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A screen-matched, light-up radio-controlled hero ghost trap and pedal from Ivan Reitman's Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II. The Ghostbusters - Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Raymond Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) - used traps to capture ghouls haunting New York throughout both films.

A small number of hero trap props were made in aluminum for the first film by Academy Award®-nominated special effects supervisor Chuck Gaspar, then reused in the second production. The specific alignment of the "Danger" label on the back of this ghost trap, as well as unique nicks in the paint on its back end, screen-matches it to the scene in the sequel where Venkman trapped a ghost on the park trail. Detailing on the trap, including its decals, may have been updated between the first and second film, making matching to the original movie more difficult.

Ghostbusters was an immediate pop culture phenomenon upon release, becoming the then-highest-grossing comedy of all time. The sequel, Ghostbusters II, was also a blockbuster success, breaking the then all-time records for both the biggest one-day opening and for the biggest non-holiday opening weekend. The films spawned an incredibly popular franchise that has spanned nearly 40 years and included theatrical films, cartoons, books, comics, video games, action figures, and a breakfast cereal. In 2015, the film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry for its historical, cultural and aesthetic importance.

This trap is made from aluminum with a handle and four wheels, an illuminating red plastic light, an illuminating electronic charging meter, a yellow plastic light, and two doors with yellow striped caution tape applied on top. The trap doors are opened and closed via the remote control; housed inside are five 9V batteries in a battery pack, an array of four small light bulbs, and circuitry connecting the doors to the batteries.

The original plastic and metal Futaba radio-control system used to operate the trap is labelled with numbers corresponding to the mechanism that each button controls. The trap has several pieces of functionality: the remote button labelled "5 DOOR" opens the striped hatch doors on top; the throttle labelled "3 BARGRAPH" operates the light bar graph at the top of the piece which illuminates up and down to confirm that the trap is filled up; the "6 FLASH" button initiates the internal strobe-light used for on-set interactive lighting effects when the trap opens; and the mechanism labelled "7 RED LIGHT FLASH" operates the red flashing light at the rear of the unit that signifies it is holding a ghost.

The hydraulic foot pedal is made of steel and wood painted black, with red and yellow wires underneath. Also included is a plastic-and-steel cable that connects the trap and the pedal, and a red-and-black AC charging cord for the trap. The round silver bars on the side of the trap's body were originally painted orange for the first film, and were stripped back to raw aluminium when the trap was reconditioned for the sequel. The electronics have undergone some repair work to restore functionality. All pieces exhibit signs of use and wear, including scrapes and scuffs throughout, as well as chipped wood on the pedal. Operating instructions for the functional electronic components are also included. Dimensions: 29.5" x 23" x 9.5" (75 cm x 58.5 cm x 24.25 cm)

Additional Provenance: Letter of Authenticity from producer Michael C. Gross.

Contains electronics; see electronics notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: $150,000 - 300,000