Desktop for Server 8.04 64 bit

[dragos2]

I posted something tangential in the Server forum but I hope to get some good
answers about dekstop interfaces here.

I have an Ubuntu Server 8.04 64 bit, and I want to install a light gnome version.

I like the look from apt-get install x-window-system-core xserver-xorg gnome-core in
9.04, unfortunately x-window-system-core is not present in 8.04

so I have to choose between apt-get install xorg gnome-core and
ubuntu-desktop(hell no :) )

Someone sugested to install gdm to escape from policy hell but being a server I must see the startup and gdm is not verbose.

1) is there something like ubuntu-desktop-core ?
2) how can I make gdm verbose ?