The upcoming stop-motion film from Emma Hillebrecht is a nothing short of a creative masterpiece. I love to be entertained; to smile and laugh. I love things that are different and quirky. Pizzazz and Puzzy ticks all of those boxes and more. For something to not take itself too seriously while also being really cleverly executed is a fine line to walk, and Hillebrecht frankly dances along it.
The film starts with a definition of the meaning of “putting ones whole pussy into something”, which sets the tone from the get go: “When you put your whole pussy into something, it’s doing it full-effort and succeeding. Not half-assing it or failing.” Urban Dictionary also notes that “you don’t need to have a vagina to put your whole pussy into something.” Whole pussy is a state of mind. I find the evolution of language super interesting and I LOVE chaotic millennial / gen Z phrases. I (nerdily) was doing some research on this particular phrase and found a thread on the Word Reference forum. The user was confused by a tweet about an actor: “The man physically can’t deliver a line without throwing his whole pussy into it.” A few other users were also baffled as to what this phrase could mean. One person suggested it was a “derogatory” phrase implying the actor was being overly emotional; “When a man is too emotional, they call them a pussy, so you can understand now what they mean by throwing your whole p…[ussy] into it.”
Here we can see the evolution of language at work. What once was considered a vulgar word for vagina or a cowardly man (apparently not originally derived from its feminine associations but the Latin word, pusillanimous which also means cowardly) has been reclaimed for a positive meaning. The word is now being used as a synecdoche for throwing your whole self into something. If you’re curious, someone did finally explain what the phrase meant and cited the Urban Dictionary definition too.
Back to Pizzazz and Puzzy.
We’re introduced to a woman named Chloe (voiced by Tori Van Loon) who has been overwhelmed by her insecurities at a party and decided to head home for the night. We’ve all been there, replaying things people have said in our heads, worrying what they think. For Chloe, this is literally manifested by a remote control. When she replays memories of nice things people have said, they become twisted and distorted. Just as she is about to walk away, Vicky the talking Vagina comes in to spread an inspirational message. Vicky, voiced by Julia Rothstein, is hilarious and sassy. Rothstein does a compelling job of giving a voice to something you wouldn’t ever consider as having a voice. With laugh out loud moments throughout, I feel like this film is something you need to see to believe. At one point Vicky starts singing and dancing with a condom. The main message: you’ve gotta put your whole pussy into life. Be confident in yourself!
Stop motion animation is a labour of love, and Emma has truly thrown her whole self into the film. The set of the house is brilliant with light in the windows illuminating pipe cleaner party goers. The sound design is another particularly impressive element – even more so when you consider every single noise has to be added postproduction!
A wacky film with an inspirational premise pulled off with flair by writer, director, animator and editor, Emma Hillebrecht.
Follow the film on Instagram @vickythevag and watch the trailer below!