Tessa 0:00 So Sam, are you like alternative now? Sam 0:03 alternative to what? Tessa 0:23 Welcome to monkey off my backlog the podcast where we exercise our pop culture demons by tackling our media to do lists one week at a time. I'm your host, Tessa Swehla and with me are Dr. Sam Morris. Hello, and Andy Bowman. Hello. This week, Sam wonders when they'll finally get to sing my way. Andy plays a cult classic story based game that has never been released in English. And I finally learned how to read the playbook. So proud. All right, let's go ahead and dive right into what you did this week. Sam, what is the sparks brothers? Andy 1:07 Oh, I know this one. I I know this one. Okay. It's it's the brothers who formed AC DC. Sam 1:16 We apologize. Andy will no longer be a part of Monkey on my backlog. asked me the question again. What is the sparks brothers? Well, Tessa the sparks brothers is a 21 documentary by Edgar Wright. Tessa 1:33 That's all you're gonna say, huh? Okay, well, maybe you could finally answer the question is sparks a real band? Sam 1:42 So based on what we watched, I am now 95% sure that this isn't a big joke. That sparks is a real band. I'm just about convinced that sparks is an actual California art pop synth pop glam rock novelty band duo collective concept. These two brothers have collaborated with Todd Rundgren who I am also 95% sure is a real person. Jane Wheatland who played Joan of Arc in bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, so she's real. Franz Ferdinand, the reanimated zombie ghost of a world war one central figure. And they are most recently screenwriters and composers for the film. Annette, the weird musical thing on Amazon starring Adam Driver that Tessa wants to see. So yeah, I'm, I'm I'm fairly sure they're real. Tessa 2:48 So you listen to music you like pop culture? There are a lot of people in this documentary that you've heard of before that you definitely know who loved the band sparks, so why haven't you listen to them? Sam 3:02 Okay, so I'm no expert. But one thing I do know is that la has a very vibrant music scene. But it is different from London, Manchester, New York, Chicago, Nashville, New Orleans, any city, Seattle, any city that you can think of that has an established musical identity. Here's some of the reasons why that's true. La has managed to produce in the 60s, Buffalo Springfield, and the doors in the 70s X and Los Lobos, in the 80s, Van Halen, NWA Guns and Roses in the 90s, Weezer to park some of the most famous studios for recording Paramount Westlake the village Sound City. Weird owl is from LA Warren zubaan did the thing with making la a character in his songs join me in LA john Fogarty, not from LA, actually from the Bay Area, but recorded by EU country and other albums and songs in which he pretended to be from New Orleans. You guessed it in LA, Phil Spector, Todd Rundgren, Nile Rodgers, Rick Rubin. They all were prominent producers who did substantial work in LA, somehow, LA is everything but also perceived as completely corporate and soulless at the same time. So why haven't I listened to sparks? It's a hard answer, but part of it is they're from this area. And they've been making this kind of music that somehow hasn't made the same cultural impact. It has, but only if you've heard of it. So it's kind of weird. Andy 5:08 So, Sam, yeah. Are you telling me that you have never heard of the band sparks? Sam 5:15 I have literally never heard of the band sparks to my knowledge until Edgar Wright started talking about them. Okay, Andy 5:23 so so so wait, you didn't hear there 1972 album? Tweet a woofer and tweeters close. No, you didn't hear any of these singles. Wonder Girl. This town ain't big enough for the both of us. girl from Germany. amateur hour. Talent is an asset. Never turn your back on Mother Earth. propaganda. Something for the girl with everything. I chew. And I didn't just knees there. That was the title of the song. Get in the swing. Looks looks looks. I want to hold your hand. Big Boy. I like girls over the summer. A big surprise. let dolcevita know. Oh, yeah. Before the documentary I hadn't either. So interesting. Tessa 6:11 I mean, from what I've what I've heard, this is like one of the most influential bands that no one has ever really heard of. So are you gonna listen to them? Now? Sam 6:21 Here's the thing. Have I heard of sparks? No. Have I ever listened to sparks? No. Tessa? To borrow a line from George Bailey. You're thinking of sparks all wrong. As if their music was only on their albums. The music's not there. Sparks is in Duran Duran music right next to a band you like. And then the music of Sonic Youth, and Beck's music and 100 others? Tessa 6:52 But really, are you going to listen to them? Sam 6:56 I mean, they have songs called computer girl. Everybody's stupid. The number one song in heaven and cool places featuring Jane Wheatland of the go Go's. Yeah, I'm going to and I know what we're doing for the next segment. So I'm gonna save a little bit for that. But yes, sure. Andy 7:18 Why wouldn't I? What about their album, gratuitous sex and senseless violence? Tessa 7:23 They do have some really great album titles. But now that we have that settled, what did you think about the documentary? Sam 7:29 This is the best music documentary I've seen since Dave Grohl is