Intro
Sticking with our 80s theme, let’s blast off into space with a movie that’s more music video than musical: Earth Girls Are Easy.
Featured Musical: Earth Girls Are Easy
Earth Girls Are Easy, originally a 1988 film featuring Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, and Jim Carrey, explores the unexpected encounter between a California girl and three furry aliens from the planet Jhazzala. The brainchild of parody pop star, Julie Brown and directed by 80s punk icon Julien Temple, this silly space show steals hearts with its unforgettable cast and catchy songs.
Plot Summary
The story begins with salon manicurist Valerie Gail (Geena Davis) who is feeling like she needs to add a spark to her relationship with her fiancé Dr. Ted (Charlie Rocket). So she asked her friend and co-worker Candy Pink (Julie Brown) to give her a make-over. But when she gets home to surprise Dr. Ted, he surprises her instead with a nurse in their bed! Val kicks him out and destroys his stuff and then she sings a sad song. On the other side of the galaxy, three horny aliens (Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey, and Damon Wayans) are looking for some action and end up crash landing in Val’s pool. She is frightened at first by their colorful and furry appearance. But once she invites them inside, they quickly learn English by watching TV. Val decides to take them to the salon, and once shaved it turns out they look like regular human men. And they’re hot! So they go to the club where the aliens dance moves and really long tongues catch the eye of all the ladies. Val starts to catch feelings herself for the Jeff Goldblum shaped alien. (Who wouldn’t?)
Ted gets home and finds the house trashed and Val missing, so he calls the cops. When Val shows up with three dudes, she claims that she won an MTV contest. Ted gets mad and calls off the wedding. Val is sad so Jeff Goldblum alien consoles her with sex. The next day, the other two aliens go party on the beach. But then they end up in a high speed chase landing them in the hospital where Dr. Ted discovers they have two hearts. Val and Mac (Jeff Goldblum) manage to get the other two out of the hospital and back to the spaceship which is just about ready to take off. Somehow Ted and Val reconcile and decide to get married again. Heartbroken, Mac prepares to leave with his friends. As Val waves goodbye, Ted starts freaking out when he sees the spaceship. She realizes that Mac (aka Jeff Goldblum) ((aka her actual husband at the time)) is the one she loves and she jumps in the ship and flies off with them.
Music
Song Analysis
- “Brand New Girl”: Candy Pop sings this cheeky song to Val as she gives her a makeover. This song is campy and weird and really sets the tone for what it is: a sci-fi musical.
- “The Ground You Walk On”: Val sings this song as she bashes Dr. Ted’s stuff after finding out he’s cheating. This is a very Madonna style sad song. There’s even a direct reference to Madonna when Val holds up a vinyl record of “Who’s That Girl” (a movie starring Madonna and featuring her music.)
- “Cause I’m A Blonde”: Sung by Julie Brown herself, this is one of the most memorable and fun songs not only from this movie, but from the 80s itself. Julie Brown’s parody of 80s California pop music is unmatched and the song is catchy, too.
Characters
- Valerie Gail: The spirited and kind-hearted manicurist who finds herself guiding three aliens through the intricacies of Earth.
- Candy Pop: Val’s friend and manager of the salon. She also enjoys hanging out on the beach and singing about her hair color.
- Mac, Wiploc, and Zeebo: The alien trio, each with distinct personalities and quirks, offering ample opportunities for physical comedy and vocal performances.
- Ted: Valerie’s cheating fiancé, whose antics add to the plot’s complications and humor.
Performances
The 80s were a hot time for Geena Davis. And she was on fire in this campy cult hit. And it was perfect chemistry to match with her alien husband Jeff Goldblum. It was an early career opportunity for Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans who would go on to work together on Wayans’ TV show In Living Color. Playing stupid furry aliens is kind of perfect casting for both actors who are brilliant physical comedians. Charlie Rocket excels at playing the terrible boyfriend and he would go on to play a bad guy again in Jim Carrey’s Dumb and Dumber.
Cultural Impact
Besides the lasting imprint of the song, “Cause I’m a Blonde,” Earth Girls are Easy has had a pretty big impact on pop culture if not just for bringing together so many powerhouses of comedy into one film at such an early stage in their careers.
The video for “Pretty Girls” by Britney Spears and Iggy Azalea is directly inspired by Earth Girls are Easy. The style is 80s and Iggy is an alien who lands in Britney’s pool and becomes her friend. You can see the video below.
In 2001 and 2002, there were plans to turn Earth Girls Are Easy into a Broadway show, but due to timing and other circumstances, it didn’t work out. The cast for the readings included Broadway A-listers like Kristin Chenoweth as Val, Hunter Foster as Mac, and Marc Kudisch as Ted. Julie Brown reprised her role from the film. Although there was some interest in the production, there was not enough investment to mount a full production.
Personal Reflection
Earth Girls Are Easy is a campy, silly, ridiculous romp through L.A., but it is also one of my fondest childhood memories. Along with John Waters and Andrew Lloyd Webber, it’s movies like this that are foundational to my own artistic aesthetic and I am grateful for Julie Brown’s contribution to the modern oeuvre.
Up Next
Next, May the Force be with you as we examine the abandoned attempt at a Star Wars musical. What might it have been to hear Luke Skywalker sing and Chewbacca dance in the Millennium Falcon. We may never know, but we can visit this galaxy far, far away and find out what was in the works long, long ago.
References
- “Earth Girls Are Easy Movie Review (1989) | Roger Ebert.” Roger Ebert, 12 May 1989, www.rogerebert.com/reviews/earth-girls-are-easy-1989.
- From Associated Press. “Valley Girl Is Only One Shade of Julie Brown – Los Angeles Times.” Los Angeles Times, 8 Mar. 2019, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-02-08-ca-387-story.html.
- Talkin’ Broadway – What’s New on the Rialto? – “Overtures at the Lark – 9/13/02. www.talkinbroadway.com/page/rialto/past/2002/9_13_02.html.