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Ghost (2020 film)

Ghost is a 2020 British independent film written and directed by Anthony Zygavicius James as his debut feature. It is set in contemporary London and follows an ex-con's struggles to reconnect with his estranged son during his first day of freedom. The film was shot entirely on an iPhone 8.[1]

Ghost
Poster
Directed byAnthony Z. James
Written byAnthony Z James
Produced by
  • Anthony Z. James
  • Domas Vilcinskas
Starring
  • Anthony Mark Streeter
  • Nathan Hamilton
  • Russell Barnett
CinematographyAnthony Z. James
Music byNikolaj Polujanov
Production
company
Story Image
Release date
  • February 20, 2020 (2020-02-20)
Running time
85 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Ghost was released on Amazon Prime on 20 February 2020 in the UK, 2 July 2020 in the United States, and 16 July 2021 in Germany, followed by a worldwide release on Plex. The film received critical acclaim for performances and cinematography.[2]

Premise

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On the first day of freedom, a grizzled ex-con must reconnect with his troubled son before his violent past catches up with them.

Cast

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  • Anthony Mark Streeter as Tony Ward
  • Nathan Hamilton as Conor Ward
  • Russell Barnett as Dominic Clarke
  • Emmy Happisburgh as Valerie Ward
  • Severija Bielskyte as Kat Hansen
  • Jamie O'Neill as Alex Chamberlain

Production

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Development

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In an interview with Mobile Motion Film Festival, Anthony Z. James revealed that the recent passing of his own father was the key inspiration to make the film: "Since losing my father a few years ago I was compelled to tell a story about my relationship with him through the lens of a gritty crime drama, the kind of movie he loved the most."[1] Initially, he made a short film, called Day One, in 2018 about the first day out of prison, which also starred Streeter in the lead role. Impressed by his performance, James decided to develop a feature.[3]

Filming

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Principal photography for Ghost took place in London over a period of two weeks in February 2018, using two iPhone 8 smartphones with FiLMiC Pro app, Moondog Labs anamorphic adapters and a DJI Osmo gimbal.[4] Inspired by John Cassavetes, James followed the DIY guerrilla filmmaking style and improvisation-based Mumblecore tradition, describing the process as "extremely collaborative and creatively liberating".[5]

Post-production

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James used free DaVinci Resolve software to edit and colour-correct the film.[1] The movie features original soundtrack composed by Nikolai Polujanov AKA Vejopatis.[6]

Release

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Ghost was set for a limited theatrical release in the United Kingdom, which was halted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released on Amazon Prime on 20 February 2020 in the UK, on 2 July 2020 in the United States and 16 July 2021 in Germany.[7] In March 2021, it came out worldwide on Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, Android TV, Vimeo On Demand and Plex, where it is available to watch for free.[8]

Reception

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Ghost received positive reviews from the critics, highlighting performances and cinematography. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Ghost holds a 100% "fresh" rating based on 6 reviews.[2] Alan Ng of Film Threat called it "a fantastic piece of independent filmmaking".[9] Rich Cline of Online Film Critics Society wrote: "Artfully shot on an iPhone, this low-key drama is an original variation of the British crime movie. Filmmaker Anthony Z. James lets the story unfold in thoughtful scenes that catch details and moods. [...] the camera gets into the heads of people who aren't good at sharing their feelings."[10] Michael Bibbins of FanSided noted that "Ghost has some of the best camerawork of any movie shot on an iPhone".[11]

According to Dempsey Pillot of CRP Writes: "Ghost is a surprisingly grounded film about redemption, and a quiet meditation about growing up and letting go",[12] while Sam Comrie of JumpCut Online called Ghost "a truly gorgeous testament to the power of mobile filmmaking, with Anthony Z. James demonstrating his flare for creating beautiful moments with a minimalist setup".[13]

See also

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List of films shot on mobile phones

References

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  1. ^ a b c Horrocks, Simon (2020-03-12). "Ghost: Mobile Motion Film Festival Interview". Mobile Motion. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  2. ^ a b Rotten Tomatoes - Ghost (2020), retrieved 2021-08-31
  3. ^ "Moondog Labs interview with the director of Ghost". Moondog Labs. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  4. ^ "Ghost: Mobile Motion Film Festival Interview". Mobile Motion. 2020-03-12. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  5. ^ Anthony Z James and shooting a feature on your smartphone, retrieved 2021-05-07
  6. ^ Labs, Moondog. "Ghost". Moondog Labs. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  7. ^ "The Fan Carpet - Ghost is released on VOD". www.thefancarpet.com. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  8. ^ "Ghost - movie info and VOD links". Story Image. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
  9. ^ Ng, Alan (2020-04-16). "Film Threat - Ghost Review". Film Threat. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  10. ^ Cline, Rich (2020-04-23). "Shadows on the Wall | Arthouse Films". www.shadowsonthewall.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  11. ^ Bibbins, Michael (2020-07-11). "Hidden Remote by FanSided - Review: Ghost". Hidden Remote. Retrieved 2021-03-16.
  12. ^ Pillot, Dempsey (2020-07-16). "Review: 'Ghost' Is A Quiet Meditation About Growing Up And Letting Go". CRPWrites.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-11. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
  13. ^ Comrie, Sam (2020-07-17). "JumpCut Online REVIEW: Ghost (2020)". JumpCut Online. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 2021-03-21.
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