How do you turn on the proton pack?


by JonXCTrack

16 years ago

I was watching Ghostbusters today to blow off some steam after a final and I realized that in the elevator scene, Egon switches Ray's pack on, but doesn't reach over to the wand; he flips a switch on the pack itself. Is this a goof or just an alternate way to switch on the pack that I didn't know about for the last 20 years of my life? (*winston)

by rockstar232007

16 years ago

The switch on the pack isn't really there. Egon just goes to that spot, because of the shooting angle/“limited space”, as it would take too long to reach over to the wand.(*peter)

by JamesCGamora

16 years ago

I always assumed that the pack was turned on by the switch located on the back while there is a switch located on the wand itself that transferred the energies produced by the pack to the wand therefore powering the wand for use.

by Yehome

16 years ago

Even if there's no comparisons, there's also a switch on the top of the Real Ghostbusters Proton Pack. Just saying.

by thejoker1

16 years ago

Yehome;141355
Even if there's no comparisons, there's also a switch on the top of the Real Ghostbusters Proton Pack. Just saying.

I think it only appeared in the pilot ep, “Knock, Knock”. When they shoot at the big glowy ball thing at the end, they hit a button on top of their packs and then another button on the thrower.

by Yehome

16 years ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwAZa_sJfYQ

3:30

by Kingpin

16 years ago

A switch on the pack also appeared in Legion, placed on the Ion Arm.

However as rockstar said, the switch Egon went for doesn't actually exist as it was a bit of improv on Harold's part.

And it was pretty much abandoned by the time of the second film where they switched the Packs on via the Proton Gun.

by ScottSommer

16 years ago

Perhaps it was a safety switch. That is what I always thought.

Since they were prototypes and such and since they didn't get to test them, I always figure Egon input a safety switch that would be like an emergency shut off, but he turned it back on.

Why put it on the back of the pack? Well, it is a more direct place than say in the gun which could fail.

Perhaps by the time later in the movie it was unnecessary.

by JonXCTrack

16 years ago

So it appears that circa GB1 you turn the packs on the pack first with a switch near the Ion Arm and then the wand second. Perhaps Peter and Egon had their packs turned on in the elevator, but the scene cut before they actually did so.

Then sometime before GB2 a “shortcut” was implemented and only the wand needed to be activated.

by Yehome

16 years ago

JonXCTrack;141370
Perhaps Peter and Egon had their packs turned on in the elevator, but the scene cut before they actually did so.

No, Egon turn is PP on just after he leaves the elevator.