documentary about Sound City, which is a another famous studio just outside of LA. It is so famous that when nobody was going to preserve it, Dave Grohl bought the board from the studio, carded it a few miles down the road, and created a new studio called 606. That is the legacy of La it's somehow everything and completely disposable at the same time. It's it's very bizarre. This is the best documentary since then. I mean, Edgar Wright is just a great director. And his movie that's coming up later this fall is one of the ones that I'm going to be crushed the most by about if I can't go see. And this was great. This was an awesome documentary. It was great. Getting to see all these people who actually care about this band who were paying attention. And, and, and have heard them and been influenced by them. And, and it was just, Edgar Wright cares so much about music, that this is the thing that he should have done. I'm glad that he did it. It was it was just fascinating to see, you know, these two brothers, who were you know, who grew up in California, and we're influenced by those great rebels Bill Haley in his comments, but also the who, and Pink Floyd and the kinks. And then they influenced in turn rush aureo Speedwagon, Pet Shop Boys, Human League, Spandau Ballet New Order, Depeche Mode, They Might Be Giants, faith, no more Bjork. And all the others that I mentioned before. It's just, it's like, how could I not know that these people existed? It's like, all I could think it was weird out the entire time, because, and he's also in the documentary. But weird owl is this kid who grew up in LA, and loved music, and all he wanted to do was emulate, create, innovate all this music that he heard. And he chose this bull on novelty route, and got super famous. Everybody knows who weird owl is. A lot of people don't Know that weird owl is actually an incredible musician. The sparks brothers had the exact same story, like, uncannily similar, up to the point where they were not super famous. But they still did. They're still considered by many to be a novelty act, just like weird owl. But also just like weird out there ridiculously talented. It's a fascinating comparison. And it could have gone farther in that Edgar Wright could have gone farther in that direction. I'm glad he didn't, because that's not what this documentary is. But it's all I could think about the entire time is it is so weird. Pun not intended. Who in this business becomes well known and who doesn't? It sure isn't based on who deserves it? Kind of an accident. But you know what, better late than never, the world may be falling apart. We may all be dead in 18 months, but at least between now and then we have sparks. And finally, in the near future, to quote the Bard. I see. sparks fly. Tessa 11:08 Alright, on that note, our discussion question today are which actually links in pretty well with what you were just talking about? Are things you wish you were more into. Andy, what is something that you feel like you should like, but you just don't old? Old like the film old or just oldness as a concept? Andy 11:35 old movies old? If it's older than me, I'm not into it. I wish I was. Tessa 11:43 That's fair. That is absolutely fair. Sam, what is something you should like? But you don't? Sam 11:52 Are you really ready to hear the answer? Are you sure you don't want to go first? Andy 11:56 Oh, I do have I do have something? Star Trek? Not into it. Don't care. Tessa 12:04 But you feel like you should like it. Like what parts of it feel like something that you should like? Andy 12:09 It's sci fi with, you know, focus on the hard sci fi stuff I like I like all that I I just you know, original series next generation. everything but the JJ Abrams movies I just don't care about at all. I can't get into it. I don't care about Picard. I don't care about Kirk Janeway. I really don't care about Janeway. I really don't care about Worf or q or. or any of them. I mean, Spock Okay, whatever. If it doesn't have the Beastie Boys soundtrack in it, I are on the soundtrack. I really don't care. Tessa 12:53 And that's fair. I just feel like there are some things that you just like on paper. This is something you should really like but you don't Andy 12:59 see. I also I don't think any of its good. Okay. I I don't think any of it is good or worthwhile watching I. It's not just that I don't care I just met. Tessa 13:15 Alright, Sam, lay it on us. First of all, Sam 13:18 I don't like hard science fiction, but you know, Star Trek is okay. Andy 13:23 So you don't have to lie to protect Tessa? Sam 13:27 I usually don't. So, back to sparks for a minute. Andy 13:34 Didn't we just finish this conversation? Sam 13:36 We did. But then she asked me a question. So we're right back to where we were. So we're watching Season Two of last. And every time there's a Charlie flashback. He just goes on and on and on about the kinks. And so like, the kinks are a good band. Okay. Muswell hillbillies is probably the best album you've never listened to, other than anything the sparks created. But I'm not gonna listen to the Kings discography they were doing country rock at the time, that all the big names a country rock, we're doing it and Ray Davies was as good or better at it than everyone else. I know all that's true. But I'm only gonna listen to