Sunday, April 15

Dream Casting: Jem

One of my favorite cartoons from the 80's is Jem and it was real good soap. People demean it but it had such great writing and the music is universal, really beautiful catchy music. Unlike the Care Bears and Ninja Turtles, Jem is a difficult property to bring back. Would they have to update it or keep it in the big hair 80's?

Quick Summary for ya'll who don't know about the show: Jerrica Benton was left a music company and foster home by her deceased father but the guy he left the company with--Eric Raymond was threatening to take over and didn't take her seriously. Another thing her father left her, made its prescience known---Synergy, an advanced techno-magic computer that created holograms. So she adopted a new persona--Jem and pretended to be her and started a band and took control of the music company. Their rivals were Eric's clients, the Misfits.

Well, like I did with Sailor Moon, here is my dream cast for a live-action movie. I do think it has great potential for a live-action film because they can focus on Jerrica's deception and schizophrenia , stuff they couldn't do in the animated series. The show was about wish fulfillment. I don't think Jerrica meant to deceive but was forced in a situation where her father's music company was at risk and she had to be the leader of a up and coming band to save the company but she couldn't let people know---she escaped from herself. Being Jem, allowed her to do things she wouldn't normally do. I personally would keep it in the 80's.

Jerrica Benton/Jem
Jerrica could have be considered a goody goody two-shoes but she was concerned for her family, friends and foster kids. She had internal conflicts like any person. The mysterious Jem with no last name and no past. Jerrica got to go free.

Rachael McAdams
Yes she was bitchy in Meangirls but she was also sweet in The Notebook. Dunno if she can sing. I know you might be saying, why not Gwen Stefani but unfortunately age is a factor and Jerrica was a teenager or in her early twenties I think. No, I didn't pick Rachael McAdams because of the new pink streaks she has but because I think she has the qualities for Jerrica that would make the audience care for her.

UPDATE 9/16: On Pop Culture talk show on 9/14, Samantha Newark (the speaking voice of Jem) even said she thought Rachael would be a good pick!!!!!

Rio
Jerrica's long time sweetheart who learned under her father and became the group's manager. He fell for Jem and was torn between the two. He also had a mean streak, a thing about liars.

Rodrigo Santoro
He is Brazilian and foreign and sexy. And from 'Lost,' we know he can be a dick so thats good.

Kimber Benton
Jerrica's kid sister, the youngest and most passionate of the group. She let men hang on by a string, she dated and dated. She had her own 'sister shadow' issues like any little sister. She wrote the songs for the band.

Zooey Deschanel
She has been cast in a Janis Joplin biopic, I haven't ever heard her sing though. She has been in The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy and Elf. Her older sister is on "Bones" so she knows about sister rivalry. I think she has the sarcastic rebel thing going for her and I don't think she would look bad as a red head.

Shana Elmsford
In the beginning she played the drums. She was real good at designing clothes and dreamed to have her own fashion line or something. She was a foster girl who grew up with the Benton sisters.

Rihanna
She has a wonderful voice and is sexy and I think she can work the shy drummer thing well.

Aja Leith
Lead guitarist and tomboy, Aja also grew up with the others. She was very courageous and no bull kind of gal.

Devon Aoki
She is of German and Japanese ancestry and she was in 2 Fast 2 Furious and Sin City where she played a feisty swordswoman. I think she can summon her inner fire and nail this character.

Pizzazz/Phyllis Gabor
The spoiled brat who is really a lonely girl inside, the leader of the Misfits. She was the bad girl you loved to despise.

Alecia Beth Moore "P!nk"
Okay I know what you're thinking, she should be Jem but come on, playing the bad girl is way more fun. I'm sure she'd have fun with it. And I also think, she can pull the soft side of Miss Gabor.


Roxy
The second hand man to Pizzazz. She'd follow Pizzazz but when she wanted to. She was illiterate and came from the 'bad side of town'.


Avril Lavigne
Where I can see her as the good girl, but like Pink, I think she'd have more fun as a baddie. She can sing but Roxy didn't sing that much solo, but in my fantasy anything can happen!


Stormer
The sweet compassionate 'always look at the bright side' pushover of the group.


Felicia Day
Oh, sweet sexy Felicia. Shes' in those cell phone commercial where she calls her friend's boyfriend's mom a 'cougar.' She was also in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog, I think she can cover the sweet pushover anytime. And in my fantasy movie, she gets the guts and stands up to her group mates. How will she look like in a dark blue wig? I don't know.

Eric Raymond
His name is the show writer Kristy Marx's brother. He was the only major character that wasn't a doll. He was the 'villain.' Basically the Misfits made him their bitch.

Julian McMahon
The go-to bad guy? And Eric wasn't sexy at all but heh, its a movie. I think he'd be a nice fit and it be nice women chewing him out for a change.

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