DVD Review: Ghost World

[Guest TSMAdmin]

Based on the graphic novel and comic "Ghost World" by Daniel Clowes

 

Screenplay written by Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff

 

Directed by Terry Zwigoff

 

Released by United Artists Films and MGM Home Entertainment

 

Starring Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Illeana Douglas and Brad Renfro

 

Rated R, 111 minutes

 

I remember the summer succeeding my high school graduation rather vividly. It was 1994. I had a full-time job, as I recall, at D&P Embroidery. They made American flags exclusively. Meaning, that's all they made. The gig paid pretty well, too; I was only 18 and just out of the public school system and here I was surrounded by other men and women who supported their families on what I was making, doing the same tasks I was routinely assigned. I guess that's when I realized that was the end of the games for me. No more shunning responsibility and passing the buck. I was an adult now.

 

In my six months at D&P, I never saw the part of the plant where they made the red and white stripes. It was weird in a way how that managed to elude me. Actually, I'm not even sure if there was such a place. Every night and day (it was shift work) that I was there, I sat on this huge machine that looked like something out of "Mad Max" that sewed tiny white stars onto fields of blue material. My job was to periodically walk this mechanical monstrosity and ensure that the spools stayed full of white thread, that no needles broke (a broken needle would repeatedly punch gaping holes into the blue fabric resulting in unusable product) and to change the blue material as needed.

 

By far, this was the most boring job I ever had. Easily. The most excitement (or danger) one could experience came from changing the spools (called shuttles) or broken needles. This was an exercise in bravery because it called for you to stick your bare hands into rapidly moving, possibly finger-mangling machinery and steel parts because our bosses didn't allow us to shut off the machines to do it. It slowed productivity, they said. So does an employee with one hand, but who was I to argue? Gotta get those flags out on time and in mass quantities, I suppose. Sometimes I chuckle to myself when I think about how many current workers at D&P have probably senselessly lost extremities since the act of terrorism on 9/11. As you can see, that attack affected everyone, not just the families of those who were in the Twin Towers.

 

I don't think I'll ever forget that period of my life. The fashion trends, the music ('94 was a banner year for hip-hop, a staple of my daily routine) or the feeling of impending doom. Because, let's be honest, even if you do know what your plans are immediately following high school (and most of us didn't) you're still uncertain as to how your entire life will play out. That's scary enough, but the true horror sets in when the realization hits you that your life may not unfold even close to the way you originally envisioned it, and that you have little real control over that fact, if any.

 

Geez, I was so busy reminiscing, I completely forgot I have a DVD here to review!

 

The Movie:

 

"Ghost World" is about just such a period in the life of two disenchanted teenagers, Enid (Thora Birch of American Beauty) and Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson of The Horse Whisperer). These two young women have also just graduated high school; summer (and the rest of their lives) lies ahead, and they find themselves at that perplexing crossroads that we all have or will come to. Your options are to join the workforce and become a mindless, bland drone or you can keep your identity and individuality but be shunned by the world and end up jobless and, more than likely, friendless to boot. As you walk down the street, you begin to realize that the town you grew up in, that used to have so much personality and a charm of its own, is slowly becoming like every other town in America. There's a Starbucks right down the street and you pass a McDonald's on practically every other corner. Directly across from you, some buff guy is coming out of the local gym dressed in his trendiest wares and hopping into his sport-utility vehicle. Where do you fit in? Especially when all you want to do is NOT listen to J. Lo's latest single or NOT go see Pearl Harbor with all of your friends. You're sick of every mall in the world looking exactly the same.

 

The strictly-enforced rules and monotony of high school are finally over for Enid and Rebecca, but they remain somewhat aimless. Not content to just wander, Rebecca opts to get a job and starts looking to move into her own apartment, and she wants Enid to move in with her. Enid, of course, considers this selling out. She may not know yet what she wants to do with the rest of her life, but she clearly has her mind made up about what she doesn't want to do. Enid doesn't mind continuing to do the things she and Rebecca always enjoyed doing: being natural pessimists, remaining overly cynical and thinking of smarmy and smug ways to embarrass, humiliate and torture anyone or anything that conflicts with their own miserable worldview.

