Hey folks, Harry here with a report from our domeheaded bracelet wearing ex-stuntdude and effects man... That's right... Mysterio is chiming in yet again, this time with an update on the JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS script and update on who will be playing the fine teenage babe with a helluva tail! So... without further patter, on to what matters... Mysterio... take it away...
Hey there Harry, Mysterio here. Welcoming you back to the land of semi-clean running tap water! Whilst you were out and about on your little trip out of the country, so did I feel inclined to take a little trip as well.
You see, the big city can eventually take its toll on one, and with so much crime these days, most of my mayhem has gone either unnoticed or unappreciated. So I figured I’d venture out and find a smaller town to victimize and show off my handiwork.
So in my wary travels, I ended up in all places but sunny Riverdale. No need for sunglasses here, as I’m already equipped! Seems like a nice enough town, complete with Megastores, a high school, a malt shop, and girls named Betty and Veronica. Betty & Veronica?!?! HELL YES!
But it wasn’t long though before my eyes cast they’re glare on a shapely young redhead, dressed in a leopard tight outfit, with a tail and ears to match! She was loading some music gear into the back of van, which I noticed read “Josie and the Pussycats” on it’s side panels. Screw the big city! (or something to that effect I said to myself).
So I approached her and helped her load her gear (to which I figured she’d help me later with mine) and that’s when a little manuscript slipped from her bag and hit the ground. As I picked it up, the title page read “JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS” by Deborah Kaplan & Harry Elfont (“Can’t Hardly Wait”), First rewrite, dated 12/3/99. I handed it back and asked her “so are you making a movie”? She replied “Sort of… probably. But they’ll end up casting live actors in our parts. We’ll just be creative consultants or something.” “That’s too bad.” I said. “What about you? Are you making a movie as well?” She, referring to my guise. Damn! She had to ask. “Not unless the higher ups at Sony and Sam Raimi come to their senses and write me in on the SPIDER-MAN project. But enough about me, back to you and your project. Is the script any good?” I ask. “Here. Val’s got an extra copy. You can have mine. I’d be curious to know your thoughts. Read it and call me, and we’ll talk it over a shake… or two.”
What’s a super-villain to do? So I read it. All 112 pages of it, then only to hear Josie was right. They’d just cast Rachel Leigh Cook (“She’s All That”) as Josie! Hmmm… I thought. I might just work.
But it’s really going to rely mainly on the chemistry between (let your casting ideas fly) Josie, Val & Melody, as the storyline stays pretty close to Saturday morning fare.
PUSSYCAT SPOILERS BELOW…
Our beloved, sexy Saturday morning trio, are placed into a script that does a fair job of setting up the three characters, including Josie’s struggling musician boyfriend Alan M., and wannabe band manager Alexander and his troublesome sister Alexandra.
From there they’re soon “discovered” by a slick, corporate, “MegaRecords” talent scout, named Wyatt, who takes the band and quickly begins to mold them to current pop/rock fashion, although strangely, he’s never heard them play. They’re then rushed into the studio, and are laying down tracks for their album through a processor called the “Megasound 8000”. This processor is used to induce subliminal messages into the recordings (a voice that sounds just like Mr. Moviephone) that are receptive through a pair of “Pussycat” ear-phones, in order to convince kids to buy certain products or introduce particular styles into fashion that will cause an economic craze. This scheme is lead by a power-mad MegaRecords owner named Fiona, whose last band got too wise and met an untimely demise. Hence a replacement band was in order to fill the slot, and the Pussycats fit the bill. Not only does she own a record label, but also controls and owns products and stores that will provide such merchandise to money-induced spending teens. This plan all culminates towards a big concert to which the Pussycats music will subliminally reach not only the concert-goers, but satellite pay-per view and radio stations broadcasting the concert as well to it’s viewer’s and listeners around the world.
From there, the story takes a predictable turn of sorts as the band is threatened when street-smart Val, and bimbo-blonde Melody catch wind of the scheme, causing MegaRecords to woo Josie into a solo career making her the star, while overshadowing the rest of the girls.
Clever shots are made at such “in” bands as The Backdoor…, I mean, Backstreet Boys, commercialism, and music and the media industry. Allowing for much pre-determined product placing and multiple cameos as well, from the likes of such as Ben Affleck (god, we love him, don’t we?) to Tom Green. Although, this at times feels forced and overplayed throughout the script.
But hey, it’s based on a Saturday morning kids cartoon that sold everything from toys to cereals in between during the show back in the day.
Ah, the more things change, the more they stay the same I guess.
Now, time to give a little rockin’ redhead a call and get with my strawberry shake.
