"Light and shadow play on our perceptions in an almost primal, intrinsic way. We are wary, even fearful, of the dark and the unknown dangers it may hide. Likewise we bath in the warmth and the wonder of bright light.
While I may wax poetic here, the two phenomona of Shadow People (sometimes called Shades) and Orbs (also known as Will O' Wisps, Corpse Lights, Ghost Lights, and many other names) are so common as to almost become mundane and tiresome. For every true encounter with a spectral apparition there are a dozen claims of Orbs caught on film and Shadow People in the dim light of evening. It is very rare to actually find these manifestions to be, well, manifestations in any meaningful way.
I will say that when they are encountered, they are usually a sign of something greater nearby or on the way. They may be viewed as the prologue to the real story, the introduction that becomes a Residual or Intelligent Haunting if you read on.
I have heard from other investigators into the paranormal that they can be the story itself but those instances are few and far between."
-Sebastian Pott, January 1950.
About a month after writing the excerpt above, which he did in respond to a series of investigations of said phenomena that we're easily debunked, Pott would witness an unusual supernatural occurance that even we Ghostbusters have rarely encountered.
Curious Case #14: Shadows and Lights of Old Vaudeville.
"Following a lovely breakfast meeting with some fellow parapsychology enthusiasts I'd corresponded with while at NYU, I took the opportunity to walk through a part of Chicago's downtown Loop. Many of the old theatres were renovating, switching over from live stage performances to showing movies. Alas, the days of vaudeville were winding down and the silver screen was going up.
Sebastian Pott, Age 28
February, 1950
I stopped for a moment at an alleyway between two theatres because I had sworn I'd seen something or someone enter the side entrance of the edifice but looking more closely I saw that there was no side entrance; no door there at all. I walked down the alley to make certain and sure enough, all I could see was a blank wall. A policeman saw me and asked what I was doing. I told him I thought I'd seen someone sneaking around back and he pointed out the only sneaky fellow in the alley was me. Fair point I noted. I showed him my identification and 'credentials' such as they were.
"I see. So that's what they teach in the fancy schools back East these days, huh? Ghosthunting?", the officer said with mocking though not completely unfriendly tone.
Officer Henry 'Hank' Clemens, Chicago, 1950.
"Not exactly Officer...Clemens. Ghosthunting is a hobby. I am looking to find employment as a teacher and researcher. I hope to return to New York and become a professor at my alma mater. Perhaps elsewhere as well." I smiled politely as I spoke and tried to maintain as casual a manner as possible. The policeman seemed to relax a bit.
"Well, alright. Just be careful lookin'...", before he could finish his thought we both heard a loud crash and a sharp crack from inside the theatre. It sounded like something heavy had fallen and broken in two. Officer Clemens spun around, adjusted his cap, and then run around to the front of the establishment. I ran right along with him and, luckily for me, he was too focused on what might lie ahead to bother telling me not to.
We entered the building with Clemens in the lead and immediate took stock of the place. Like so many other theatres I'd seen, this one was in the process of converting to the new medium of film.
There were only a few lights on, tools were scattered about, and a pile of wood and metal construction material. We heard the sound of footsteps and hurried to a staircase that led up to the balcony level. It was as if the workers departed mid-renovation. Suddenly realizing, or more likely acknowledging, that I was there, Clemens told me to, "Stay close and keep your eyes open."
He walked up the stairs to the second floor and I followed suite. Upon reaching the top, we noted a pair of large wooden doors directly across from us. Entry to the balcony seats obviously. It was even darker up here with no windows to the outside and even fewer lights lit.
Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw a shadow move towards the other balcony doors on at the opposite end of the hallway. I was startled and the Officer clearly noticed. Both our pairs of eyes saw the far side balcony doors open and close of their own accord. The floor was eeriely quiet.
"If this is some sort of prank Mister, you're going to be in big trouble", the policeman grunted at me. I assured him it wasn't, at least not by me. To his credit, Clemens moved towards those doors in ernest, grabbing the one door handle with one hand and raising his billy club with the other. I followed behind him, sweeping my gaze back and forth across our environment in case someone or something was hiding somewhere. Clemens shouted, "This is Officer Henry Clemens, Chicago PD. I'm coming in!"
Clemens threw the door open, practically leaped in and looked around. I eased in behind him, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. The room was completely dark, not a single light on in the vast theatre. Then, as if on cue for a dramatic reveal, a glow came from the stage below. Clemens and I exchanged glances and moved slowly, in unison, towards the edge of the balcony. Looking down below, we saw what even now I find it difficult to fully describe. Not because of its visual complexity or a lack of detail but because describing what I saw has nothing to do with how it felt to be there viewing it.
Three spheres of light hovered between two and a half and four and a half feet off the stage. This illuminated the curtain behind them, upon which the shadows of three or perhaps four Human-like figures appeared. At first I thought they might be people standing behind said curtain but the way the shadows fell, their size and movements, they were not quite right for that. I caught Clemens staring, mouth a gape, wisps of steam coming from his dropped jaw in the unnaturally cold air of the locale. Perhaps noticing me noticing him, he closed his mouth and looked over to me with a look on his face that said, 'What am I looking at?".
As the three orbs grew a little brighter, the shadows became darker, and it was even more obvious these were not 'people' in the strictest sense. All in silhouette, I notice one shade wore a cowboy hat, another was a child most likely, and the last, well that third one was the least Human looking. They moved about only slightly and slowly but seemed to turn to each other, bend down, and then 'look' forward towards the audience seats.
Were these Residual or Intelligent beings? I decided to test a theory I was developing. I stood straight up and started to clap my hands. Clemens almost jumped out of his skin. He turned to bark at me no doubt but instead scratched his head, put away his nightstick and joined me. As the two of use stood applauding the 'actors' below, the ghostly balls of light flashed erratically while the shadow people seemed to bow. This lasted a good few minutes before the spheres faded away, dropping the theatre into total darkness. A few electric lights flickered on a moment later and the orbs and shadows were both completely gone.
After a few minutes, Clemens and I departed the balcony and, based on his suggestion, made a perusal of the rest of the theatre just in case there were any other disturbances. There were not. In the end, Clemens confided in me that he would not have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself and even then, he wasn't quite certain what he'd witnessed. I told him that truthfully, I wasn't completely sure myself. He nodded, patted me on the shoulder, and told me I was "a good egg after all', and wished me good luck. He then turned and walked away, his posture and gait a little less self-assured then before. I watched him go for some time before go on my own merry way."
-Sebastian Pott, February 1950.
Encountering Shadow People and Orbs in the way Pott describes here is extremely uncommon. As he stated above, some hauntings may include fleeting shadows or ghostly lights but both together without any other entity being present is exceptional. What does it mean when it happens? The jury is still out on that.
Adam Dickstein,
Ghostbusters Inc., International
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Rumors abound that Sony Pictures is developing a new live-action Ghostbusters film titled, 'Nightmare on 34th Street'.
Josh Miller (Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Violent Night) is, supposedly, attached to write.
I love the title! It gives me a 'Nightmare Before Christmas' meets 'A Miracle on 34th Street' kinda feeling. Not enough mixing of Halloween and Xmas I always say, so I for one hope this rumor is true.
More as it develops.
Rivian is doing a collaboration with Sony Pictures, transforming its R1 and R2 electric vehicles into Ghostbusters-themed 'Ecto-R1' machines. As you can see, they look really cool! Plus, there is a '2026 Halloween Mode' software app built in that has all kinds of wild Ghostbusters related lights, sounds, images, and other features.
Check out their website and the commerical, which features none other then Bill Murray as Peter Venkman! Yes, REALLY!
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