Ghost World (2001) Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Terry Zwigoff, & Daniel Clowes

10/01/23 • 68 min

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Book Vs. Movie: Ghost World
The 1997 Daniel Clowes Graphic Novel vs. the Terry Zwigoff 2001 Film
The Margos are feeling very moody and isolated, discussing the 2001 film Ghost World starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson as best friends Enid and Rebecca, who are perfect early 00’s angsty and unimpressed with the world and was catnip for audiences and critics alike.
Based on chapter five’s “Hubba Hubba” by Daniel Clowes, the original 1997 graphic novel series Eightball, the story of two lonely misfits who interact with other lost souls, made for an unusual adaptation that earned an Academy Award nomination for Clowes and directed by Terry Zwigoff (Crumb, Bad Santa.)
We read the source material (which you can find as a compilation of short stories in Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen by Stephanie Harrison), watched the film (has it aged well?), and tried to decide which we liked better--the book or the movie?In this ep, the Margos discuss:

Daniel Clowes’s work
The state of graphic novels and independent films in the 1990s
Terry Zwigoff’s adaptation that was somehow NOT a Miramax film
The differences between the graphic novel and movie
The cast of the 2001 film: Thora Birch (Enid,) Scarlett Johannsson (Rebecca,) Steve Buscemi (Seymour,) Brad Renfro (Josh,) Illeana Douglas (Roberta Allsworth,) Bob Balaban (Enid’s father,) Stacey Travis (Dana,) Tom McGowan (Joe,) Brian George (convenience store owner,) Pat Healy (John Ellis,) Rini Bell (graduation speaker,) Terri Garr (Maxine,) David Cross (Gerald,) Ezra Buzzington (“Weird Al,”) and Bruce Glover as Feldman.

Clips used:

Meeting Seymour
Ghost World (2001 original trailer)
High School graduation
Enid gets hired and fired
The art class scene introducing the painting
Enid helps Seymour date
Seymour attacks Josh
Music: “Jaan Pehechan Ho” by Mohammed Rafi

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Daniel Clowes’s work
The state of graphic novels and independent films in the 1990s
Terry Zwigoff’s adaptation that was somehow NOT a Miramax film
The differences between the graphic novel and movie
The cast of the 2001 film: Thora Birch (Enid,) Scarlett Johannsson (Rebecca,) Steve Buscemi (Seymour,) Brad Renfro (Josh,) Illeana Douglas (Roberta Allsworth,) Bob Balaban (Enid’s father,) Stacey Travis (Dana,) Tom McGowan (Joe,) Brian George (convenience store owner,) Pat Healy (John Ellis,) Rini Bell (graduation speaker,) Terri Garr (Maxine,) David Cross (Gerald,) Ezra Buzzington (“Weird Al,”) and Bruce Glover as Feldman.

Clips used:

Meeting Seymour
Ghost World (2001 original trailer)
High School graduation
Enid gets hired and fired
The art class scene introducing the painting
Enid helps Seymour date
Seymour attacks Josh
Music: “Jaan Pehechan Ho” by Mohammed Rafi

Previous Episode

The Lorax (2012) Dr. Seuss, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Danny DeVito

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Book Vs. Movie: The Lorax
The Dr. Seuss 1971 Children’s Book Vs. the 2012 Adaptation
The Margos close out “Banned Books Month” with a visit with Dr. Seuss and The Lorax, a tale of environmental conservation and the dangers of rampant deforestation. Theodore Seuss Geisel was known for his colorful characters, accusations of racism, and having some of his books pulled for outdated notions or controversial take on capitalism.
The Lorax (first published in 1971) was written after a recent trip to Africa where Geisel and his wife were concerned about the environment and wildlife in danger of extinction. The Lorax wants “The Onceler” to stop the destruction of the environment. Over the years, many logging companies tried to get the book banned for being “mean” to their industry. So much so that in 1995, two different forest/wood flooring industries raised funds to create their own version called Truax, which supported the logging industry. (Seriously)
There was a 1972 faithful adaptation starring Eddie Albert, but in this episode, we discuss the 2012 film starring Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, Betty White, and Ed Helms. It’s filled with lots of music and rare mentions of the actual book. We have THOUGHTS about this one!
In this ep, the Margos discuss:

The life and work of Dr. Suess
The inspiration for The Lorax.
The reasons schools ban his work.
The differences between the book and movie
The cast of the 2012 film: Danny DeVito (The Lorax,) Ed Helms (The Onceler,) Zac Efron (Ted Wiggins,) Taylor Swift (Audrey,) Rob Riggle (Alyosis O’Hare,) Jenny Slate (Mrs. Wiggins,) Betty White (Grammy Norma,) Nasim Pedrad (Isabella,) Stephen Tobolowsky (Uncle Ubb,) Elamrie Wendel (Aunt Grizelda,) Danny Cooksy (Brett & Chet,) Joel Swetow, Michael Beattie, and Chris Renaud.

Clips used:

Next Episode

Wait Until Dark (1967) Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, and Frederick Knott

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Book Vs. Movie:
Wait Until Dark
The 1966 Richard Knott Play Vs. the 1967 Audrey Hepburn Film
The Margos kick off "Scary Movie Month" by discussing Wait Until Dark, both the play by Frederick Knott and the 1967 Audrey Hepburn film. The movie features one of the best jump scares in cinema history. The original production starred Lee Remick and Robert Duvall as Susy and Roat, respectively. The story revolves around Susy, a blind woman who lives alone in her Greenwich Village apartment, and Roat, a creepy intruder who wants to find a doll filled with heroin that her husband accidentally brought home.
Roat and his two cronies play games with Susy, but she ultimately prevails with a bit of courage and some help from her young neighbor, Gloria. Remick's performance earned her a Tony Award nomination, and the play was quickly adapted into a feature film by producer Mel Ferrar (who was also Hepburn's husband at the time).
The movie is consistently ranked as one of the most influential thrillers of all time. So, which did we prefer: the play or the movie?
In this ep, the Margos discuss:

Broadway in the 1960s
The performances of the movie
The differences between the play and the movie
The 1982 Wait Until Dark with Stacy Keach & Katherine Ross
The cast of the 1967 film: Audrey Hepburn (Susy,) Alan Arkin (Roat,) Richard Crenna (Mike,) Efram Zimbalist Jr. (Sam Hendrix,) Jack Weston (Carlino), Samantha Jones (Lisa,) and Julie Herrod as Gloria.

Clips used: