Before we even finished writing it I read some interview
where Kate McKinnon had said one of her dreams was to be a Ghostbuster, and I love
Kate so much and I know her from SNL and I was like – Kate could be perfect for this. And I met with
her, had her come in and when she walked out of the room after our meeting I was like
– OK, she’s gonna be a Ghostbuster. – Paul Feig on Kate McKinnon
This was actually a lovely (now somewhat poignant) interview with Feig. He talks at length about Kate in particular – about casting her, and about their process of creating Holtzmann together. There’s a lot more in the video than made this gifset. Props to both of them for trusting each other creatively.
Patty Tolan introducing herself by telling everyone a weird fact about history. Patty Tolan supplying a car because it makes more sense than lugging all the heavy equipment around by hand. Patty Tolan being the one who makes first contact with the antagonist. Patty Tolan yelling at them about the fast-approaching train and hauling them all out of danger. Patty Tolan joining the Ghostbusters because she thought it would be more like a book club where they could talk about history. Patty Tolan making sure everyone eats a sandwich because “low blood sugar is serious.” Patty Tolan supplying the uniforms to make sure they don’t get slimed again. Patty Tolan saying “Uh-huh. Room full of nightmares. Not going in there.” Patty Tolan keeping Holtzmann in line so she doesn’t kill everyone in a 20 foot radius with her experiments. Patty Tolan being emotionally supportive and understanding of Erin when she tells the “ghost girl” story. Patty Tolan knowing instantly the history of the Mercado hotel, confirming their suspicions about lay lines and identifying Rowan as the culprit. Patty Tolan catching Holtzmann before she falls out the window and then fighting possessed Abby one-handed. Patty Tolan slapping Rowan out of Abby. Patty Tolan constantly saving Holtzmann’s life in the Times Square battle and yelling “I got you baby!” and “Holtzy, get down!” at different points. Patty Tolan screaming “nobody hurts Kevin! Nobody!”. Patty Tolan having the idea to use the car to close the portal. Patty Tolan hauling Erin and Abby out of that portal before it closes. Patty Tolan being a nerdy, mild-mannered, easily frightened MTA worker whose practicality, encyclopaedic knowledge of history and instinctive protectiveness of her friends ends up saving New York and stopping the apocalypse. Patty. Tolan.
Headcanon that two or three times a year the Ghostbusters do like an open house for girls interested in science and the station house is just FLOODED with girls, wee ones all the way up to awkward high schoolers and college kids.
Each Ghostbuster gives a 20 minute lecture on their particular specialty–Erin does a boiled down Physics lessons, Abby talks about the supernatural, Patty talks about history, and Holtz gives gadget demonstrations. And for 80 minutes all the girls watch in wonder because they have FEMALE SCIENCE HEROS. Then after they do a Q&A and after that do photos and autographs and station tours. They raffle off a ride in Ecto-1 to a lucky group of three kids.
Each time they do it it gets more and more popular until they literally have sign ups and a waiting list for it. The women are just flabbergasted by how popular it is, but then they remember how going into STEM was for them (or in patty’s case, how awful STEM was to women) and they get why their open houses are important. So they keep doing them. And girls keep coming.
So I don’t THINK I’m about to turn my old Tumblr into a “Ghostbusters”/Holtzmann fan blog (though I JUST MIGHT, I’ve seen the movie three times and it’s getting pretty serious), but I have to talk about this one thing.
That moment when Holtz announces “I want to make a toast” and stands up, she has this bright, nervous, painfully vulnerable smile on her face, like she’s Feeling Things that are too big to hide by being weird and that scares the shit out of her, and admitting those feelings to her friends when they’re all expecting her to just be weird again is one of the bravest things she’s ever had to do, not excluding the fact that she’s been fighting a literal army of the undead for like a week.
Warning: This post is probably the most nerdy costuming post I’ve ever made. I’ve tried to keep the photos to a minimum, so be aware that a lot of the content I’m talking about here is linked within paragraphs.
