Terry Zwigoff's "Ghost World" turns 20 years old

Wasn't there an article in the Guardian some weeks ago? I meant to read it, but have forgotten it.

It must be weird watching it today, knowing of the diverging career paths of Thora and Scarlett. Wonder what they both think about that.

I watched it first - as I just wrote in the Mulholland Drive thread - when I was 14/15 and could relate to the two main characters. I also found myself drawn to those two movies before I even watched them. I could especially relate to Enid, but honestly, it is probably not good for you to remain an Enid for too long in life, right? Dark humor as a weapon and an acerbic personality only take you so far. It is a great outsider movie though.

There is a guy in SF who was always at 440 who had that Thora Birch look.

R1 I saw aspects of myself in both the Enid and Rebecca characters, but yes, Enid's dark veneer and cynicism was only going to carry her so far. She was already faced with the realities of life in the short span of time in which the movie takes place. Some have interpreted her getting on the bus at the end as a metaphor for committing suicide.

Wonderful film.

I had a friend in high school who was obsessed with this film. She styled herself after Enid, did her hair like her and everything. She was a very unhappy girl and now as a grown 30 something year old woman she is still trying to make it as a writer/poet.

I have never seen this but always meant to. I was just on the verge of graduating high school when it came out, and I think I thought it was going to be something else. Basically a movie about Daria and Jane like characters. I started looking into it and it seems like the movie is about the end of their friendship - them moving in different directions, am I right? I got the impression it was and I just didn't want to see that at the time. I wanted more snarky outsiders together type stuff. Remember, I was only 17/18 at the time myself.

If it's a good movie, I should really seek it out now.

This film is one of my favorites. I like it better than the comics it is based on.

R6 I saw shades of Daria and Jane in Enid and Rebecca too. Probably about the closest thing we'll get to a live action Daria film not counting that parody trailer that came out years ago on either College Humor or Funny or Die with Aubrey Plaza.

It was one of those movies that everyone raved about but when I saw it was like, “Uh, yeah, that was cool and… quirky.” and then never thought about again.

I’m sorry but movies about young, nerdy girls never are that interesting unless you’re a nerdy girl or an ugly bottom.

I didn’t need some Sundance bait to turn me on to weird music. I was already living the life these characters wanted to live when the film came out.

It wanted to avant garde in its banality. Ugh, spare me.

*wanted to be avant…

It shows how slow on the uptake I was R8, but until I saw the College Humor video, I never really considered that Daria was extending her hand in an attempt to show the minimum in helping someone up. I always thought she was just doing it with the intention of a kind of shrug, but actually it makes so much more sense now.

To be fair to me, everyone who watched Daria in my grade would imitate it with the same intention as a "who cares shrug".

^which also reminds me of a part of Daria I loved: Daria and Jane see a girl fall off the trampoline between them and just stare at her. Then in the next scene Daria is with Ted putting pictures together for the yearbook and Ted is like: "Aren't there supposed to be spotters at the trampoline?" and Daria is like: "I don't think spotters could have prevented that fall. Besides, she fell off the uneven bars today so it was clearly her own fault."

R9 It sounds like you have a really superficial understanding of the movie. None of the characters were nerdy. Maybe you saw the glasses and immediately thought "nerd" but that's only because you're an idiot. You might like the latest Judd Apatow movie. It's very easy to follow and there's dick and weed jokes.

Very funny film. Memorable. I fell out laughing when Seymour's girlfriend cranks up "Solid as a Rock" by Ashford and Simpson, one of the worst tunes ever recorded.

Scarlett still had her original breasts.

R15 considering she was 15 when they filmed this, I'd hope so

Enid forces Seymour to visit an adult gift shop. "Oh.My.God: Look at all these creeeeeeeppppppppsssss"!

🤣🤣

Loved it. The scenes with Enid’s art teacher/art class were particularly well-observed.

This film introduced me to this wonderfully nutty Bollywood classic.

OP, your thread took me down a Wikipedia rabbit hole. I had no idea Thora Birch's parents were adult film stars. Oh my.

I remember really liking this when I saw it, but I've only seen it once and can't remember much about it. Probably should have a rewatch!

