How Did This Get Made?

Cool World (HDTGM Matinee)

January 20, 2026

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The hosts found the rules, stakes, and character motivations in *Cool World* to be fundamentally incomprehensible and contradictory. 
  • The film's chaotic nature stems from its troubled production history, including multiple genre shifts (horror to comedy) and cast/role changes. 
  • Despite the hosts' confusion, online reviews suggest a significant portion of viewers view *Cool World* as an ahead-of-its-time satire of society and temptation. 
  • The world of *Cool World* is interpreted as a seedy, dangerous place representing avarice and vice, where every character is a villain or crime boss. 
  • The film's confusing nature led one host to compare it to *Jacob's Ladder*, suggesting it might be a mental breakdown scenario, though this theory was debated. 
  • Despite structural problems and being a failure ($14M gross on a $30M budget), *Cool World* is recommended by at least one host for its incredible Ralph Bakshi animation and unique, confusing visuals. 

Segments

Introduction and Ad Reads
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode begins with multiple sponsor reads before the movie discussion starts.
  • Summary: The podcast opens with advertisements for LinkedIn Jobs, Amazon Prime, and Lowe’s before transitioning into the movie discussion.
How to Dissect Cool World
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(00:01:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts introduce the film and the segment dedicated to analyzing its failures.
  • Summary: Paul Scheer introduces the film Cool World and transitions into the ‘How To Dissect’ segment, noting the film’s bizarre premise involving cartoons (‘doodles’) and humans (’noids’).
Initial Reactions to Cartoons
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(00:02:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Jason Mantzoukas admits to being sexually aroused by the animated characters.
  • Summary: Jason Mantzoukas confesses that watching the movie made him ‘pretty horny for these cartoons.’ June Diane Raphael notes she enjoyed the film, finding it superior to Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Confusing Origins and Rules
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(00:05:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The film’s development was chaotic, shifting from an R-rated horror concept to a PG-13 comedy.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the original R-rated pitch involving a hybrid child. They then question the timeline regarding Gabriel Byrne creating Cool World and the confusing nature of the world’s rules and character relationships.
Brad Pitt’s Mother’s Death
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(00:07:38)
  • Key Takeaway: The circumstances of Brad Pitt’s character’s trauma—the motorcycle accident killing his mother—are debated regarding fault and responsibility.
  • Summary: The discussion focuses on the opening scene where Brad Pitt’s character is involved in a fatal motorcycle accident. They debate whether Pitt was irresponsible for riding without a helmet in 1945.
Gabriel Byrne’s Crime and Status
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(00:09:58)
  • Key Takeaway: Gabriel Byrne’s character is revealed to be a murderer, yet he seems to profit from his comic book creation while in prison.
  • Summary: The hosts question why Byrne was in prison, noting he murdered someone, and how he was able to continue drawing and selling the Cool World comic while incarcerated.
The Rules of Cool World
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(00:20:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The function of Brad Pitt’s detective character is questioned, as the world seems to operate without conventional law enforcement.
  • Summary: The hosts analyze Brad Pitt’s role as Detective 001, questioning what laws he is enforcing when the world is already chaotic, and noting the rule against ’noids’ having sex with ‘doodles’.
Animation Styles and Kim Basinger
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(00:22:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Kim Basinger’s animation style in Cool World is noted as being wildly different from the other doodles.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss how much more enjoyable the movie was inside Cool World. They note Kim Basinger’s performance felt like she was in a different movie, possibly due to her decision to make the film more kid-friendly mid-production.
Redundant Characters and Lack of Arc
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(00:31:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Brad Pitt’s character has no meaningful character arc and is redundant alongside Gabriel Byrne’s character.
  • Summary: Paul argues that Brad Pitt’s character is merely ‘along for the ride’ and serves no narrative purpose, especially since Byrne’s character holds the real creative power.
The Purpose of the Spike
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(00:35:03)
  • Key Takeaway: The spike, which looks like sperm, is used by Doc Whiskers to open the portal, suggesting it is the key to interdimensional travel.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the lore of the spike, which is tied to the story of a doodle escaping to the real world, and how Doc Whiskers uses it to create the portal.
June’s Pure Reaction to Cartoons
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(00:36:22)
  • Key Takeaway: June’s initial ignorance of the cartoon elements provided a rare, pure reaction for the hosts.
  • Summary: Paul expresses joy over June’s surprise when the cartoons first appeared, as she had never seen Who Framed Roger Rabbit either.
The Creator Trapped in Creation
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(00:38:16)
  • Key Takeaway: The simple, compelling core idea is the creator (Byrne) being trapped in his own creation, but Brad Pitt’s presence complicates this.
