Episode 169 - The Garbage Pail Kids Movie: LIVE!

[JulyDiaz 2797]

Jon Lovett of Pod Save America joins Paul, June, and Jason to discuss the 1987 live action film adaptation of the children’s trading card series The Garbage Pail Kids Movie. Recorded live from Largo at the Coronet in Los Angeles, they talk about whether or not some of the Garbage Pail Kids are adults, prisoners in the State Home for the Ugly, what’s the deal with Juice and his gang, and much more.

[muttnik 476]

Ugh, this movie, and I agree that it could have stood to be grosser. Like I half expected Nat to pop his zits at someone, and while most of me is thankful we didn't see that, I expected/wanted to see it because of the context of the Garbage Pail Kids! How do you have the same pants wetting joke eight times -and a flashing joke as well for one (the amount of sexual stuff in this movie was insane)- but only show puke once? They should have made the gross effects really comical looking, like super thick bright neon colored slime, and really oversold them.

 

The most aggravating thing about this movie is how pointless it is. As touched on in the episode the kids have no purpose, there is no purpose to anything. At the end of the fashion show when the audience first spots the kids, I really thought the movie was queuing us up for the message. I thought Dodger was going to tell the snooty department store audience who really made the clothing and scold them for judging the kids based solely on appearance. That we should embrace 'gross' things because they have value. But no, the kids just ripped the clothing off the models exposing their teeny weeny bikinis (what), the audience got farted out, and the kids rode off into the night to engage in more mischief. Awful.

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

just a quick update before i listen to the ep:

 

Runtime of (mini's + movie + episode) = 23 days!!!

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1fNUxhVbJf9FOIHnE1yorJj383JS51T0cjF6XsaE8tA4/edit?usp=sharing

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

first up .. THIS IS NOT A KIDS MOVIE!!!

 

ok ... i thought Mackenzie Astin and especially Anthony Newley did an amazing job in this movie. Think about it. Imagine signing up to what was probably pitched as a major franchise opportunity and you turn up on the first day and seeing these monsters ... imagine the sick feeling he got in his gut. not from the grossness of these kid things but just the disappointment of it all and the knowledge that this could very possibly ruin his career. and still he put in an amazingly professional performance. you hear actors nowadays saying how weird it is working on green screen and acting to nothing but a tennis ball or something. Well Anthony Newley, a man with pure imagination on his CV, had to work with these things ... he did a great job.

 

i thought this movie was horrible and those 'kids" were hard to watch ... which i guess was the point.

 

but as a palate cleanser ...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2pt2-F2j2g

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

and Blythe was basically wearing a Brutus The Barber Beefcake outfit the whole time

 

[grudlian. 4725]

Correction: The best movie based on a Topps chewing gum trading card series is 100% Mars Attacks.

[tomspanks 9039]

ok ... i thought Mackenzie Astin and especially Anthony Newley did an amazing job in this movie. Think about it. Imagine signing up to what was probably pitched as a major franchise opportunity and you turn up on the first day and seeing these monsters ... imagine the sick feeling he got in his gut. not from the grossness of these kid things but just the disappointment of it all and the knowledge that this could very possibly ruin his career. and still he put in an amazingly professional performance. you hear actors nowadays saying how weird it is working on green screen and acting to nothing but a tennis ball or something. Well Anthony Newley, a man with pure imagination on his CV, had to work with these things ... he did a great job.

 

According to Astin (from a Mental Floss article):

 

The contracts were signed by the time my dad [actor John Astin] had a chance to look at the script. He did everything he could to get me out of it. Like, “Dude. This is not a good idea, son. I know what I’m talking about.” But the ink was dry.

 

Even Gomez Addams couldn't get him out of it.

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

Well, I was just made aware of this documentary existing, so if anyone REALLY LOVES THESE GARBAGE KIDS, you can get the inside scoop!

[IRONicmerMAN 391]

I had high, misguided hopes when I read the name of the guest. Imagine my disappointment when I realized it's not Lovitz.

 

[Cameron H. 23786]

you can get the inside scoop!

 

 

Don't you mean the inside "poop?"

[firsttimecallerlongtimelistenr 3590]

Avaryl strikes again!!

