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When it comes to alternative comics success, Daniel Clowes has seen his stories such as “Ghost World” (2001) adapted into a film, and “Art School Confidential” (2006).
These stories were among the many stories that were featured in his solo anthology comic book series “Eightball” which was published by Fantagraphic Books.
In each issue, you would have around a half dozen stories in black and white or color. “Eightball” would run from October 1989 through June 2004 with a total of 23 issues released and it was no doubt the craziest, crudest yet humorous comic books you would find at the comic book store (if you were lucky to find an issue).
But “Ghost World” was a fascinating story that was featured in issues #11-#18 and was a commercial and critical success and became a cult classic.
The story followed the lives of best friends Enid Coleslaw and Rebecca Doppelmeyer. These two girls are witty, intellectual, cynical and trying to figure out what to do with their lives.
While the original story featured on the friendship between Enid and Rebecca, the film adaptation incorporated the friendship but focused a little more on Enid Coleslaw and Seymour.
The film adaptation is directed by Terry Zwigoff (“Crumb”, “Bad Santa”, “Art School Confidential”, “Louie Bluie”) and co-written by both Zwigoff and original story creator, Daniel Clowes.
The film stars Thora Birch (“Patriot Games”, “Hocus Pocus”, “Affairs of State”), Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers” films, “Captain America” films, “Lost in Translation”, “Her”), Steve Buscemi (“Fargo”, “Reservoir Dogs”, “Pulp Fiction”), Brad Renfro (“Sleepers”, “The cure”, “The Client”), Illeana Douglas (“Grace of My Heart”, “Happy, Texas”, “To Die For”), Bob Balaban (“Gosford Park”, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”, “Capote”) and Stacey Travis (“Intolerable Cruelty”, “Mystery Men”, “Easy A”).
And the film would receive the Criterion Collection treatment and is currently available on Blu-ray and DVD.
Best friends Enid (portrayed by Thora Birch) and Rebecca (portrayed by Scarlett Johansson) have just graduated from high school. While Rebecca is planning for her future and is expecting Enid to move out of her house to live in a place with her, Enid still has to pass a remedial art class to get her diploma.
One day, the girls see a personal ad in which a man named Seymour is trying to get in contact with a woman who recently contacted him.
Enid makes a prank call pretending to be the woman and for him to meet her at a diner, and while the two and their friend Josh (portrayed by Brad Renfro) wait, entering the diner is Seymour (portrayed by Steve Buscemi).
As he waits for the woman, they see him as a dork and make fun of him, but immediately Enid starts to feel sympathy for him and follows him to his home.
When the two arrive, they see that Seymour is selling vintage albums and Enid purchases an old blues album from him.
Not long after, they become friends and she wants to help him find a date, but in the process, as she spends more time with Seymour, her friend Rebecca starts to feel left out.
Will their friendship suffer because of the time Enid is spending with Seymour?
As a big fan of the original “Eight Ball” comic book, I grew up reading “Ghost World” during my early college years.
So, when the film was released in theaters, I have to admit that I was stoked about watching a film about two social outcasts who look down on society. And while parts of the film resembles the original comic book series, I was surprised how different the film was from the comic book series.
Where the comic book focused on Enid and Rebecca and their deteriorating friendship, the friendship between the two young ladies is less prominent in the film.
In fact, the film becomes more of a film of self-discovery for the character of Enid and she spends time with Seymour. Both are social outcasts, both are lonely and through circumstances, they tend to find their friendship with each other comforting. Enid gets closer to him by telling he will try to get him a woman, and when she succeeds in doing just that, when he starts to spend more time with the other woman, she starts to feel left out.
She then turns to her friend Rebecca, who she hasn’t talked all that much and needless to say, their friendship has changed.
In the comic book series, there are other character who show up but are not as prominent in the film version. In the comics, both are attracted to Josh, but instead of messing around with him behind each other’s backs, Josh is more of a person that Enid tries to get jealous by flaunting that she hangs out with an older man.
While I was hoping for a true film adaptation of the comic book series, the film on its own, while incorporating Enid and Rebecca’s character to the film, with a different storyline, makes “Ghost World” still entertaining.
Thora Birch does a marvelous job playing the character of Enid, and Johannson as Rebecca. But I felt Enid was more on point throughout the film, Rebecca doesn’t have the self doubt, nor does she complain how the guys don’t stare at her, and if anything, she is more of the best friend who wants to grow up. Enid is like the person who wants things to be just as they are and obviously confused when she has no one there for her.
Steve Buscemi is also fantastic as the social outcast, Seymour. A man who likes the classics, but obviously, he wants to be with a woman. His life changes when he meets Enid and whether its for the best or for the worse, if you have watched the film, watch how things eventually play out.
Overall, Terry Zwigoff’s “Ghost World” is a unique film based on an enjoyable comic book by Daniel Clowes. I do recommend reading the “Ghost World” graphic novel to know the story between Enid and Rebecca and then I would watch the film and know how the two are quite different. But the film is entertaining and features solid performances by Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson and Steve Buscemi and it’s a film worth watching!
