When there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Columbia Pictures. And thank them for not fucking up the new DVD release of the classic 1984 paranormal farce, Ghostbusters. While you have them on the line, I suggest you also mention that they've made the most entertaining and essential DVD, in the entire history (both months!) of the format.

OK, why is this Dick Van Dyke the best one on the market so far? Well, first, obviously, it's Ghostbusters. You know, Murray and Aykroyd and Reitman and Hudson, Weaver, Potts, Moranis, Slimer, etc. in a great effects-filled comedy that holds up terrifically fifteen years after its theatrical release. Yeah, that one. Besides that, it's only twenty bucks (OK, "only," assuming you've already dropped the couple hundred bills for the DVD player itself). And lastly, it's really amazing in every way a DVD should be.

The coolest part of the new DVD is the main screen: a 3-D animated menu that digitally zooms into whatever special feature you select. The menu resembles a little Ghostbuster town, and I promise you that in each nook and cranny of this town you will find something intriguing. Only down side to this is that there a number of repeats; i.e., you will find several selections repeated in different "areas" of the main menu--so it kind of looks like there's more than there really is.

After you've watched the film, with the visuals and sound clearly the best it's ever been, you'll want to hear the commentary that runs throughout the movie. Only this time you get to see the . . . commentarians (actor/co-writer Harold Ramis, producer/director Ivan Reitman, and some co-producer guy) in silhouette, just under the film, much like those lovable guys from Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Their anecdotes wonderfully complement to the film. I just wished Aykroyd or Murray were there too--but that might just be too much comedy for anyone to handle.

Besides this, you can watch the entire film with "Pop Up Video"-type trivia bits running throughout, in the letterbox area below. You can see specific scenes with or without special effects, ditto for storyboards and conceptual drawings--all at the touch of the rarely used ACTION button. And of course there are documentaries on the film from '84 and now, various production notes, and the usual slate of coming attractions. As you can see, you buy this on a Friday, and you've got your whole, pathetic weekend filled.

What's dumb about it? Not a lot. The deleted scenes are more like deleted lines, and not very good ones at that. The cover of the DVD box is stupid-looking (the shot with the 'Busters headed for Gozer, instead of the simple yet effective No-Ghosts insignia-on-black), although the DVD itself is preciously adorned with many little Ghostbusters symbols. Other than that, you might just get pissed off because there's too much to see. But you're crazy if you think that way, and I hate crazy people like you.

So get your running shoes on, set the ol' ticker on high, sprint to your local DVD supplier, and prepare to sit in front of the couch, slack-jawed and near-comatose, for days, soaking up the fun.