The DVD Dissection: Ghost Town
Posted by Chad Webb on 12.24.2008
An overlooked jewel from 2008.
Ricky Gervais: Bertram Pincus D.D.S.
Greg Kinnear: Frank Herlihy
Tea Leoni: Gwen
Aasif Mandvi: Dr. Prashar
Bill Campbell: Richard
Kristen Wiig: Surgeon
Alan Ruck: Ghost Dad
Directed By: David Koepp
Written By: David Koepp and John Kamps
Theatrical Release Date: September 19, 2008
DVD Release Date: December 23, 2008
Running Time: 107 minutes
Rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references.
The Film
This is a premise that looks horribly contrived on paper, but is the exact opposite when finally translated to the big screen. Just describing the film as a comedy version of The Sixth Sense would turn most people off. Let’s face it, that is a quick and easy way to label Ghost Town, but it is so much more than that. This is a side-splitting, inventive, and heartwarming tale that gets better with repeated viewings.
There is a moment late in the movie where Bertram Pincus is apparently pouring his heart out to a colleague about a woman he desires but cannot obtain. Just when you think he is actually asking for advice from another person, and making an emotional reach, he instead requests that a fellow dentist write him a prescription for Percocet’s so he can sleep and not dream of her. This sums up the type of person Bertram Pincus (Ricky Gervais) is.
He is a dentist that basically hates everyone. He is not sociable, kind, or polite in any way. He goes to work, avoids all conversation, and heads home. One day Bertram must endure a colonoscopy operation, and he awakens with a strange side effect. Suddenly, he can see the deceased. All the wandering spirits of New York City discover he can look at and acknowledge them, hence they begin to follow him everywhere. It turns out, a problem occurred during that routine operation. Specifically, Bertram died….for 7 minutes. Now, he is hounded by the dead, primarily a man dressed in a tuxedo named Frank (Greg Kinnear). He needs Bertram’s help to break up the relationship of his widow Gwen (Tea Leoni). She is dating a man Frank disapproves of, and it is Bertram’s job to end the romance. Unfortunately, neither of them expected that Bertram would fall for Gwen as well.
Over the past year I have watched hours of Ricky Gervais comedy. The British version of The Office, and of course the masterful Extras were both terrific shows that introduced Gervais to the world. Ghost Town is an attempt to expand his talent to more viewers, and it is a triumph. A more perfect vehicle for Gervais cannot be found anywhere. Some might make the argument that Gervais has portrayed a character like this before. That is a fact. Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, and others do the same thing, but many are unable to maintain the freshness of that persona. Gervais takes his common shtick and tweaks it just enough to avoid replication.
His knack for poking fun at the smallest of items or situations is integrated into David Koepp’s adept screenplay seamlessly. I could rattle on for hours about the various sequences that exude roars of laughter. For instance, just the image of Gervais sitting next to a huge Great Dane named Leonard will make you chuckle. If that does not do the trick, admiring Bertram Pincus in front of the mirror as he prepares for a meeting with Gwen is absolutely priceless. Gervais never seems desperate for laughs, and that only causes the film to be funnier. His strengths are conveyed in full.
Establishing chemistry is crucial, and Greg Kinnear finds a stride with Gervais immediately. He is a nagging specter, one that is not afraid to point of Bertram’s flaws so this task can be done correctly, and one that is unrepentant for his previous misdeeds. As Frank Herlihy, Kinnear is fantastic and ideal for the role. His widow, played by Tea Leoni, finds herself in underrated comedies often. Her best efforts in recent years are The Family Man, Spanglish, and now Ghost Town. At times, she can be irritating, but her beauty and even her comedic timing can only be expressed when her co-stars light the way. Gervais and Kinnear help in that capacity. Keep an eye out for Alan Ruck in a minor part as well.
It should be known that this does not contain an Earth-shattering twist ala M. Night Shyamalan, but it does have a startlingly intelligent conclusion. One tiny aspect of it rubbed me the wrong way, but over time this carping fades away because we keep watching the great comedies to make us laugh, not to be harsh critics. David Koepp will be recognized more for his screenplay of Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008, but he hits all the right notes with Ghost Town. He selected an outstanding supporting cast, and a leading man to adjust the material into his own. Koepp drains all the corny moments, all the schmaltzy hogwash out of the script. Koepp also understands how to switch gears without instilling a jarring atmosphere. The story transitions from humor to drama deftly. This is a departure for Koepp’s past directorial offerings, but another solid illustration of his range as a screenwriter. Koepp is normally associated with thrillers, like the average Secret Window or the under appreciated Stir of Echoes. This showcases his aptitude for amusement.