 

[Quasar Sniffer 4174]

Avaryl strikes again!!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nf19V9_keA&t=0s

"Babes"

"I beg your pardon?"

"The correct term is 'Garbage Pail Babes,' sir."

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

I'm listening to this episode and enjoying it, but I'm quite happy that I didn't watch this movie. I'm really excited about how much everyone hated it. I said in the minisode thread I was excited to hear what June had to say, but since I listen to "Pod Save America" and "Lovett or Leave It" and know Jon is also fastidious (if you haven't listened there was a whole side story when they read the ads about John F. picking out suits for his wedding and Jon L. calling them "hetero-normative blue") So obviously he was a great choice for a movie so much about fashion.

 

The Cyrus the Virus in the audience is the actual murderer from Con Air, right?

 

eta: Oh! Tim is back singing the second opinions song. HI, TIM!

[CostaCoast 9]

Assorted thoughts:

 

Did anyone notice the large painting hanging in the basement of the antique shop, featuring what looks like Will Ferrel's character from the "Lovers" sketch on SNL and a RenFaire actress? It's very creepy.

 

Also, the GPKs seem happiest when they toil away on the graveyard shift in an actual sweatshop...is this movie anti-union propoganda?

 

The State Home for the Ugly doesn't make sense, but nearly every single character in this film belongs in prison. Greaser Greg alone threatens several people with a knife, is drunk driving on the little ATV, and attempts to rape Valerie Vomit, but the movie ends with them talking about all the new mischief they can get up to.

 

Why does nothing pay off? The trip to the movies (disguised as Beat Poets?), Chekov's broken TV, the GPKs' "friends", the space pail, their clown disguises, Captain Manzini's search for a Magic Song...what am I missing?

[FisterRoboto 7499]

Correction: The best movie based on a Topps chewing gum trading card series is 100% Mars Attacks.

 

Yeah, that's an unassailable, objective fact.

[Elektra Boogaloo 3371]

I have to say, Gomez and Morticia Addams are one of my favorite fictional couples. (They are both weird but they GET each other instead of looking for someone "perfect". And I also know the cartoon didn't have much personality so Astin invented much of what we know of Gomez from TV and the films.)

 

The idea that Gomez Addams couldn't save his son from this makes me deeply, and profoundly sad for some reason.

 

I mean, he's also Patty Duke's son and she was president of SAG at the time this was made. So where was she on this trainwreck?

[LTL 154]

I also just downloaded ep without looking at guest and thought Paul said Jon Lovitz..listening I thought wait was his snl voice just a character and bit all these years..I had to stop and look up guest ...oh John Lovett!

[Cameron H. 23786]

They are both weird but they GET each other...

 

Would you call them "altogether ooky?"

 

P.S The Defenders came out today...

P.P.S. How are you today, Elektra?

[LTL 154]

This movie sucked and the baby kept changing size!

[tomspanks 9039]

Depressing fact #2: Jim Cummings provided the voice of Greaser Greg and Nat Nerd. He is also the voice of Winnie the Pooh! I guess Winnie the Pooh already has a GPK name.

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

Correction: The best movie based on a Topps chewing gum trading card series is 100% Mars Attacks.

 

[The_Triple_Lindy 2482]

The most entertaining and well-made part of this movie is the 30 seconds-ish of Three Stooges we get, and even then, it's a fucking SHEMP!!

[Wil Dride 121]

Were in a bucket in goo form? Changed into vaguely humanoid shape. Possibly came from space? Anyone else thinking the GP Kids were just a bunch of Odos from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine?

 

[IMAHUGEHDTGMFAN 1837]

Paul referenced Captain Corelli's Mandolin a Nic Cage movie where Penelope Cruz is the love interest

[Cam Bert 8145]

Did anyone notice the large painting hanging in the basement of the antique shop, featuring what looks like Will Ferrel's character from the "Lovers" sketch on SNL and a RenFaire actress? It's very creepy.

Fun fact:

That picture is actually of the notorious special effects and creature designer John Carl Buechler. He ran Roger Corman's effects shop in the 80s and 90s and directed Friday the 13th VII and the original Troll, but he's probably best known for creating the Ghoulies from the Ghoulies series of movies. In fact the over his shoulder in the picture is the main Ghoulie. He worked on this film in designing the make up for the Garbagepail Kids.