Before there was Hannah Montana, there was Jem and the Holograms.
Although while a mere wig was enough to allow Miley Stewart some anonymity when she wasn’t
on stage, Jerrica Benton used a holographic computer to become her alter ego, rock star
Jem.
All she had to do to activate the hologram was touch her Jemstar earrings - sort of like
Kurt Wagner and his image inducer, and way better than a bluetooth earpiece.
Now Jem and the Holograms was an animated series that lasted for three seasons back
in the 1980s, dreamed up by Hasbro, Marvel and advertising agency Griffin-Bacal - the
think tank who’d already scored with GI Joe for boys.
But writer Christy Marx, who was brought on in a work-for-hire capacity to flesh out this
idea, decided to give it some added depth.
Jerrica Benton doesn’t want to just be a rock star, but is also the owner and manager
of the company which represents Jem and the Holograms, Starlight Music.
She also works to protect her dead father’s impressive hologram technology from falling
into the wrong hands, and takes care of TWELVE foster children which she calls the Starlight
Girls.
She also has to worry about a hostile corporate takeover from the former co-owner of Starlight
Music, Eric Raymond, who now owns rival studio Misfits Music and later Stinger Sound, which
represents Jem and the Holograms rival bands The Misfits and The Stingers.
Now, the adventures of Jerrica Benton and her alter ego Jem were a big hit on the small
screen, resulting in the third most watched children’s program in 1986.
But it didn’t sell enough toys, its primary purpose.
Although to be fair, Mattel - in a move worthy of Eric Raymond - worked hard to pull the
plug on Hasbro’s act as they launched the competing Barbie and the Rockers line, resulting
in poor sales for both.
But while Barbie drove on in her pink corvette, fellow lover of pink Jem’s tour was cancelled.
However, fast forward to today, and suddenly Hasbro isn’t all about toys.
In fact, after the success of Transformers, GI Joe and even Ouija, the toy company is
starting their own fully-funded production company Allspark Pictures which will initially
focus on movies aimed at female audiences - since no other studios are apparently interested
in backing those kind of pictures.
First Jem and the Holograms in 2015, then My Little Pony The Movie in 2017.
But the movie adaptation - spearheaded by horror producer extraordinaire Jason Blum,
the music manager who discovered Justin Bieber Scooter Braun, plus Step-Up 2, 3 and GI Joe
Retaliation director Jon Chu - isn’t consulting original creator Christy Marx, so the result
is a little different.
This time Jem and her sister Kimber, played by Aubrey Peeples and Stefanie Scott, are
the foster care kids who become online music stars - no holograms needed.
They embark on a “music-driven scavenger hunt” all over Los Angeles - let’s keep
that budget down - to unlock a mystery message from their missing father.
Aja Leith - that’s how they drew Asian back in the 1980s - is still part of the group,
played by Hayley Kiyoko, as is Shana Elmsford played by Aurora Perrineau.
Fun fact!
Aurora’s dad is alive and well, Michael Dawson from Lost!
Their roles in the band also remain the same: Jem is the lead singer, her sister Kimber
is the band’s songwriter and keyboardist, Aja is the lead guitarist, while Shana is
the drummer and bass guitarist.
Take note, in the original animated series only Jerrica used her holographic technology
to become Jem, so maybe that’s why the movie got rid of it?
Road manager, engineer and love interest Rio Pacheco is still around too, played by Ryan
Guzman - going from terrorizing MILF Jennifer Lopez to robbing the cradle?
Although, it looks like the Lois Lane, Clark Kent, Superman style love triangle won’t
be included.
And 80s staple Molly Ringwald plays Mrs Bailey, who runs Starlight House.
Juliette Lewis is also in the film - perhaps as ERICA Raymond?
And if we get a sequel, perhaps late addition to the animated series Carmen Alonso will
join the band!
So, while Jem and the Holograms clearly captured fans attention back in the 1980s as an animated
series, will they work as a live action movie?
One where they’ve been made much younger, and the business and technology aspects of
the story seem to be removed?
Scooby Doo meets Annie does sound pretty good, yet it seems boy bands are a much surer bet
than girl bands.
But IDW seems to think it’s a pretty good idea, teaming with Hasbro once again after
GI Joe, Transformers and My Little Pony for a brand new Jem and the Holograms comic - and
this first cover provides some idea of the band’s new look?
What do you think about animated Jem versus live action Jem?
Be sure to leave your thoughts down below.
I’m Grace Randolph and this has been a Movie Byte!
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