  • Summary: The hosts agree that the most compelling theme would have been Gabriel Byrne dealing with his love for his creation, Hollywood, and the consequences of their union.
Hollywood’s Manipulation and Real World Behavior
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(00:41:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Hollywood (Kim Basinger) is clearly manipulating Gabriel Byrne to achieve her goal of becoming real, acting like a child upon entering the real world.
  • Summary: The discussion centers on Hollywood’s motives. She seems to desire the real world for its sensory experiences, even though she loses her commanding presence when she becomes three-dimensional.
Visual Chaos and Style Merging
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(00:51:58)
  • Key Takeaway: The film is a chaotic merger of styles, reflecting the sexual lasciviousness of 70s/80s alt-comics like Fritz the Cat.
  • Summary: The hosts note the film’s aesthetic blends noir, superhero tropes (Byrne turning into Shazam), and erotically charged animation styles.
Plagued Production History
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(00:55:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The movie’s production was disastrous, involving script rewrites, role switches, and director conflict.
  • Summary: The hosts list the production woes: role swaps between Pitt and Byrne, Drew Barrymore dropping out, and director Ralph Bakshi punching a producer.
Second Opinions Reveal High Ratings
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(01:01:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite the hosts’ negative assessment, the film has a high average rating on Amazon, with many calling it ‘ahead of its time.’
  • Summary: The hosts read positive reviews, including one that claims Cool World is a satire of society, unlike the ’typical Disney flick’ Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Cool World as a Puzzle
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(01:04:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The film might have been intentionally written as a complex puzzle.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the idea that Cool World is a complex film meant to be figured out later, leading into an analysis of the setting as a place of vice, symbolized by the character Hollywood.
Analyzing Cool World’s Seedy Setting
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(01:04:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Cool World is depicted as a place of vice, greed, and untrustworthy villains.
  • Summary: The speakers interpret ‘Hollywood’ as representing avarice and vice, noting that everyone in Cool World is a villain, and the environment is universally seedy and dangerous.
Lack of Theme and Message
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(01:05:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The hosts cannot discern any clear message or theme about humanity or relationships from the movie.
  • Summary: A speaker expresses frustration over not understanding what the movie is trying to show about humanity or relationships, concluding they don’t know the theme.
Jacob’s Ladder Comparison Debated
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(01:06:05)
  • Key Takeaway: One host suggests the film resembles a Jacob’s Ladder scenario where the protagonist is dying.
  • Summary: The comparison to Jacob’s Ladder is introduced, suggesting the cartoon world might be a dying hallucination, but this is immediately questioned based on the severity of the initial injury.
Alternative Narrative Possibilities
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(01:07:28)
  • Key Takeaway: The film missed opportunities to connect the protagonist to the comic’s creation, similar to an Amazing Stories episode.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss how a better story might have involved the lead character being the original artist who used drawing to cope, contrasting this with the actual plot.
Final Recommendation: Watch It
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(01:08:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Despite structural problems, the hosts ultimately recommend watching the film for its unique look and weirdness.
  • Summary: After deliberation, one host recommends watching it, stating that listeners who have followed the discussion will know what they are getting into. The recommendation is based on the incredible animation and weird side characters.
Praise for Bakshi’s Animation
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(01:09:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The film contains incredible Ralph Bakshi art and animation, despite being structurally flawed.
  • Summary: The recommendation hinges on the visual elements, acknowledging the film is a failure but contains fun, weird side bits and great animation.
Enjoying the Visuals While Confused
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(01:12:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The movie is best enjoyed as a ‘stoned watch’ where the visuals are prioritized over the confusing story.
  • Summary: The hosts advise viewers not to worry about the story, suggesting the satisfying part is the ’tune’ and the nonsense of the Cool World visuals.
Missed Opportunities in Dimension Play
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(01:13:35)
  • Key Takeaway: The film failed to have fun with the dimensional differences between humans and doodles.
  • Summary: A speaker wishes the movie had played more with scale, having Hollywood be much taller or shorter than humans, or vice versa for doodles in the real world.
Promotional Stunts and Box Office Failure
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(01:15:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The film angered people through its promotion (placing Hollywood on the Hollywood sign) and was a financial flop.
  • Summary: The hosts discuss the controversial promotion where the character was placed on the Hollywood sign, noting the film grossed only $14 million against a $30 million budget.