from only the first three episodes previously listed.
Both versions can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set.
Don’t Forget The Motor City (GREY GREMLINS/COLORED GREMLINS)
When the Ghostbusters first spot the gremlins in the factory break room, they are all crowded over in a corner. In the original UK version of that first shot, they are all colored dark grey, so you can barely see them. In the later version, they are all individually colored. It is believed that after originally painting all of the gremlins grey, the decision was made to revise the shot so that you could actually SEE what the Ghostbusters are looking at. Also, it ties into the following shot in which we see all of the gremlins in color. It is not known if the Grey Gremlins version ever aired in the United States. (found by James Eatock)
The Grey Gremlins version can be found on the UK “Volume 10” Magic Window VHS release. The Colored Gremlins version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set and Sony’s “Volume 3” DVD (with no title card).
A Fright At The Opera (SERIES/TAHITI MUSIC)
Each version features different background music when the Ghostbusters are falling from the ladder (after the second commercial break). One version features standard series music, whereas “Driving Me Crazy” performed by Tahiti (from the soundtrack album) is played in the other version.
The Series Music version can be found on Sony’s “Volume 2” DVD (with no title card). The Tahiti Music version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set, and Magic Window’s “A Fright At The Opera” VHS released in the 1980s.
Ghosts ‘R Us (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video, but Spook Central VIPs can download it here.
Knock Knock (SERIES/TAHITI MUSIC)
Each version features different background music when the Ghostbusters fight the ghosts on the train. One version features standard series music (in this case, the “Ghostbusters” theme), whereas “The Boogieman” performed by Tahiti (from the soundtrack album) is played in the other version.
The Series Music version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set and Sony’s “Volume 2” DVD (with no title card). The Tahiti Music version can be found on Magic Window’s “Knock Knock” VHS released in the 1980s, Sony’s “Adventures In Slime & Space” DVD released in the United Kingdom in 2004, and OS Films’ “Manhattan Madness” DVD released in 2005 (it’s a professional bootleg of the two Sony UK DVDs).
Lights! Camera! Haunting! (GLASS SKYSCRAPERS/VICTORIAN SKYSCRAPERS)
The opening shot was almost completely re-animated. The first version features some poorly-drawn glass-fronted skyscrapers, while the other features better-drawn Victorian skyscrapers.
The Glass Skyscrapers version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set, while the Victorian Skyscrapers version can be found on Sony’s “Volume 4” DVD (with no title card). (found by Steven Reed)
Mr. Sandman, Dream Me A Dream (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video.
Mrs. Roger’s Neighborhood (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video.
Play Them Ragtime Boos (SERIES/TAHITI MUSIC)
Each version features different music during the parade scene. One version features standard series music, whereas “Party On His Mind” performed by Tahiti (from the soundtrack album) is played in the other version. (found by Matthew Jordan)
The Series Music version is not available on home video. The Tahiti Music version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set and Sony’s “Volume 2” DVD (with no title card). The Series Music Version video clip below was taken from this Russian dub of the episode that apparently came from a Russian DVD release.
Short Stuff (WORK-IN-PROGRESS/FINAL)
Although there is only one official version of this episode, there are two versions floating around in fan circles. There’s the final version as originally shown on ABC. Then there’s a work-in-progress “Production Tape” (Prod. #175006, 10/18/1988) which contains the animation and voice track, but no sound effects or music, and has time stamp numbers in the upper left corner of the screen. (A copy of the production tape was provided to me by Doreen Mulman.)
The Final version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Work-In-Progress version is not available on home video.
Slimer, Come Home (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video.
Slimer, Is That You? (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version can be found on Sony’s “Volume 7” DVD.
Troll Bridge (ORIGINAL/REDUBBED VOICES)
This episode exists with two different full-length audio tracks; one in which Lorenzo Music is Peter and Laura Summer is Janine, and the other where Dave Coulier is Peter and Kath Soucie is Janine.
The Original Voices version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set. The Redubbed Voices version is not available on home video.
Venkman’s Ghost Repellers (SERIES/TAHITI MUSIC)
Each version features different background music when the Ghostbusters save Peter’s dad. One version features standard series music, whereas “Hometown Hero” performed by Tahiti (from the soundtrack album) is played in the other version.
The Series Music version can be found on TimeLife’s “The Real Ghostbusters: Complete Collection” DVD box set and Sony’s “Volume 2” DVD (with no title card). The Tahiti Music version can be found on Magic Window’s “Venkman’s Ghost Repellers” VHS released in the 1980s, Sony’s “Adventures In Slime & Space” DVD released in the United Kingdom in 2004, and OS Films’ “Manhattan Madness” DVD released in 2005 (it’s a professional bootleg of the two Sony UK DVDs).