Upon a second go around, I noticed how clever the soundtrack and score was. Geoff Zanelli is credited as the composer of “additional music” for many blockbusters, but as the lead composer, his resume is small. Hopefully his marvelous work on Ghost Town does not go unnoticed. The main chunks radiate an energetic and memorable tune as the background to the hysterical exchanges, but a rather moving portion swells during the end, yet does not instruct the audience what to feel. His contribution certainly aided the final cut nicely. The soundtrack has a handful of magnificent tracks from The Beatles and John Mayer, among others also.
Ricky Gervais reminds me of John Candy in a way. He steps into the familiar shoes of the role that made him famous, but always finds a way to make people smile and laugh despite the persistent similarities. Ricky Gervais could easily depict an awkward, misanthropic, and cold individual who unleashes smart retorts a dozen more times and that would be just fine. Those who were pre-disposed to Gervais could have anticipated something more original from him on his mainstream debut, but this is a superb pick to increase his popularity. Ghost Town is just a hilarious film, one of the best comedies of 2008, and over time, its magic will spread.
The Video
No blunders on the video side as this transfer is near pristine with a realistic set design that is lively, but not excessively so. The costumes are not comprised of colors that stand out, but are eye-catching in that they can command the screen. Take Bertram's dental outfit or Frank tuzedo. This picture is absent of grain, soft spots, or blurs of any form. The bravura lighting of the crew is expressed with excellence here as well. This is not a movie that will be improved all that much by Blu-Ray. The standard will be just fine. It is presented in anamorphic widescreen.
The Audio
The sound is as satisfactory as can be. This film is not packed with explosions and gun fire, but it does include a handful of interesting sounds like the humans walking through the ghosts, crashing objects, and so forth. The music also comes across fabulously to the ears. Everything is quite clear and free of distortion or fuzziness. The dialogue is completely lucid and understandable, and my volume knob rested at a comfortable position. This DVD includes Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in English, French, and Spanish surround, in addition to subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.
The Packaging
Ghost Town is released in a standard black keep case with the movie poster artwork on the cover. No floating heads or imitations of other DVD covers are always appreciated. The menu is the same artwork with the score in the background. They are easy to navigate.
The Extras
Audio Commentary - The feature commentary track is with Co-Writer/Director David Koepp and Ricky Gervais. This is a fun one with lots of humor from Gervais and informative tidbits of trivia about the film from Koepp.
Making Ghost Town (22:40) – This is a typical “making-of” and “Behind the scenes” featurette with the regular length and all, but this should not be viewed before the film. Most of you wouldn’t do that anyway, but just in case I thought I would throw that out there because this does have some spoilers. Among the topics are the characters, the script, the concept of ghosts, the moral, and many cast and crew members are asked if they believe in ghosts.
Ghostly Effects (2:02) – This is self-explanatory. Various sequences are shown going through the steps of CGI. No one narrates, and this is very short, but I liked that it was inserted all the same.
Some People Can Do It (6:22) – This is the blooper/outtakes reel, and as with any Gervais show or film, it is hilarious no matter what you thought of the movie. Yes, this is one of those rare occasions where the quality of the film is meaningless.
Previews (11:33) – The following trailers are available for viewing when the disc is popped in the player, or in the extras section: American Teen, Revolutionary Road, The Duchess, Eagle Eye, and Without a Paddle: Nature’s Calling.
The Film: 9.0/10.0
The Video: 9.0/10.0
The Audio: 8.5/10.0
The Packaging: 7.5/10.0
The Extras: 8.0/10.0
The 411: I thoroughly enjoyed Ghost Town, and in terms of ghostly comedies, it is ten times better than the dreadful Ghost Dad with Bill Cosby. I had to mention that film somehow. Anyway, Ricky Gervais leads this one, and is hysterical with Greg Kinnear and Tea Leoni to back him up. It is an overlooked gem that deserves to be seen. If you have heard of Ricky Gervais and are curious as to his abilities, please see this as a fine example of all that he can offer. You won’t regret it. As for the DVD, the technical specifications are up to par, and the extras are fairly basic. They have the standard type of stuff and not much more. This is a terrific DVD and I recommend using those Christmas gift cards to blind buy it.
