Enormous blockbuster films tend to define the summer moviegoing experience, but summer 2017 is shaping up to be a solid time for smaller scale indies as well. Few films epitomize that idea more than David Lowery's A Ghost Story -- which tells the tale of a recently deceased man's (Casey Affleck) journey to console his widow (Rooney Mara) as his spirit becomes detached from time itself. It is a crazy premise, but the film is made even more insane by the fact that it apparently also includes a cameo from pop star Kesha. Lowery recently opened up about the process of getting her into the film, and admitted that it all started with a simple desire to get a Kesha song into the movie. The director explained:
I just love Kesha! That's really where it came from. I wanted to have one of her songs in the party. That turned into, I wonder if she'd write an original song for the party, which then turned into her just coming to Texas and hanging out on set for a day and showing up in the movie... Even though it's a small part and some folks don't even realize it's her, I love knowing that she's there. It adds something very meaningful to me.
As far as the development process goes, that sounds like one of the weirder aspects of A Ghost Story's creative process -- which is saying something. The initial intention was to add a Kesha song to the film's soundtrack, but from that single seed David Lowery (per his recent comments to THR) managed to spin that idea into a full-blown cameo (she's apparently credited as "Spirit Girl") for the Jerry Seinfeld-hugging pop star. Not bad for a decidedly small-scale indie flick. A Ghost Story centers heavily on the concept of time, so I have to wonder if Lowery ever considered making Kesha's "Tik Tok" a prominent musical cue throughout the film. Probably not, but I like to think he did.
That Kesha cameo is just one of many unique elements that make A Ghost Story such a bizarre film. Although the movie's title and basic plot outline would make one initially assume that it's a horror film, it is actually far closer to an intimate, personal drama than a cinematic creep fest. That off-kilter sensibility might not necessarily be for everyone in the long run (this is an A24 production, after all) but A Ghost Story continues to strike us as one of the most unique looking films of the summer. If you're one of the many who have clamored for a wholly original summer movie in a sea of sequels and reboots, then A Ghost Story could be right up your alley.
A Ghost Story is now in theaters, so make sure to check it out and keep your eyes peeled for Kesha's cameo. For more information related to the rest of this year's major film releases, be sure to take a look at our comprehensive 2017 summer movie premiere guide!