all day and all the night. And he really got me and maybe Lola for a bit. And that's it. Andy 14:31 What about the weird l version? Yoda? Sam 14:32 it that's why I listened to Lola just because I know the weird alfursan I mean, that's that's the whole thing. But that's the that's the real secret here. I love music. We all know this. I don't have enough time to listen to it and obsess over it as much as I did, sadly. And I got to tell you guys something. I'm going to admit to something right here right now. Okay. And this goes back to why I haven't heard barks before. And it pains me to say it. But deep down, I know it's true. And now you all be shocked. I'm just not that cool was I listened to what I listened to, because my parents had it on. And then when I left the house, when I turned on MTV, I heard new things. And I listened to that. I can tell you, every album that the Beatles made in order, I can probably get the Track listings pretty close to right. I still remember most of the lyrics. Same things true with Pearl Jam. That's it. I can't give you a real deep dive on any other band. I can tell you a lot about Neil Young. But there's still entire albums of his that I've never heard. The monkeys right. After Mike left the group. They made one more album in 70, I believe called changes. I've never heard it. Me and Magdalena is a great song that they made right after Davy Jones died. It was an album that was produced by Adam Schlesinger, who I also really like, but I haven't heard that more than two times nor have I listened to most of Fountains of Wayne. Olivia Newton john. Their whole entire albums I haven't listened to. I love Springsteen, Dylan, I haven't heard all of their stuff, much less quoted to you backward and forward. Like maybe I think I should be able to. So that's, that's the answer. Things I wish I was more into. There are many, many artists that I wish I could tell you about their catalogs and biography. backward and forward, like I can kind of do with the Beatles and Pearl Jam. But I still don't know everything there is to know. I would love to devote my entire life to that, but sadly, I can't. So there you go. In conclusion, listen to sparks watch the documentary. Hey, Tessa. Andy 17:09 So what about you, you? You asked us this painful question that I wasn't expecting out of nowhere. You just went and what about you? What do you want to be more into? Tessa 17:21 I don't know how shocking This is going to be. But something that I wish I was more into is the works of something I wish I was more into are the works of Denis Villeneuve. Andy 17:38 Okay. His name is Bill nez, Sam 17:41 Bill Neff Campbell. Andy 17:42 Dennis Denny Villeneuve I'm not I'm not even joking. I actually know how to pronounce his name. Tessa 17:49 Fair enough. Fair enough. I do not know how to pronounce his name and I don't really like his films. I should like his films. They are science fiction. They are high concept science fiction. I love Blade Runner. I should have liked Blade Runner. 2049 more than I did. I should have liked a rival more than I did. Andy 18:10 I bought sakarya Tessa 18:12 I haven't seen sicario Andy 18:14 What about hold on hold on. Enemy let's let's not Tessa 18:20 let's not let's not do into what about ism right now? I just don't like his movies. I think they're very pretty. I think he is technically really great at hiring good cinematographers. I don't think they have very much of a soul to them, though. Andy 18:38 I don't think you can. You can say that of when you've only seen two of his movies. First of all, I Sam 18:45 think he can. Tessa 18:47 I can say whatever I want about him after watching two movies. I don't have to watch more to know that these movies are just going to be really pretty and have no soul to them. Because I just I know it and I'm really afraid that Dune is going to be the same way. Well, thank Andy 19:00 god you don't have any tattoos on your body referencing Dune. Tessa 19:06 Ah, well, I mean, Dune is a book and that's what the tattoo is for. But you know, whatever. And you're the one who books you're the one who doesn't like Star Trek, so I don't really know what to say to you about this one. See, Andy 19:19 it's not it's not just that I don't like Star Trek. I think Star Trek is actively bad, Sam 19:24 guys, and you're freezone I was going to say Tessa 19:28 and you're actively wrong. Anyway. Sam 19:35 judgement Andy 19:37 listeners can't see this. But Tessa has been flipping me off for the entirety of this second. Tessa 19:44 Look, you don't have to like Star Trek. Like, that's fine. Like like what you like I'm okay with that doesn't hurt my feelings. But I don't think you can actively say Star Trek is bad when it has one of the first and most active fandoms in the world. Like oh, Andy 19:59 you're You're right Twilight, definitely a classic. See, I got you one of the most active fandoms on Tumblr. Tessa 20:10 No, no, I'm no, Twilight. I'm not engaged. I'm not engaging with this anymore. You are doing Sam 20:23 Hi, everybody, Sam here. I know I'm known for causing trouble in real life and not very many people like me. But in this moment, I am the least of noxious person on this podcast. I don't know that either of them are angry with me anymore, which they probably were a few minutes ago. So in my role is