A Few Words About A few words about...™ A Ghost Story -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

Some films allow no concept of what you're about to see.

David Lowery's A Ghost Story, with Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara in the leads is one of them.

At it's most basic, it is a ghost story.

But the film is more the life story of a specific ghost, answering, or at least attempting to answer some age-old concepts, theories, and lore about ghosts, which we all know, do exist.

It was produced on a minuscule budget, and is presented as 1.33 (or .37), within our normal 1.78 box.

It is, at times, infuriatingly slow. If the average modern film might have 20 shots per minutes, this one probably averages around 2 or 3.

The major set piece is a tiny old house, a rental properly, and the major costume is a sheet with some internal support.

There really isn't a great deal to it.

But what you'll learn, when you view the film, and you should, is that it packs a wallop.

It reminds me of a wonderful 1961 short film, by Louis van Gasteren, entitled The House. It also contains a bit of DNA from The Time Machine.

I'll not go further, as there are pleasures to be found within.

I suggest that you visit. It's available on Blu-ray via Lionsgate.

Image - 5

Audio - 5 (DTS-HD MA 5.1)

4k Up-rez - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Recommended

RAH

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Five and a half minute shot of Rooney Mara as she eats pie - that's what one can expect from this movie.

Five and a half minutes!!!

 

[Thomas T]

Five and a half minute shot of Rooney Mara as she eats pie - that's what one can expect from this movie.

Five and a half minutes!!!

Sounds like Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) where we get 3 minutes of Delphine Seyrig shot from the back doing dishes! I loved Jeanne Dielman's long lingering shots so I suspect this movie is right up my alley.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Sounds like Chantal Akerman's Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975) where we get 3 minutes of Delphine Seyrig shot from the back doing dishes! I loved Jeanne Dielman's long lingering shots so I suspect this movie is right up my alley.

The Blu-ray's deleted scene gives us like four minutes of Casey Affleck as he makes coffee. I guess that was too action-packed to make the final cut!

 

[B-ROLL]

The Blu-ray's deleted scene gives us like four minutes of Casey Affleck as he makes coffee. I guess that was too action-packed to make the final cut!

Does he use a Keurig ?

 

[Charles Smith]

And had I even heard of this before now? I don't think so.

Because from what y'all are saying, it's right up my alley. Pre-ordering NOW.

 

[Jake Lipson]

Thanks for posting this, Robert. I loved the film in theaters (the pie-eating scene discussed here is, I think, one of the great scenes this year), but had a terrible theatrical viewing due to other chatty audience members who did not appreciate the film and felt that they had to make that known throughout the running time. I am really looking forward to being able to watch this on Blu-ray in peace and quiet.

How are the extras on the disc?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Thanks for posting this, Robert. I loved the film in theaters (the pie-eating scene discussed here is, I think, one of the great scenes this year), but had a terrible theatrical viewing due to other chatty audience members who did not appreciate the film and felt that they had to make that known throughout the running time. I am really looking forward to being able to watch this on Blu-ray in peace and quiet.

How are the extras on the disc?

Not that you asked me, but...

The extras are pretty good! The commentary is lively and engaging, and the featurette works well despite the silly decision to shoot it in the dark.

Since you love the pie scene, you'll love the deleted scene as well - Casey Affleck makes coffee for five minutes!!! Thrilling stuff!

 

[Jake Lipson]

Thanks, Colin. The extras question was in general for anyone who has it yet, but how did you get it? My pre-order is locked in but Amazon won't ship mine until probably next Monday. I'm looking forward to seeing it.

I saw a clip on YouTube where David Lowry said his intention with the pie scene was to make audiences slightly uncomfortable, like we were watching something we shouldn't be seeing, and he wanted the time of the scene to be very apparent because of how the film deals with time. So, the length was completely intentional and I think he expected it to evoke responses like yours as much as responses like mine.

I've also got to say that Mr. Lowery is one hell of a versatile director. He made last year's remake of Pete's Dragon for Disney, which I liked and watched again last week, and then to go from that to this is just amazing in the different types of stories he is comfortable with telling and on such different scales, and they both require different skill sets. If I didn't know they shared the same director, I never would have guessed it, but they're both great. That he is equally adept at both small indies and studio blockbusters is rather amazing, and I look forward to seeing what he comes up with in the future.

Fox Searchlight has his next film, "Old Man an the Gun," which stars Casey Affleck again (presumably uncovered this time) and Robert Redford, who was in Pete's Dragon for him too. They've already finished shooting it and he expects it to be released next year, so he'll have three films over three consecutive years, which is also really productive and impressive.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Thanks, Colin. The extras question was in general for anyone who has it yet, but how did you get it?

Because I've reviewed movies for my website since 1999 - see the link in my signature?

 

[Jake Lipson]

see the link in my signature?

To be honest, I hadn't really investigated your signature before. Obviously, I don't agree personally with your assessment of the film, but that was a good and through review. Thanks.

Odd that Mara did not participate in the featurette. I thought she was one of the best partsof the movie.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

To be honest, I hadn't really investigated your signature before. Obviously, I don't agree personally with your assessment of the film, but that was a good and through review. Thanks.

Glad you liked it!

Odd that Mara did not participate in the featurette. I thought she was one of the best partsof the movie.

She was unavailable to chat - too busy eating pie!