 

Because Enid and Rebecca can't seem to get on the same page concerning their goals, the two former best friends begin to drift apart. When one of their mean-spirited practical jokes backfires, Enid meets and befriends Seymour (Steve Buscemi), an eccentric and dorky record collector. At first, the two seem worlds apart and polar opposites, but the more time they spend together, the more they learn they have in common. Enid is especially fascinated and respectful of the fact that Seymour refuses to change his self-image in order to fit in or be accepted by society, a tenet Enid is struggling to adhere to herself. Meanwhile, the rift between Rebecca and Enid deepens and an unexpected turn changes the dynamic of Enid and Seymour's relationship drastically.

 

The DVD:

 

"Ghost World" is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The audio is 5.1 Dolby Digital. Pretty standard fare. The extras included are four deleted scenes (one of them extremely short, the others are just extended takes), a short "Making of . . ." featurette and three theatrical trailers.

 

One funny thing I noticed: right on the back of the DVD case, there is a small picture of Enid, Rebecca and Rebecca's grandmother sitting on the couch watching TV. So, obviously they filmed it, but for some reason it doesn't make it onto the deleted scenes portion of the disc. Strange.

 

Those who have read the serial comic or purchased the screenplay know this as the scene where ‘Becca and Enid are eating TV dinners and watching ‘Becca's grandmother Oomie's favorite TV show, some generic and corny sitcom that the two can't even believe she actually enjoys. It's short, but funny. They added a ton of needless crap to the movie, but then cut the few small things that made the comic so biting and realistic. I'll never figure it out. Hell, if nothing else, give it to us on the DVD, for Christ's sake. Like most adaptions, this tale changed a bunch from the comic, to the screenplay, to the final product.

 

Oh, and there's a "music video" (Gumnaam's "Jaan Pehechaan Ho") which isn't really a music video at all. It's just the Indian dance routine that Enid is rocking out to as the film opens. It is perfectly acceptable music and all, but I don't need to see the whole thing or have it added as an "extra" on my DVD. But then again, MGM has always blown as far as providing cool supplements and they don't do a damned thing to reverse the trend here. Thanks guys.

 

IMODO:

 

Thora Birch. Oh my. I have a crush on her. There. I said it. I'm in love with Thora Birch. Well, not really, but she does do an outstanding job as Enid. She didn't really have far to go, but she even looks like Enid from the comic. Reportedly, she even gained a little weight to play the part (albeit in all the right places). I admire her dedication to her craft. Bobby DeNiro, look out. The Enid character is a hoot as well. She's so tired of the sameness permeating her everyday world, she'll do ANYTHING to be different. Whether it be listening to obscure old music or wearing a novelty mask from an adult book store in public, nothing really shakes or deters Enid or stifles her flow of black humor and wry sarcasm. She's like Daria with big hooters. She'll change her style of dress or hair color in a heartbeat and if you watch closely, she'll change her personality slightly, too in order to test those closest to her. The scene where Enid gets a job at a movie theater sums up her character nicely.

 

Buscemi is perfect as the nerdy Seymour. I would say he was born to play Seymour but he's done so many other roles just as convincingly, I'd be selling him short relegating him to just one. Be sure to watch the ending credits and you'll see Seymour as you've never seen him before in an alternate take. You'll be glad you stuck around.

 

Final Thoughts:

 

"Ghost World" is a smart and satisfying surprise. It's humorous most of the time, but deeply introspective in others. While some of us knew what to expect from Zwigoff (Crumb), a lot of critics were shocked at what he was able to accomplish. I, for one, was not. I was thoroughly pleased with the final cut and the cast, although early rumors had Christina Ricci and Leelee Sobieski attached to the project. ~drool~ Maybe now people won't be so hard on movies adapted from comic books nor think that comics are just full of spandex-clad superheroes and heroines.

 

So, when can we expect that "Strangers In Paradise" movie?