ghost world
TRANSCRIPT
Dr Steve GaunsonTextual CrossingsRMIT University
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Comics to moving picturesShots, dialogue, and no narrator who has to be removed for
film interpretation
Celebration Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff co-wrote the screenplay How do we know what sort of adaptation this is?
Edgy, raw, rough About loners and isolation These themes are nicely suited to the myth of the comic book reader Enid is a comic drawer
There are several references to other comic strips written and drawn by Daniel Clowes. coffee shop patron in the wheelchair is from Clowes' strip "Feldman"
and the "tampon in a teacup" gag is from a strip called "Art School Confidential".
Both strips appeared in a comic book called "Eightball" which also contained "Ghost World".
Adjustment to form X-Men, Dick Tracey and
Sin City were dismissed as literal-minded and "insulting" to the (comic) art form.
Ghost World goes for a real world aesthetic — which was criticised for not being saturated in a blue tinge.
Black and white with hint of pale blue
PastichePerformances are not pushed too far like many
comic book adaptations. Its characters are real peopleCharacters look ordinaryThora Birch gained 20 pounds for the role of
EnidCare about Seymour and Enid
ParodyLaughing with the comic – not at the comic
Terry Zwigoff unintentionally cast the actor who played the high school principal as a customer in the porn shop.
Great moments of slapstick humour
Witty one-liners
RevisionGhost world = ghost townDiscontent Nothing to do — no culture, no valueStronger plotDeep engagement through music and listeningComic: The character of Seymour appears only as
the victim of the girls' prankFilm: Rebecca has a rather diminished role
AllusionThe two original movie posters on Enid's wall are Pufnstuf (1970) and The World of Henry Orient (1964), a film about
two teenage girls with similarities to this film. “Devil go my women”
ColonisationTerry Zwigoff
Art School Confidential (2006) Daniel Clowes adaptation
Crumb (1994) Misfits, antiheroes, and themes of alienation.The character of Seymour is based in part on
Zwigoff. Like Seymour, Zwigoff is an avid collector of
1920's jazz and blues records.
ConclusionVisual to visual is too often overlooked as
adaptationWhen we think of comics we think of
superheroesWhat happens when a creator of the source
adapts? Comic adaptation is about performance
Think of how the actors perform these characters