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The vintage/historical fashion buff in me is extremely giddy that Jeffrey Kurland chose to use vintage safety/sport goggles as the model for pretty much every single pair of glasses Holtzmann wears. It’s also the icing on the cake of her ‘Mad Scientist’ vibe.
(I’ll be tackling each pair in the order they’re introduced in the film.)
Pair #1:
This is the infamous pair she wears for 90% of the movie and most of the promotional pictures.
After days of research, I can comfortably say that they are either a pair modeled after or modified from vintage pairs made by Wilson Safety Goggles between 1930 and the mid-1950s. Back in the 30s, 40s, and 50s, safety goggles did not look like they do now. They were also used for recreational activities such as motorcycling.
A few months ago, O’Riginals Trading Co. had prop replica pairs for sale. They are currently sold out, and I cannot find any information to indicate a definite re-release.
Thetake.com also suggests a usagi style steampunk pair of glasses as a good alternative. I did some searching but didn’t find any in a yellow tint that matched the originals at a fair price. However, there are customs being built such as this one, which go for anywhere between $150 and $300.
Pair #2:
Though they seem brand new (which I’m sure they are), these goggles are another call back to that vintage motorcycle/aviator style we talked about previously. Said goggles were also designed to fit over any other glasses one would wear every day. This would support the theory (at least I have one) that Holtzmann uses pair #1 functionally, and not just when she’s trying to avoid blowing things up. It would also explain why she has her glasses “stacked” in her introduction scene.
These
along with pair #3 were the easiest to find in the department
of cheap alternatives.
I wasn’t able to find any with the jewelers loop add-ons, but
I’m sure that they would be a fairly easy edition for any cosplayer
to make.
Again, we can easily find cheap alternatives for this pair. Though, the screen accurate version of these goggles should be a bit more rounded on the sides. The bug-like quality of the lenses would indicate that these are again modeled off of vintage motorcycling/sport goggles.
If you use your Google-Fu, you can certainly find a pair you can be comfortable with even if it’s not the ones I’ve linked above.
I’m hoping we get to see more of this pair in deleted scenes because the screen time of these goggles was extremely brief in comparison to the others.
Pair #4:
We get one last, unique pair just for the final battle.
Once again, my research would tell me that these were modeled off of or are modified Wilson Safety Goggles – much like pair #1. Why the different style? These are dated as 1950s safety goggles, and it is this decade when the style began to change.
Thetake.com suggested this Amazon pair from Bouton as a decent alternative. (Though the lenses may be too green.) Bouton is a modern company that also sells a clear version of said glasses at $10. If the lenses are plastic, there are ways to dye them in order to get a desired color.
Bonus Find:
I also love a good t-shirt. Who doesn’t?
Holtzmann’s tops are a toss up between solid colors, more blousy shirts with prints, and graphic tees. Her “One of the Boys” shirt caught my eye. I searched for its origins just to see what I would find.
There is one issue with this piece. The shirt manufactured for Urban Outfitters is a muscle tee and seems to have come in a single color.
I suppose the shirt could have been dyed, and we really can’t tell just how short the top is in the film because she is wearing it tucked into her pants with a thick belt – just above the waist area.
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Whew! That’s it! Thanks for sticking with me through that rundown.
If you have anything to add or want to scream about costuming, just send me a message. I’m happy to talk about all things Holtzmann/Ghostbusters/cosplay/etc.
Here’s a piece I wrote about Ghostbusters that’s kind of a review and kind of a discussion of the film’s place in the current media landscape and why I think it’s generating so much excitement. Check it out if you’re interested!
EDIT to add that this does have some spoilers, in that it discusses the plot of the movie in general terms, including the ending. I personally don’t think there’s anything in there that would compromise the enjoyment of your viewing experience, but just FYI.
“There are always men enraged by women’s autonomy, whether women are starring in a comedy reboot or “Thelma & Louise”; playing rock or video games; demanding their reproductive rights; running for president; or, you know, doing anything that some men don’t want them to do.”