Peacemaker. Please stop. Why can't we be friends? Andy 21:00 was a song by who did that song I know really efficient a cover of that song? Unknown Speaker 21:06 They did. Tessa 21:06 all I'm gonna say is the question was things you wish you were born into. But it doesn't sound like you wish you were born into Star Trek. You just don't know. irked me. Andy 21:14 No, I actually I wish I wish I saw the value in it. I wish I knew what people thought was good about it. I wish I like understood and could empathize with individuals on that level. Tessa 21:29 So what you're saying is you want the joy that Trekkies have. Andy 21:33 Right? And as I'm saying this, as I'm saying this I am realizing my critical mistake. My absolute terrible mistake because we do have a Tessa assigns coming up, and now I am terrified. Tessa 21:49 Yeah. I would be. Sam 21:55 Tessa, I want to put in a special request. I want a tweet, appended on to the regular tweet for this episode, in which you use the gift from the Simpsons of Homer kicking the turtle. Which Tessa hasn't seen that episode, but for everybody who has you you can it you guys get it. This is because I made fun of you, isn't it? Tessa 22:23 Yeah, it is. And now Andy gets to ask me questions. So I'm real glad I structured this way. Andy 22:28 My cheeks hurt so bad. Sam 22:31 I'm gonna go walk around the block. Andy 22:32 Okay. What did you watch this week? Tessa 22:40 I watched the 2009 film whip it Andy 22:44 is not about the drug. Tessa 22:46 No, there are no drugs in the making of this movie. Except for whatever Drew Barrymore was smoking. Andy 22:53 Okay, so Drew Barrymore, isn't it. So this is, you know, probably an Adam Sandler vehicle as well. Tessa 23:00 No, it actually is your Barrymore's directorial debut. And the screenplay was written by Shawna Krause, who adapted it from her novel Derby girl about becoming part of the roller derby scene in Austin, Texas in the early 2000s. Andy 23:21 Wait, wait, okay. I actually I'm actually like, really curious now. Is roller derby actually something that that happens or was that like just a weird lesbian phobic joke that kept popping up? in pop culture? Tessa 23:39 No, roller derby is an actual sport. It still exists like it still happens. Andy 23:44 That is terrifying. Tessa 23:46 Yeah, it is a full contact roller skate, roller rink sport that generally is championed by women. And it's a it is a full contact terrifying sport in which two teams of up to five women on roller skates on on you know not not even in line skates, actual roller skates. Try to pass each other and try to prevent each other from passing each other on the roller rink. Andy 24:17 So just to make sure this is not a weird sci fi thing like roller ball. Sam 24:23 No, this is not the sports equivalent of sparks. quick story. This is this is a true story by the way. So when I was working on my master's degree way back when I one of the people in my cohort was was this girl from near Flint, Michigan. And I am still straight up terrified of this person. Like barbed wire tattoo. Like the most aggressive northern attitude I've ever come across. I was so intimidated by her I wasn't sure if she actually liked me or wanted to beat me up and I'm frankly still not sure. I called her an iconoclast. That is still, I believe, to this day her description on Facebook, like attributed to me. So when she left Knoxville to go back up to Michigan, she became a derby girl. She has since retired, but has become an announcer for the derby, much like Jimmy Fallon's character, except probably less likely to get beat up by a derby girl. And I know that I know that Jackie's probably not listening to this, but if you are, I'm still afraid you're gonna beat me up. Please don't beat me up. You're pretty cool. And that's and that's the story of roller derby. Hey, Tessa, Andy 25:55 please don't beat me up. You're pretty cool. This Tessa 25:58 is the Star Trek portion of this episode was actually my villain origin story like the rest of the movie is like the next scene of the movie is a montage in which I joined roller derby and like train. So that way I can come to your house and beat the crap out of you. Sam 26:15 I swear to god if you turn Tessa into Joker, I am going to be so angry with you. Andy 26:20 I just imagined Walkman. Sam 26:22 Joaquin Phoenix Persian or the Jared Leto car. Andy 26:26 They've ruined Joker. walking my dog in the middle of night and just hearing the plastic you know, rollers case on concrete and being afraid knowing that my time has finally come Tessa 26:39 the skates you're like you're like restrained like at the hospital with all of the all the bruises and cuts and like broken ribs the skates the skate. Andy 26:53 Okay, okay. Okay. So whip is this film. It's something that he was roller derby. It might have Jimmy Fallon in it. What is wibit about? Tessa 27:04 So Whippet is about a girl named bliss Cavanaugh, who is played by Elliot Paige. This was back when he was still billed as Ellen Page, who lives in a tiny tiny Texas town called bodeen. Right outside of Austin bodeen is known for its pageant scene. Let's wear like a big I think it's called the bluebell pageant happens every year. And bliss is sort of grown up with a pageant mom who wants both of her daughters to be in these pageants. But she is really kind of suffering