There is something weirdly magnetic about Bill Murray.
You watch him in Ghostbusters or Groundhog Day, and you get this feeling like you’ve known him forever.
But if you look at his filmography, there are these massive gaps.
These big, empty stretches where he just…
wasn’t there.
It’s like he vanishes into thin air.
I’ve always wondered why.
Like, where was he? Was he living in a treehouse? Was he just really good at hiding?
Oddly enough,
Table of Contents
- The Rise of a Comedy Legend
- That Weird Disappearance
- The Shift to Serious Drama
- The ‘Bill Murray’ Experience
- Where to Start Watching
The Rise of a Comedy Legend
It all started in the late 70s.
He wasn’t just a funny guy; he was a total wild card.
He was on Saturday Night Live for like, two seconds, but he left because…
well, nobody really knows why.
He just bounced.
But then came 1984.
Ghostbusters.
You can’t talk about Bill Murray without talking about that movie.
It’s perfect. Oddly enough,
The suits, the proton packs, the stay puft marshmallow man.
He played Dr.
Peter Venkman, a scientist who is basically just a high school bully with a PhD.
And Caddyshack? Even better.
Watching Bill Murray beat up a gopher with a golf club is honestly one of the greatest things ever filmed.
He just had this energy.
He could play the straight man, the crazy guy, the romantic lead, and he made it all look effortless.
Here’s the interesting part.
That Weird Disappearance
After the late 80s, he kinda drifted. Now think about that for a second.
It’s called his missing years, and fans talk about it all the time.
Did he retire? Did he move to a desert island? Some people say he disappeared for like, six months straight.
From what I’ve seen in the interviews, he just didn’t care about the Hollywood machine. Now think about that for a second.
He didn’t want to do press.
He didn’t want to talk about his family.
He just wanted to act.
And if the script was good? Maybe he’d show up. But there’s a catch.
If not? He’d probably be hanging out at a dive bar in New Orleans.
The ‘Strikethrough’ Years
There was this era in the 90s where he was basically unreachable.
He’d show up to press junkets and just write ‘STRUCK THROUGH’ on his contract.
It’s hilarious, but it also showed how much he didn’t care about the rules.
He took roles that were…
strange.
Like The Razor’s Edge.
It flopped.
Hard.
Critics hated it.
But he didn’t care.
He was trying something different.
He was playing a guy who just wants to find peace.
The Shift to Serious Drama
Then came 2003.
Lost in Translation.
This is the movie that changed everything for me. And this is where things get interesting.
It’s so subtle.
He plays a washed-up actor in Tokyo.
He’s drinking, he’s lonely, and he’s trying to find meaning.
It’s not a comedy.
It’s not a loud movie.
It’s quiet. But there’s a catch.
And that’s why it works.
It made people realize he’s a legit actor.
Not just the guy from Ghostbusters.
The ‘Bill Murray’ Experience
Then there’s the myth.
The legend.
There are stories of him crashing weddings. Oddly enough,
Of him singing to strangers.
Of him showing up at random people’s houses.
Most people think this is fake.
But I don’t know.
I think it’s real.
It fits his character.
He’s not like other actors.
He doesn’t want to be a star.
He wants to be a person.
Recent Work
He’s still around. Oddly enough,
Zombieland was a blast.
He played himself, basically.
And On the Road (2012) showed he still has it.
Where to Start Watching
If you’re new to Bill Murray, don’t overthink it.
Just watch the classics.
But if you want to see the range, here is a list of his best stuff.
- Ghostbusters (1984): The absolute best.
- Groundhog Day (1993): Rewatch value is infinite.
- Lost in Translation (2003): The serious stuff.
- St.
Vincent (2014)
: He plays a grumpy, drunk neighbor.It’s adorable.
- What We Do in the Shadows (2014): The best movie he’s been in in a while.
How to Watch Bill Murray Movies
If you want to binge these classics, you’re going to need to check your subscriptions.
Most of his older movies are on streaming, but they change hands a lot.
I personally use a streaming aggregator to find where the movies are located, because honestly, it’s annoying when you click a link and it’s not there.
Oddly enough,
The Mystery Continues
Will he ever make a proper Ghostbusters 3? Who knows.
Probably not.
But that’s okay.
Bill Murray is a mystery.
And honestly, I don’t think we want him to be any other way.
He’s a weirdo.
He’s a genius.
And he’s our weirdo.
Image source: pexels.com
Image source credit: pexels.com