This episode we’re going on an outrageous scavenger hunt to find the subliminal messages hidden in two adaptations of old cartoons about bands with only female members: Josie & The Pussycats from 2001 and Jem & The Holograms from 2015. 

DISCLAIMER

WPT is a podcast for adults; we use adult language and discuss mature topics with a focus on feminism.

SPOILER DETAILS

We will fully spoil both of these movies. Check the show notes for those timestamps. 

 

https://wildprettythings.podbean.com/

email: [email protected]

instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildprettythingspod/

twitter: @WildPrettyPod https://twitter.com/WildPrettyPod 

 

Melissa: @mellooyellow on Twitter; mmsloter on Instagram 

 

Topic 1: Josie & The Pussycats

available on HBO

Overall evaluations

 

2001 in film:

Burton’s Planet of the Apes

Moulin Rouge, Save The Last Dance, Ghost World, Hedwig & the Angry Itch, Rock Star, Glitter, Not Another Teen Movie

Memento, Amelie, Sexy Beast, Bridget Jones's Diary, Legally Blonde, Mulholland Drive, Ocean’s 11 

 

0:13:00

Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josie_and_the_Pussycats_(film)

based on Archie comics characters, 70s? cartoon series, since rebooted comic book

W&D by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan (Can’t Hardly Wait)

cast

Rachael Leigh Cook as Josie McCoy

Kay Hanley of Letters To Cleo is her singing voice, but RLC added some of the backup vocals, along with the other cast and Bif Naked

Tara Reid as Melody Valentine

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/dumb-blonde-stereotype

Rosario Dawson as Valerie Brown

Derek Finley case https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/rosario-dawson-her-family-sued-over-alleged-transphobic-assault-n1069756

Gabriel Mann as Alan M. Mayberry, Josie's romantic interest

Paulo Costanzo as Alexander Cabot (Shed in The Expanse S1)

Missi Pyle as Alexandra Cabot

Alan Cumming as Wyatt Frame

Parker Posey as Fiona

Serena Altschul as herself (MTV VJ)

Carson Daly as himself

Aries Spears as “the other Carson Daly”

Eugene Levy as himself

 

0:30:15

music

Babyface, Adam Duritz, Adam Schlesinger, Jane Wiedlin (Go Gos)

https://www.thefader.com/2017/09/25/josie-and-the-pussycats-soundtrack-2001-oral-history

 

0:31:45

recap

 

0:42:30

final thoughts

 

0:45:10

Sharp Objects: recent or relevant cultural artifacts we want to recommend or discuss

 

Happiest Season https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8522006/

 

0:46:48

J1: Dicktown (Hulu)

 

0:48:40

M1: Yes, God, Yes (VOD)

Karen Maine (writer of Obvious Child) 

Stars: Natalia Dyer, Francesca Reale (Stranger Things) , Alisha Boe (13 Reasons Why), Timothy Simons (Looking for Alaska)

J2: Homecoming Season 2 (Prime)

stars Janelle Monae

 

Melissa’s other show: Still Great, Bob? http://stillgreatpod.com/ a Mad Men rewatch podcast

 

The Daily Knightly http://thedailyknightley.com/ 

 

0:57:50

Topic 2: Jem & The Holograms (2015)

available on Netflix

 

2015 films: Green Room, The Invitation, Room, TFA, Fury Road, Ex Machina, The Final Girls, Into The Forest, Straight Outta Compton, Mockingjay Part 2, Creed, Point Break

The Witch episode: https://wildprettythings.podbean.com/e/witches-present-haxan-and-the-witch-october-4-2018/ 

The Blackcoat’s Daughter episode: https://wildprettythings.podbean.com/e/the-blackcoats-daughter-plus-disney-kristen-stewart-mackenzie-davis-honey-boy-fargo-season-1/ 

Spotlight episode of Scene-It Cast with Melissa: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/sceneit-cast/e/76831062 

 

info

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jem_and_the_Holograms_(film)

 

Blum production, greenlit after the success of Transformers and GI Joe

director John Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) 

80s cartoon created by Christy Marx for Hasbro/Marvel/Sunbow after working on GI Joe and some Marvel cartoons (wrote an issue of Birds Of Prey.)

Soundtrack also includes other artists, such as Hallee Steinfeld, Hillary Duff, and Maria Hill.

 

1:08:50

cast

Aubrey Peeples as Jerrica "Jem" Benton

Nashville

Stefanie Scott as Kimber Benton

Beautiful Boy 

Hayley Kiyoko as Aja

Aurora Perrineau as Shana

Juliette