This magician is running out of room for his record-breaking Ghostbusters collection

Darren McQuade’s home is all Slimers and proton packs and marshmallow men as far as the eye can see.

The professional magician from South Ockendon, England, has broken the Guinness world record for largest collection of Ghostbusters memorabilia, with 2,012 items. 

“It’s all in my home, and it’s pretty much taken over now. We’re about to start boxing stuff up and putting stuff behind other stuff just to fit in,” McQuade told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. 

“Basically, I live in a Ghostbusters museum, because you can’t look anywhere without seeing Ghostbusters. Unless you look out the window.”

‘Anyone can be a Ghostbuster’

It’s a collection that goes back decades. 

McQuade says he first came across the paranormal franchise when he was three years old, and started watching the cartoon series on TV.

“I’ve been a fan ever since,” he said. “As a kid, other things came along — like WWF wrestling [and Teenage Mutant Ninja] Turtles — but they didn’t last long. It kept me amused for a couple of weeks, and it is back to Ghostbusters.”

His parents indulged his obsession, he says, and started getting him Ghostbusters toys. Since then, he’s kept on buying them.

“My girlfriend’s really supportive of it as well,” he said. “Whenever I find something and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure about it,’ she just says, ‘Well, why don’t you buy it? As long as we pay the bills, that’s all that matters.'”

The first time he saw the original live-action 1984 movie, it was taped from TV on an old VHS tape, commercials and all.

When Ghostbusters 2 came out in 1989, it was the first movie he ever saw in the theatre. 

He remembers realizing the movies were much more risque than his beloved children’s cartoon. But that, he says, was part of the appeal.

“A lot of people forget that this is really originally more of an adult film,” he said. “When I was younger, there was stuff that sort of went over my head. And as you get older, it’s like, oh, I finally understand what that means.”

McQuade’s record comes as the original Ghosbusters movie celebrates its 40th anniversary. He was in New York City last weekend to celebrate with other fans at the firehouse that served as the team’s headquarters in the film.

Being at that iconic location, he said, was a moment he’ll never forget.

“It’s almost like a religious experience to me,” he said.

McQuade, who is also an actor, was an extra on this year’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire while it was shooting in London.

“My job was to walk past Ray’s bookshop. I never made the final cut, as far as I can tell. I need to watch it on DVD when that comes out,” he said.

“But just being on the set, being next to the bookshop, being next to the firehouse that they’d built in London, was absolutely amazing. And that is something I never expected to ever happen in a million years, and something I’ll never forget.”

But McQuade’ enduring affection for the series goes beyond shiny toys, movie sets and adult humour.

“I think what I like about the characters is anyone can be a Ghostbuster,” he said.

“Superheroes are obviously very big nowadays — Captain America and all those sort of ones — and they have superpowers. Whereas with Ghostbuters, [anyone] can strap on a proton pack and bust ghosts and save the city.”