in this small town under the pageant and not just the pageant scene, but also like these expectations of womanhood. There's a lot about the patriarchy in this film, although we'll talk about that here in a minute. But she encounters wrote the the nearby sport of roller derby in Austin. One day when she's shopping in Austin, and she falls in love with it. She wants to be part of it. And so she starts training to be part of this team called the hurl scouts. There's lots of puns in these movies. They're great, but this team has women on it like Kristen Wiig. Juliette Lewis, actually, Juliette Lewis is the the head of the rival team. Drew Barrymore plays a role in this film her her. Her roller derby name is smashley Simpson, which is like one of the best roller derby name, I think of all time. Aliyah shock cat plays her best friend who sort of supports her in this. So she like it's sort of that sports movie where she's lying to her parents about where she is at night. But she's going and she's training for this specific roller derby and gets really into the sport. Sam 28:49 Hey, Tessa, I know that. You so you before I could I could tell Andy that maybe he knew the person who played page's best friend. But you haven't spoiled the other big cast member who plays their coach? Is it someone whose siblings we are familiar with? Andy 29:11 Oh, oh, wait, wait. I know this one. It's the entirety of the band Divo? Tessa 29:20 No, it is Andrew Wilson, brother to Luke and Owen Wilson. He sounds exactly like them in this film. But he plays their coach. He has like a playbook that has 10 different plays that they refuse to memorize. And so at one point, he just tears out one of the plays and gives it to the other team to demonstrate like how good his plays are. It's awesome. It he's a very funny character. Jimmy Kimmel, like Sam mentioned plays the announcer sorry. Sorry, Jimmy Fallon plays two different there are two different people. Yes, he plays the announcer This is probably at the same time that he and Kristen Wiig, we're still on Saturday Night Live and so You can kind of see that chemistry there. Marcia Gay Hayden plays bliss is harden plays bliss, his mom, apparently I'm just like mispronouncing names all over the place today. So this is like a really stellar cast, like they're all doing such a great job. And what I really loved about it is that they all play to their strengths. Elliot page is just this like, this is post Juno. So they're, you know, he's playing this very like, alternative that is the line from the beginning type of girl who's trying to figure out sort of where she belongs, she's really struggling with the patriarchy in this town, through her mother, and through the pageantry aspect of it, in fact, like the villain of this film, is kind of these patriarchal concepts. But they're being enforced by women, not by men. So it's kind of about like white womanhood and the way that these sort of expectations and the way that mothers try to live out their dreams through their daughters. It's very, very interesting in that way, but it's also very funny like Kristen Wiig is hilarious, but she's not wacky. She's not playing like a stereotype. She's playing like a really grounded person. Drew Barrymore is so funny in this she like leans into like this really stoner but really aggressive persona, like, half the time when she's off the rink. She's like, you know, whoa, man, but when she's on the rink, she's like, throwing punches, and they have to like, pull her off of like other players. Well, Andy 31:35 it's probably I'm cutting me and then Tessa 31:37 it's, it is very, very funny. It gives me glow vibes. So if you liked the show glow, this is definitely a film that has some of those same vibes to it. Because roller derby is such a like feminist or not feminist, but it's a feminine, centered sport, it is definitely, you know, supported and played by by women, there is this really strong idea of like feminine bonding in it, even though it is such an aggressive and violent sport. Sam 32:06 So I think that for those of you who have seen major league, I think if you like, took Charlie Sheen's character, the wild thing and split them into two. And like have this personality. Half of it is Jamie tart from Ted lasso. And then the other half is smashley. Simpson. Levy, put those two together. You've got that character for major league. Now Tessa one, I have a question for you. Because you've mentioned just about everybody from the cast, except for Mr. Falling in love at the coffee shop himself. The love interest, would you would you care to talk about Mr. Pig a little bit? Tessa 32:51 So we have been pig plays the love interest. And that is one of my critiques about this movie, I only have two. One of them is is that the storyline with Landon pig's character who was this like singer songwriter, dude in Texas who's sort of attached to the roller derby scene, they kind of get to know each other during like these after parties that the roller derby scene has. It just didn't feel necessary and it didn't feel like it really fit the character very well. Because the way that the roller derby is presented in this film, it's really a way for bliss to explore both her more aggressive side both her sort of her war, alternative and feminine side than the pageantry. But also it's