Ghost World accomplishes several magic acts at once. It creates a convincing world of strip malls and soleless consumerism (our world) without being unduly crass or obvious. Into this landscape it places two very recognizable teens: they're hip but not overly attractive, and allergic to any form of social conformism. Finally, without resort to sentimental means, it allows us to care about them, and for them to recognize that they need to care about each other and other people too.

That Enid should be alienated from her world is obvious, given the colorful (but by no means exaggerated) freaks that hang out at the coffee shop and the 7-11. Nothing is off limits; even the local adult bookstore is just another freakshow with fools to be jeered at. Seymour's similar disenchantment, and the power of his blues records, gives Enid the idea that there maybe are things worth exploring that she's unaware of.

Thora Birch reportedly gained weight to better resemble the heroine of Daniel Clowes original comic, and with Scarlett Johannsson, creates characters we haven't seen before - purposely dorky, awkwardly 'cool', they're immediately endearing. Steve Buscemi finally has a role that brings out all his talent as the loveable, nerdy Seymour, a guy who has no interest in what he wears or how he looks, and is convinced he'll never attract anyone. He makes an excellent stab at normalcy with the sincere Dana (Stacey Travis) but we know he'll blow it in the end, in this case, with the help of a thoughtless and barely-stable 18 year old Enid.

Big credit needs to be given Clowes and Zwigoff, as their humanistic attitude doesn't victimize straight characters like Dana or Enid's dad, by making them hateful caricatures. Dana is just the kind of supportive & cheerful beacon that Seymour needs to construct a better self-image. Even the thoughtless art teacher is an innocent victim of p.c. thinking, who sincerely does her best to help Enid.

Much is made of the teenage Retreat to The Room. In Enid's case she lolls around among her significant things, wondering if she's ready to go out into the real world - note the World of Henry Orient poster on her wall, a film about the girlish problems of an era far removed from this one. Of course, Enid makes mistakes, and by chance finds herself alone, having momentarily alienated Rebecca, and facing a life with a stepmom (Teri Garr) she fears and loathes. When she reaches out to Seymour, it's in an adult context, which of course messes up everything, mostly for poor Seymour.

Ghost World gets all the details right with merciless accuracy. From the fast food blandness to the grating hostility of most young adults, even to the mangled mess of pop music on view, the marksmanship is excellent. Graduation is marred by awful rap music. Seymour's beloved blues guitarist is shoved aside by a band called 'Blueshammer.' In this commercialized stew of mediocrity, a sensitive ear like Enid's can be carried away by one of Seymour's old 78 rpm records. Any alternative to the sameness is to be cherished, as with the Indian Bollywood musical number that Enid rocks out to in the film's opening. She's desperate for anything with a subversive or a foreign streak. When she puts on a rubber batgirl mask, it makes no difference to Enid that she's wearing what would be commonly identified as an adult sex accessory. She's so desperate for her own individual identity in this ghost world of sameness that she'll try anything.

Savant fell in love with these characters, who encompass qualities I only now recognize in young women I knew way back wh ... you know. Of course it's very funny, but surprisingly, this is a very human and compassionate story, a great movie all around.

MGM's DVD of Ghost World can boast a punchy, rich anamorphic transfer that brings out the rich color schemes of Affonso Beato's great photography, which re-interprets Los Angeles anew. We see little more than the mini-malls and other ugly street scenes - one depressing mini-mall with a Radio Shack in it, is about three blocks from Savant's home.

For extras, we get a featurette where the director and writer talk about their creation, and the very thoughtful reactions of the lead stars - kids who come off as very young, and very bright. I hope Ms. Birch has had no trouble peeling off those extra pounds she gained.

A selection of deleted and alternate scenes are fairly dull and uninvolving, but the special features page has a killer selection, one worth buying the disc for: the uncut (6 minute!) musical number from the beginning of the film. It's from a 1965 Indian picture called Gumnaam, a rockin' song called "Jaan Pehechaan Ho". If you haven't seen is use in the titles of Ghost World, you won't believe your eyes. Uncut as an extra 'music video', it's even more unbelievable. The weird choreography is Shindig Meets Busby Berkeley; a female lead in a golden dress shimmies and jerks frenetically, surrounded by a pack of thin male dancers, all with bandit masks. The energy expended in the silly dancing is enough to raise the roof - it's like 50 Beach Party dance numbers rolled together, only better. Not shown in the title sequence version are angles on the grinning lead singer, who looks like a demented John Waters. The only downside to the number is that it actually goes on too long, with the music seemingly recycled ... otherwise it's the party-play disc chapter of the year. I'm surprised the song didn't get radio airplay, it's so brain-numbingly infectious.

A nice trailer, which makes good use of the Indian musical number, is included too. Ghost World is a marvellous picture, and this is a terrific DVD.

On a scale of Excellent, Good, Fair, and Poor, Ghost World rates:
Movie: Excellent
Video: Excellent
Sound: Excellent
Supplements: music video version of Indian Musical number, omitted scenes, featurette, trailer
Packaging: Amaray case
Reviewed: January 31, 2002