Ghostbusters II Courtroom Set in Jagged Edge (1985)

[spookcentral]

Jagged Edge (1985) is a Columbia Pictures film starring Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close. It has a clear Ghostbusters reference: A No Ghost Logo poster in hanging on the wall of the kid’s bedroom at 21:42. A screenshot of that was just uploaded to the Spook Central Patreon page here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/146686742

Many scenes later in the film take place in a courtroom. I think bits and pieces of this courtroom set were later re-used in Ghostbusters II. Not all of it, mind you, and the wall with the windows is on the opposite side, but I see enough details that do match - especially the wood molding and the placement of things, that I definitely think parts were re-used. I did a couple of quick screenshot comparisons to start the conversation. Hopefully the forum software resizes the GB2 Blu-ray screens to fit the page.

Obviously, the area behind the judge doesn’t match, but the wood molding and columns, and placement of the doors and their frames, do match.

Courtroom01a-JE00.49.43.806.jpg

Courtroom01b-GB200.31.35.225.jpg

Most of the stuff in the room itself I’m ignoring, but I do think the tables that both sides sit at were re-used in GB2. That looks like the same swirl pattern on the legs.

Courtroom02a-JE00.55.42.288.jpg

Courtroom02b-GB200.30.39.253.jpg

Courtroom02c-GB200.32.41.082.jpg

The Judge’s bench is not a match, but the witness stand and everything in the background on the right side does seem to match.

Courtroom03a-JE01.00.07.480.jpg

Courtroom03b-GB200.31.21.128.jpg

Different window panes above the door, but the door and wood paneling seem to match.

Courtroom04a-JE01.11.44.299.jpg

Courtroom04b-GB200.34.36.273.jpg

This first image is a composite panning shot from Jagged Edge. I thought I was on to something with there being three windows (the panes could have been changed later), but the GB2 windows go down lower than the JE windows.

Courtroom05a-JE01.27.59.533.jpg

Courtroom05b-GB200.33.38.432.jpg

If anyone wants to dig into this a little more, especially if an HD copy of Jagged Edge could be obtained (I only have it on DVD), feel free to do so. I did the best I could with what materials and time I have to work with right now.

[mrmichaelt]

Hell of a coincidence if that’s a not at least a partial re-use for GB2. Jagged Edge was a Columbia movie, too, and ironically, it’s sequel was met with resistance after David Putnam came into power. Seems only fitting they used some of Jagged Edge’s court set. Seems like at some point the wood got stained a darker shade but seems about the only change.

[kingpin]

Hah! Nice find, Paul.

Quite revealing (though not surprising in retrospect) to learn the set wasn’t built for Ghostbusters II. That’s two movies we now know featured the courtroom set beyond GBII, with the other being Last Action Hero (which used it twice, as the NYPD police station, and as the room with the catwalk photoshoot after the first car chase in the film).

[prodestrian]

This is just the tip of the iceberg…

There’s “Legal Eagles” (1986):

(Via https://ghostbusters.fandom.com/wiki/Thurgood_Marshall_U.S._Courthouse#Ghostbusters_II_Trivia)

The interior courtroom set was filmed at the Burbank Studios in Los Angeles. The set was modified from one used in “Legal Eagles” (1986) which Ivan Reitman directed. It was pulled out of stock and materials were added like a glass partition. The set was put atop a platform so the crew could drill holes for chairs. An expensive heavy cornice ceiling was added. There were complaints about how much was spent on the set.[2][3]

Also the movie "Armed and Dangerous (1986):

(Via AFI|Catalog )

and the production spent one day filming a courtroom set built for another production at The Burbank Studios

Armed And Dangerous Courtroom Scene

[mrmichaelt]

At the very least, what an interesting lifespan for this court set.

[kingpin]

@prodestrian post_id=5007856 time=1766753002 user_id=50434

(Via https://ghostbusters.fandom.com/wiki/Thurgood_Marshall_U.S._Courthouse#Ghostbusters_II_Trivia)

The interior courtroom set was filmed at the Burbank Studios in Los Angeles. The set was modified from one used in “Legal Eagles” (1986) which Ivan Reitman directed. It was pulled out of stock and materials were added like a glass partition. The set was put atop a platform so the crew could drill holes for chairs. An expensive heavy cornice ceiling was added. There were complaints about how much was spent on the set.[2][3]

I’ve quickly skimmed through Legal Eagles, and of the three courtrooms featured in the film, none appear to match the Court Room set from Ragged Edge, I think this factoid is incorrect.

The only court structure they have in common is they use the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse for exterior shots.

[quote=prodestrian post_id=5007856 time=1766753002 user_id=50434]Also the movie "Armed and Dangerous (1986)
[/quote]

Neat! (And another Columbia production).

I wonder if the set survived the car crash moment in Last Action Hero, or if it was struck after that stunt…

[mrmichaelt]

@Kingpin post_id=5007860 time=1766772300 user_id=76

I’ve quickly skimmed through Legal Eagles, and of the three courtrooms featured in the film, none appear to match the Court Room set from Ragged Edge, I think this factoid is incorrect.

The only court structure they have in common is they use the Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse for exterior shots.

Trust me, those three courtrooms have been oogled to death by myself, Paul, and Devilmanozzy… we kept the reference intact just because of the possibility one of those three were so heavily modified on the GB2 set that it’s incomparable or only a couple things were used from Legal Eagles but more of what was in Ragged Edge and Armed and Dangerous. Maybe some light gets shed on that in Too Hot To Handle…

I should reread the section about it in that ‘unofficial’ book but I only recall it went into detail about that fight between Murray and a crew member.