sort of the way that it's framed is more of a sexual awakening than it is just like, Oh, I really like this as a sport. Like, you know, there's a scene where she's in the shop and she first sees the roller derby girls come in, and they're all in these fish nets and like they're, they're wearing their, their skates in these short skirts and they're just, it's it is portrayed in this way, where she realizes that she has more in common with them than she does with anybody else. And it is portrayed as this like sexual awakening. And that made me really wish that this was a more queer movie than it was. I wanted land and pigs character to actually be a woman because guess what women can be indie, you know, singer songwriters who are assholes, like, you know, it can actually you can actually do that. Or I just wish they wouldn't have had it at all like that this would have focused on the roller derby otherwise, it just felt really tacked on and it didn't really feel like it was part of the character. Andy 34:31 So what you're saying is you want Whippet as written by Kate Chopin, or Kate john. Sam 34:39 Shell. Tessa 34:40 Sure. The other thing too is that this film, this could have leaned more into the male gaze, but instead it kind of makes a joke out of the male gaze like there are definitely men at this roller derby who are there to see like the scantily clad women like throw Andy 34:57 their scantily clad too Tessa 34:59 and oh yeah And they're all wearing fishnets and short skirts and they all have like dyed hair and they all put on like the makeup, it's very much a performance just like wrestling is except for you actually are making contact during the sport, wrestling. I mean, like, it's more of a performance and people aren't supposed to be hurt by the end of it. Like, even like Jimmy Fallon character who again is more restrained than he normally would be. But he's playing a character who's definitely like there for the girls, right? Like he's, he's like, hitting on them a little bit. You know, he he says, you know, at one point, like, I don't know whether to break up the fight or fill that. So there's that but it's also kind of in like inverted because even though that's there, it is the butt of a joke. Like that is not the point of roller derby for these women. And these women are much more invested in each other than they are in the attention like they're they're sort of making the attention more into a performance than they are taking validation from it. And so I, I really appreciated that about this film as well. It has a killer soundtrack. Like I want to go back and listen to the soundtrack. Again, it is like everything that you would want from like powerpop in the in the early 2000s. It's so so good. In that way. My only other critique. I have one other critique. And this is a bill and Ted critique. You know how there's one thing and Bill and Ted that you don't like Sam? Sam 36:23 Well, I'm not gonna say it. Tessa 36:26 There's a homophobic slur in bill and Ted, which prevents pillon Ted from being a perfect movie, there is a transphobic slur in Whippet, which prevents it from being quite as good as it could be. It definitely took me out of the moment to hear Alia, sharklets characters say that, but it's only once and it is very, very brief. But I do have to mention it as being like the thing that like disturbed me the most during this film. Sam 36:57 And you know, it's funny too, because I really hate that in bill and Ted. But the level to which they retro actively address it in later, in a later film, I think kind of recovers it a little bit. The interesting thing about wibit is the level of irony that didn't exist explicitly to people watching that movie, that the character that Paige plays, her best friend would be the one making that joke. So it kind of reads a whole lot differently now. In this, you know, still takes you out of the moment. But it's also got that really weird ironic time is turning it on itself kind of situation is pretty clearly and also moving into you're in the wrong for not having seen it. Tessa 37:48 Yeah, I would say if you like glow. If you really like that scene in birds of prey where Harley Quinn is doing roller derby, and you want a whole movie that's more like that. This is the movie for you. It made me want to watch roller derby. This is one of the this is one of the very few sports films that I actually legitimately enjoyed. Sam 38:11 Just remember, I also get an episode to assign things. And I just want you all to remember that if you're not first, you're last. Andy, what the heck is mother three? And what happened to mother one? And mother two? Wait, mother one's alien, right? She's the corporation, right? Andy 38:38 I don't know why I'm so giggly today. So mother one, it was a game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in Japan that never came out in America. Mother two was a game for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System or superfamily. Con and in Japan, that was released here in America and in Europe under the name Earthbound. Sam 39:09 Oh, I know Earthbound. That game is cool. Yeah, you can play and you can play as NES and Super Smash Brothers. Andy 39:17 That's right. That's right. And mother three is the sequel for the Gameboy Advance for two Earthbound that never came out