Worth the price of admission for the note they leave for Josh: 'Dear Josh, we came by to fuck you, but you were not home. Therefore you are gay.'

I saw it in San Diego when it came out (probably in that little multiplex in Hillcrest). I liked Crumb and this looked up my alley. I loved it. Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson were perfectly awkward as high schoolers who thought they were above it all. Ironically, I was a bit of a holier-than-though bitch as well. The conflict that developed between their two characters felt true-to-life. Brad Renfro was sweet. R18 reminded me that Illeana Douglas was in it and did great work. Steve Buscemi should have gotten nominated for an Academy Award. The score is gorgeous and I loved the Bollywood opening. The numbchuck scene slayed me. It was one of my Top 10 films of the year. I watched it recently and it still holds up.

I watched this movie based on Roger Ebert's review of it. He said he wanted to hug it. I loved it. Thora Birch is a wonderful actress and should have a much bigger career by now.

“What are you, hypnotized? Have some more kids why dont you!”

Last year I adopted a rule that I can't re-watch movies I've already seen until I clear out my streaming queues (and I'm not even close!) However, last month I decided to watch Ghost World, and loved it just as much now as I did 20 years ago.

I was a teenager when it was first released, and had grown tired of high school movies I couldn't relate to. I wasn't a partier and could be a bit of a loner, but I wasn't a constant victim of bullying with no friends. I could relate to Enid in Rebecca, who were kind of just there. I also liked how they constantly talked shit about classmates (He better be careful he doesn't get AIDS when he date rapes her) and the absurdities of life (like when theyre in the 50's diner and the mini jukebox is playing a rap song..."Who can forget this classic song from the 50's?)

R22, I saw there also.

I annoyingly still say "funky" the way the Melora character does.

"Mirror, Father, Mirror"

Still relatable.

R7 Agree. I enjoy all of Clowes stuff, including Ghost World, but this is one of the few examples of the movie being better than the book.

R21 Signed, "Tiffany and Amber".

Coon's Chicken!

Fun facts.

This article says that Scarlett Johansson accepted all the things Thora Birch rejected. Awhile ago, I suppose. What do you think some of those projects were?

Thora Birch's parents were porn stars.

I wonder if Thora still keeps in contact with Scarlett. I would think she'd be pretty bitter at this point.

[quote] I could especially relate to Enid, but honestly, it is probably not good for you to remain an Enid for too long in life, right? Dark humor as a weapon and an acerbic personality only take you so far. It is a great outsider movie though.

[quote] I had a friend in high school who was obsessed with this film. She styled herself after Enid, did her hair like her and everything. She was a very unhappy girl and now as a grown 30 something year old woman she is still trying to make it as a writer/poet.

I knew a couple Enids around the time this movie came out. I'm not friends with them any longer because they refused to grow up. Watching it now I can understand the ending better.

Oh gosh I loved this movie back in the day. I still laugh thinking about Steve Buscemi yelling “what are you??? hypnotized??”

Love the scene where Steve Buscemi — a quiet soul who cherishes 1920s Mississippi blues — goes to hear a band called "Blueshammer," which is a bunch of white dads with electric guitars. He reacts like he's being tortured.

I prefer the comic. Closed really has a way with the mood of the whole thing that didn’t translate as well to sun-drenched LA.

There was one panel he drew of just the car Enid had bought for college (and she was rejected) unused and being covered with leaves.

It’s better than the awful “Art School Confidential” which was based on a really funny four or five page comic by Clowes that was nothing like it and quite unfunny.

The reason Thora's career stalled wasn't from lack of trying. Her father is or was once her manager. He was a stage dad who micromanaged her career. His attitude and volatile personality has cost her a few roles. One of which was a role in an off Broadway production of Dracula after he threatened another actor.

The reason Thora's career stalled wasn't from lack of trying. Her father is or was once her manager. He was a stage dad who micromanaged her career. His attitude and volatile personality has cost her a few roles. One of which was a role in an off Broadway production of Dracula after he threatened another actor.

It is Terry Zweigoff’s “Ghost World.”