[spookcentral]

It’s quite clear that the courtroom set was used by other productions in between Jagged Edge and GB2, so it’s possible that the differences we see between Jagged Edge and GB2 were actually made by these other productions. For example, another film may have extended the windows, so they were already longer by the time the GB2 crew pulled the set out of storage.

We also don’t know if the set was built for Jagged Edge, or if it existed previously. That would be an interesting thing to find out.

Looking at the "Armed and Dangerous (1986) courtroom clip that Prodestrian posted, it looks like they used it with little modification from Jagged Edge. The judge’s bench looks the same. I have that film on Blu-ray (haven’t watched it in forever), but it’s buried in a box with the rest of my collection. Hopefully sometime in 2026 I will finally get the chance to reorganize and, more importantly, catalog my media collection. I’ll try to remember to put the Blu-ray aside when I come across it so I can grab some HD images from it.

I had no clue that the courtroom set appeared in Last Action Hero. I don’t know how that one escaped me since I used to watch that film a lot on VHS, and have owned it on nearly every format since. I currently have it on Blu-ray (Mill Creek’s Retro VHS slipcover) and Sony’s 4K UHD. Fun Fact: The trailer on the 4K shows a warehouse shoot-out that was the source for the altered photograph that appeared on the back of the GB2 1999 DVD. Anyway, that’s another one that when I find it, I’ll try to remember to put it aside to grab some images from either the Blu-ray or 4K.

As for Legal Eagles… Like MrMichaelT said, the three of us (me, him, and DevilManOzzy) scoured that film and found nothing that matched. I think the tidbit about Legal Eagles is incorrect. As I look at the image Prodestrian posted, maybe - and it’s a big MAYBE - the tables were re-used, but I would have to re-check the film itself to verify that. (I don’t own that one in my collection.) @Michael - We should probably add a note/disclaimer to the trivia item we have about Legal Eagles on the Wiki. I’ll leave that for you to do, should you agree that it will help clarify things.

It seems like this set may have been in frequent usage at The Burbank Studios. A list of movies that filmed there (at least in the 1980s) might make for a good checklist to see where else it appears. If we find more, we can see which crew changed what.

[d_osborn]

The Legal Eagles/reused set tidbit came from Tom Duffield’s interview in the GB Ultimate Visual History book, page 146. I believe he misspoke, as he said different in the Too Hot To Handle documentary interview. :love:

I’m sure it showed up in TV productions from the era, as well. Don’t step in the slime, Matlock!

[mrmichaelt]

@d_osborn post_id=5007888 time=1766958330 user_id=21

The Legal Eagles/reused set tidbit came from Tom Duffield’s interview in the GB Ultimate Visual History book, page 146. I believe he misspoke, as he said different in the Too Hot To Handle documentary interview. :love:

Thank goodness, I was hoping to hear this. Christmas wish come true, Derek.

[prodestrian]

@Kingpin post_id=5007860 time=1766772300 user_id=76

I’ve quickly skimmed through Legal Eagles, and of the three courtrooms featured in the film, none appear to match the Court Room set from Ragged Edge, I think this factoid is incorrect.

Very possible, all I could find was the screenshot I posted, where it looks like the same tables (and chairs?) are being used (I can’t tell for sure). Maybe Tom Duffield was on set and heard Ivan Reitman say “these are the same tables we used in Legal Eagles”? :lol:

My guess was that Burbank had a courtroom “kit” rather than a “set”, and the pieces could be mixed and matched as needed across various productions. It could also be repurposed for non-courtroom sets, as Kingpin mentioned for “Last Action Hero”. It also makes sense for storage purposes, it’s a lot easier to store boxes of wood panelling than keeping the entire set in storage. If it looked mostly unchanged between productions I’d have assumed it was a standing set, something which stays there permanently because so many movie/TV productions need it. For example this “Traditional Court” standing set at Riverfront Stages, which they even say “Alternate looks include university library / lecture hall, banquet hall, nightclub, restaurant or executive office.”.

It doesn’t seem to be the case though, unless they gradually replaced elements over the years (like rebuilding the judges desk between 1985 and 1989?).

Now that I see the “Last Action Hero” police station it’s pretty unmistakable!

If that’s not the exact same set elements, then it’s definitely been kitbashed from the same parts :lol:

[spookcentral]

Yeah, the police station in Last Action Hero was one usage. The other usage, as pointed out by Kingpin, is the model shoot:

I never noticed either of these in my many years of watching this movie because it’s really not obvious unless you’re paying super-duper attention.

[d_osborn]

@prodestrian post_id=5007895 time=1767000515 user_id=50434

My guess was that Burbank had a courtroom “kit” rather than a “set”, and the pieces could be mixed and matched as needed across various productions. It could also be repurposed for non-courtroom sets, as Kingpin mentioned for “Last Action Hero”. It also makes sense for storage purposes, it’s a lot easier to store boxes of wood panelling than keeping the entire set in storage.

This is pretty common. Sets are made out of what’s called “flats”. Basically flat built up walls that can be easily stored and repurposed. Much like standard props and costumes. The Sedgewick hallway sets had similar repurposed set bits here and there than can be seen in other productions.

For a bit, it was planned that ILM was going to make a miniature ceiling for the GB2 courtroom shots. One was eventually found that production used.