in America for reasons or in English or anywhere else. But we got cyberpunk. So we did get cyberpunk. And the demands for the localization of mother three have gone so far as to reach Terry Crews who tweeted out localized mother three people people want this game we want it very badly. Sam 39:54 So so much like cyberpunk on PlayStation four. It's pretty hard. To get a hold of this game and play it, I imagine. So how did that happen for you? Andy 40:08 Well, it's actually very, very, very, very easy to get all this game and play it because the internet exists. And because the internet exists, fans did a translation of this game. And I like I need to make people understand how weird This is that fans translated this game, put it out. And Nintendo as a company is known as being incredibly litigious about fan projects. They have never said a word about this project. They have made jokes about it. They have made references to it and know that people want mother three. And they know it's there. If you if you google mother three, English patch, the guides are there for exactly how to do it. Nintendo just does not care. Sam 41:11 So really quickly, before I ask you about your experience playing the game, I just have two quick follow up questions. So you mentioned the internet. Now, I have heard that described as a series of tubes that that is correct. Andy 41:26 Right. Close enough. Sam 41:28 Okay. And to Nintendo. Now. This is the same Nintendo that used to make playing cards. Is that also correct? Andy 41:38 That that actually, Yes, that is correct. Sam 41:41 Oh, I know. My I, as a child, I want stumbled upon a deck of cards that my parents have that our Nintendo playing cards, like, I should have kept those but I didn't. But yeah, so anyway, alright. Mother three. I imagine it's it's game of the century material, or at least better than cyberpunk. Okay, Andy 42:05 so mother three was originally released in 2006. Sam 42:10 Which is about how long cyberpunk has been in production. Is that correct? Andy 42:17 Yeah, yeah. Just just about so one of the things about Earthbound. And Tessa 42:25 I would, I would try to defend you here, Andy. But after your Star Trek comment, I'm, I'm letting Sam do whatever he wants. Andy 42:33 That's fine. So So Earthbound was. The basic idea for the setting of all this is that instead of, instead of doing a Japanese RPG where you're saving the world in a medieval setting, Earthbound is set in American suburbia, where you play a you know, a 12 year old boy named NES who goes on an adventure to save the world. And this adventure is full of goofy little high jinks and puns and some incredibly touching moments. But one of the famous jokes in Earthbound is you pick up a pencil eraser at one point in the game, right, so it's just a pencil eraser. And you're going through the game for the rest of the game, and all of a sudden, this iron statue is blocking your way. And it's an iron statue of a pencil. So you can't you can't get around it. It's this giant iron statue of a pencil. So if you use the pencil eraser on it, the statue gets erased. It is one of the dumbest and most clever jokes I have ever, ever experienced. And mother three is the emotional climax of Earthbound. And you play as the Smash Brothers character Lucas, and a bunch of other people including a little monkey named salsa, a the basis for a a ACDC like band named DC MC, who his name is duster. It's It's such a wonderful, wonderful little story and all the enemies pretty much are joke names. For and one of these early on, made me laugh so hard and made my wife laugh so hard because it's the most obvious gag in the world. But there's a half snake half chicken monster. What would you name a half snake half chicken monster. US, Sam 44:43 US. us negin Andy 44:47 shake slither hen. Sam 44:52 See? That's Come on. Andy 44:56 Does that not hurt? How clever that is? I'm offended. So So anyway, the the game is is about Lucas's journey to save his small town and eventually the world from a invading army of of people who all their armor and stuff the their pigs, right so so their their armor is pig like and they make mentioned their leader makes mentioned like yeah you're you're peaceful, you're peaceful little ways without money like like I've come to an end and then there's a time skip and his town becomes more materialistic and everything and that's when I realize the enemy is America. This isn't imperialism Sam 45:51 just like inclue communism was a red herring. Andy 45:55 Yeah, but one of one of the things is there's a, there's a stretch of the game where you have to go underwater, and as you're underwater you're fighting these these pig armies and pig soldiers and their names are Navy squeals Yeah, just just the density of the of the humor in this game and how much work the local the fan translators had to have done to make this game function with all of its puns in intact. It's insane to me. And also, this is one of the most heartbreaking games I've ever played. I cannot believe how this game was specifically designed to just break the character's heart, or break your heart as the player and even ask you your name. It says, Hey, you, yeah, the one behind the controller, what's your name? And then that comes back later, in like one of the most heart wrenching sequences ever. Sam 