Ghost World, the film directed by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb) and based on the graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, has already garnered some rave reviews from key industry publications like Variety and the Hollywood Reporter. Ghost World, which has a screenplay by Clowes and Zwigoff, was shown at the Seattle Film Festival, where star Thora Birch took home the Best Actress award, and the film itself was runner-up for the Golden Space Needle Award.  The film opens in New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle on July 20th.  On August 3rd the film will go into wider release with venues in Toronto, Washington D.C., Chicago, Boston, San Diego, San Francisco, and Philadelphia.  A special screening at the San Diego Comic-Con is set for Thursday, July 19.

 

While Ghost World is not going to challenge for the top spot in the weekly box office derby that A.I. won this week, the good reviews and word-of-mouth that the film has earned in its preview showings indicate that the film could easily become a cult hit (see 'Ghost World Looks Like Summer Sleeper').  Zwigoff's Crumb documentary certainly never set any box office records, but savvy retailers who stocked up on Crumb books when the film played their town did very well. In addition to a 'movie' edition of the original Ghost World graphic novel, Fantagraphics is publishing an illustrated screenplay by Clowes and Zwigoff.  Clowes new Eightball collection, Twentieth Century Eightball, (see 'Another Clowes Film in the Pipe') will also be out this fall and should be available while Ghost World is still playing.  Books, especially when they are the source material for a film (and not just a novelization) are often the best of all movie tie-in products, but Fantagraphics and Diamond will also have an 'Enid' doll, based on the character played by Thora Birch.  The best thing about the Enid doll is that it is unlikely to show up at heavily discounted prices in major mass market venues.

 

Ghost World with its intelligent and cynical teenage protagonists turns out to be perfect counter-programming for Hollywood's summer action slugfests.  The critics have pounced on Ghost World with all the glee of starving coyotes presented with a wounded prairie dog.  Variety's Ken Eisner, ' MGM has a real winner on its hands with this offbeat slice of summer counterprogramming.  By sharp turns poignant, disturbing and hysterically funny, Ghost World explores the weird interstices between girlhood and adult life.' Writing in the Hollywood Reporter, David Hunter was equally enthusiastic, 'With a marvelously spirited lead performance by Thora Birch, and worldly wise direction from Terry Zwigoff in his feature film debut, Ghost World was one of the hottest tickets of the festival, and deservedly so...  Visually, the film is a gem from beginning to end.  The performances are equal to the terrific dialogue.' Peter Travers in Rolling Stone called Ghost World, 'Zwigoff's stunner of a film...it's a rebuke to everything crass that Hollywood is bombing us with this summer.  Don't duck this one; it's a winner.'