Iconic “Ghostbusters II” painting found in thrift store—and fans instantly recognized it
- Replies 0
Tucked between dusty shelves and forgotten knickknacks, something eerily familiar waited to be discovered.
At first glance, it looked like any other oversized portrait you'd find in a thrift store—odd, old, and slightly out of place.
But for those who know what to look for, its presence signals something far more unsettling.
What one shopper stumbled upon wasn’t just a piece of movie history—it was a chilling reminder that some things never really stay buried.
A horror movie relic just made an unexpected comeback—in a thrift store.
You might not notice it right away, but a 6-foot-tall portrait of a scowling man in golden armor caught the attention of one very specific type of fan.
John Hughston, known online as Razimus, spotted it while browsing a secondhand shop near Los Angeles.
What he found was nothing less than a replica of the most haunted painting in cinematic history.
It’s Vigo the Carpathian—the villain from 1989’s Ghostbusters II. In the film, the spirit of a 16th-century tyrant possesses his own portrait and terrorizes New York from inside the Manhattan Museum of Art.
To fans, the image is unmistakable: an imposing figure with storm clouds brewing behind him, hands on hips, waiting to reanimate. “You don’t see this at a thrift store everyday,” Hughston wrote on X.
He stumbled upon the find on June 8, 2025—exactly 41 years after the original Ghostbusters film premiered. The thrift shop had the portrait marked at $250, which was enough to make Hughston walk away (at least at first).
But the internet disagreed: “Personally, that’s a bargain,” one fan commented. Another asked, “Do you know if it’s still there? I kinda feel like I need it.”
Also read: This 160-year-old painting has an alleged time traveler–Expert decodes the mystery!
Hughston later returned to the shop wearing full Ghostbusters merch—and the painting was still sitting there.
Despite some minor scratches, the likeness of Vigo was unmistakable. For those wondering, it’s almost certainly not the screen-used original, but a replica print based on production art.
That hasn’t stopped diehard fans from calling it a must-have.
The truth behind the movie version is even stranger. The painting wasn’t a painting at all—just a massive photo made to look like one.
Also read: Uncover the secret to flawless furniture painting–you're probably missing this crucial step!
Artists Glen Etychison and Lou Police collaborated to photograph actor Wilhelm von Homburg in full costume, combining photography and paint to achieve a “living painting” effect.
Director Ivan Reitman wanted the image to feel eerily real—as if Vigo might step out at any moment.
As for whether Hughston’s thrift-store version is actually haunted? Probably not, though its resale value is definitely spiking.
Still, spotting Vigo in the wild has reignited love for the Ghostbusters sequel and reminded fans how instantly recognizable some movie props remain. Even if it’s not the painting, it’s got serious spooky street cred.
Read next: The incredible theft that made the Mona Lisa a household name
Would you hang Vigo the Carpathian in your home? Or would you leave him exactly where you found him—safely locked away behind someone else’s couch? Drop a comment and tell us: cursed movie prop or collector’s dream?
At first glance, it looked like any other oversized portrait you'd find in a thrift store—odd, old, and slightly out of place.
But for those who know what to look for, its presence signals something far more unsettling.
What one shopper stumbled upon wasn’t just a piece of movie history—it was a chilling reminder that some things never really stay buried.
A horror movie relic just made an unexpected comeback—in a thrift store.
You might not notice it right away, but a 6-foot-tall portrait of a scowling man in golden armor caught the attention of one very specific type of fan.
John Hughston, known online as Razimus, spotted it while browsing a secondhand shop near Los Angeles.
What he found was nothing less than a replica of the most haunted painting in cinematic history.
It’s Vigo the Carpathian—the villain from 1989’s Ghostbusters II. In the film, the spirit of a 16th-century tyrant possesses his own portrait and terrorizes New York from inside the Manhattan Museum of Art.
To fans, the image is unmistakable: an imposing figure with storm clouds brewing behind him, hands on hips, waiting to reanimate. “You don’t see this at a thrift store everyday,” Hughston wrote on X.
He stumbled upon the find on June 8, 2025—exactly 41 years after the original Ghostbusters film premiered. The thrift shop had the portrait marked at $250, which was enough to make Hughston walk away (at least at first).
But the internet disagreed: “Personally, that’s a bargain,” one fan commented. Another asked, “Do you know if it’s still there? I kinda feel like I need it.”
Also read: This 160-year-old painting has an alleged time traveler–Expert decodes the mystery!
Hughston later returned to the shop wearing full Ghostbusters merch—and the painting was still sitting there.
Despite some minor scratches, the likeness of Vigo was unmistakable. For those wondering, it’s almost certainly not the screen-used original, but a replica print based on production art.
That hasn’t stopped diehard fans from calling it a must-have.
The truth behind the movie version is even stranger. The painting wasn’t a painting at all—just a massive photo made to look like one.
Also read: Uncover the secret to flawless furniture painting–you're probably missing this crucial step!
Artists Glen Etychison and Lou Police collaborated to photograph actor Wilhelm von Homburg in full costume, combining photography and paint to achieve a “living painting” effect.
Director Ivan Reitman wanted the image to feel eerily real—as if Vigo might step out at any moment.
As for whether Hughston’s thrift-store version is actually haunted? Probably not, though its resale value is definitely spiking.
Still, spotting Vigo in the wild has reignited love for the Ghostbusters sequel and reminded fans how instantly recognizable some movie props remain. Even if it’s not the painting, it’s got serious spooky street cred.
Read next: The incredible theft that made the Mona Lisa a household name