46:59 All right. I bought my first Nintendo bought several games for it, including Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy two, Final Fantasy three, or at least what they were called here. My brother started playing those. He got Mystic Quest, which we talked about before. But as I was kind of phasing out of video games, he started picking up a lot more role playing games. And the two that I remember that he got me into, during that time when I wasn't playing much was Chrono Trigger, and Earthbound. I stopped playing video games pretty much all together for a while. And then, after I'd finished grad school, he came to visit and brought this little game called Grand Theft Auto Vice City with him. And I started playing games again. But I never wanted to look backward. I only wanted to play games that looked cool. And you know, I didn't want to go back to eight bit 16 bit, you know, 32 bit. I didn't want to go back. I mean, like if I hadn't had a chance to play slappers only. I would. But you know, I squealed with delight the other day, they're finally remaking and remastering face city some I'm gonna go back to that. But as somebody who wished cyberpunk wasn't terrible, because it should look and play good. isn't worth my time to go back to Earth bound, I mean Mother, Andy 48:31 mother to Earth, or Earth bound is definitely worth your time. I would say you have to go back to it on an emulator though. Because emulators have this magical function called a fast forward button where the game goes to times for speed. And for certain segments of games when especially Japanese RPGs when you're trying to get stronger just to get through this kind of padding. It is exactly what you need to enjoy this. Sam 49:02 Oh, I I remember. I remember. Andy 49:05 So and I did I did. My wife had never played Earthbound. So I made her play this before we went on to this mother three game which I've been waiting for years just hoping that Nintendo would officially announce it and finally gave up gave up hope. And there there are reasons why Nintendo won't localize it. But if you like puns, if you like truly heartwarming stories, if you like, just the density of jokes in both Earthbound and mother three it is it's it's insane. I rarely could stop laughing about just some of the dumbest jokes that I've ever experienced. They're childish, but they're still beautiful. There's instead of treasure chests around the world. There are presence right? You find these presents and you open them up. And, and some of them. There's just abstract ideas like a reggae rhythm. Right? So you just the music changes. It's like you open the president. It was a reggae rhythm. At one point in, in the game, there's this really, there's this enemy that keeps running away from you. And I got really frustrated. I was like, Okay, come on, I gotta get this enemy, I gotta get him. And I finally got the enemy. And I finally killed them. And instead of giving me experience, it says, you had a good experience. And that was the basis for the band that you get. They keep saying how he's the basis for this band. And you know, it's a hard rock and pan and you get there and you see them in action, and he's playing and giant Jazz Bass. The rest of the band is totally just, uh, you know, rock, rock guitars and everything, but he just has this giant Jazz Bass it is. I I am so surprised with how much of my expectations were subverted even if you don't really like video games. I think it's worth experiencing just for the humor and the heart and in both Earthbound and this. Sam 51:11 Alright, so you heard it here. If you like puns, heartwarming stories, and jokes, play Earthbound, and mother three. If you like puns, heartwarming stories, and jokes. Listen to sparks. If you like puns, heartwarming stories and jokes, watch whip it. And finally, if you like puns, heartwarming stories, and jokes. Tessa 51:43 Tune in next week we were inspired by Sam's recent foray into Wong Kar Wai and by Tony learns breathtaking performance in the Shang Chi and the legend of the 10 rings. We will be joined by Wong Kar Wai superfan jack for a one car wide themed episode. Plus, we will have the first ever episodes of our new spin off podcast nanny augs book club. Nigel, longtime friend of the podcast and I will be reading through all 41 of Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. So the first two episodes of that will be available next week. Where can we find you, Andy? Andy 52:28 You can find me on Twitter at Andy noted Tessa 52:31 Sam. Sam 52:33 You can find me on Twitter at Sam underscore Morris nine. Tessa 52:37 You can find me on Twitter and letterbox at suela. Tessa Swehla is spelled SW e HLA. Send us your thoughts about the pop culture we talked about today. What you've crossed off your list lately and what you'd like for us to talk about on future episodes or anything else that comes to mind. Find us on Twitter and Instagram at monkey backlog. Email us at monkey off my backlog@gmail.com our theme song is hot shot by Scott Holmes and can be found on Scott Holmes music. Please rate review and subscribe on iTunes. Follow us on Spotify, Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon podcast, Google podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Get that monkey off your back Transcribed by https://otter.ai