Discussion Ghost World (the movie)

[ManWithNoName]

This movie was strange, but it kept my attention. It was funny, with a touch of melancholy. There is a scene that is something Twilight Zone esque, in which the viewer sees an old man at what is supposed to be a no-longer functioning bus stop, yet a bus does arrive, which happens to be empty, and he boards it.

Some think it represents death (how appropriate for this forum since "catching the bus" is among the lexicon) others it represents getting out of a very boring jerk-water town. The end of the movie one of the two protagonists took that same bus to leave town. One also has to wonder if she left town or was it symbolic of self deliverance?

 

[MysticPerception]

That's pretty interesting actually. I always enjoy symbolism like that where it's up to the viewer's interpretation. I'm gonna have to side with the death option on this one but obviously I'm biased. I'd say leaving a town at an old age isn't really going to change much when your time is limited anyway.

 

[Brick In The Wall]

That's pretty interesting actually. I always enjoy symbolism like that where it's up to the viewer's interpretation. I'm gonna have to side with the death option on this one but obviously I'm biased. I'd say leaving a town at an old age isn't really going to change much when your time is limited anyway.

I'd agree with this. I also feel like it probably represents death. I might have to check it out just for the reference and Steve Buscemi! Also, there was a RadioShack! Holy hell what a throwback.

 

[MysticPerception]

I'd agree with this. I also feel like it probably represents death. I might have to check it out just for the reference and Steve Buscemi! Also, there was a RadioShack! Holy hell what a throwback.

Throwback? Are you trying to tell me RadioShack isn't still going strong to this day? I refuse to believe this. They always had one right near where I used to live. That place was immortal as far as I could tell.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I'd say leaving a town at an old age isn't really going to change much when your time is limited anyway.

I thought that too, but then one of the main characters, it was the young girl, who later in the movie took that same bus, being very optimistic about seeing the World and getting out of the current town she was living.

 

[MysticPerception]

I thought that too, but then one of the main characters, it was the young girl, who later in the movie took that same bus, being very optimistic about seeing the World and getting out of the current town she was living.

I could easily see that as ignorance towards what lies after death. Or should I say pure optimism towards a better world outside of the hell she was trapped in. I could be overthinking it though.

 

[ManWithNoName]

I could easily see that as ignorance towards what lies after death. Or should I say pure optimism towards a better world outside of the hell she was trapped in. I could be overthinking it though.

Typically when one is young pure optimism is what youth is all about as one ventures away from their familiar and boring surroundings.

But another thought came to me—and this has something to do with an old campy TV series before my time, from the 1970's because someone I know used to work on that show back in the day. The show was called "The Love Boat" (again, this is the original 1970's version) where each week of each episode featured about 4 or 5 different guest stars. Each episode had different guest stars. These actors were all already known from having appeared in other TV shows or movies, some were more well known, some less unknown.

but the inside story my friend told me about that series was that all the guests who appeared fell into two categories: those guests who's popularity and acting careers were on the way up, and the other guests whose popularity and acting careers were on the way down.

So perhaps one way to look at the storyline in Ghost World is that perhaps the older man took the bus where he ended up passing on to a natural final exit of his life, whereas the young girl took the bus and ended up in another town, state or country where she began her life. Because for me the symbolism was neither death or life as the bus was taken by two different characters of young and old. And the girl who took the bus simply wanted new horizons, as opposed to wanting to call it quits.

And btw, I have no idea why I made this analogy....

 

[MysticPerception]

Typically when one is young pure optimism is what youth is all about as one ventures away from their familiar and boring surroundings.

But another thought came to me—and this has something to do with an old campy TV series before my time, from the 1970's because someone I know used to work on that show back in the day. The show was called "The Love Boat" (again, this is the original 1970's version) where each week of each episode featured about 4 or 5 different guest stars. Each episode had different guest stars. These actors were all already known from having appeared in other TV shows or movies, some were more well known, some less unknown.

but the inside story my friend told me about that series was that all the guests who appeared fell into two categories: those guests who's popularity and acting careers were on the way up, and the other guests whose popularity and acting careers were on the way down.

So perhaps one way to look at the storyline in Ghost World is that perhaps the older man took the bus where he ended up passing on to a natural final exit of his life, whereas the young girl took the bus and ended up in another town, state or country where she began her life. Because for me the symbolism was neither death or life as the bus was taken by two different characters of young and old. And the girl who took the bus simply wanted new horizons, as opposed to wanting to call it quits.

And btw, I have no idea why I made this analogy....

Could go either way really who knows. I'd say either way it's well executed if it makes you think that much about it. As for the actors thing well it's sort of a parallel I guess.