Christina Aguilera's 'Your Body' Video: A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet
Christina Aguilera's brand-new [article id="1694624"]"Your Body"[/article] video is certainly a feast for the eyes, what with its brightly colored scenes of violence (and gratuitous automobile explosions), but it's also an all-you-can-eat buffet for pop-culture aficionados.
Yes, aside from the obvious odes to Russ Meyer flicks and trailer-park chic, "Your Body" is also loaded with subtler nods to our pop-cult past -- which is why we've spent the day analyzing every frame, noting each fleeting tribute to trashy TV, sugar-coated cereals and lunar-ready footwear (what can we say, we have a lot of time on our hands). And now, in celebration of Christina's return -- and her truly clever new video -- we're presenting all our findings to you. Here is our pop-culture cheat sheet for the "Your Body" video, alphabetized and cross-referenced for your convenience:
Bits 'N' Pieces: Sugary sweet, yet sadly fictional breakfast cereal. Yes, the Bits 'N' Pieces box Aguilera takes off the shelf is actually just a prop, printed by the folks at Earl Hays Press, who design fake products for TV shows and movies. The same cereal box has also made cameos on "The Killing," "Heroes" and "Grounded for Life."
Cartoon Wolf: Sure, it might seem like something from an old Merrie Melodies short, but the scene of a cartoon wolf being pinned to a wall by a hail of meat cleavers and a later scene of three wolves laughing riotously are actually good old-fashioned stock footage, owned by the Everett Collection.
"Dirrty": Lead single from Aguilera's 2002 Stripped album, its video has gone on to be known as perhaps the most controversial of her career. From her barely there getups (including chaps and some seriously short skirts) to the posters that [article id="1458223"]inadvertently advertised for the Thai sex trade[/article], this was one video that had pulses pounding and critics wailing. She's (mostly) backed away from it in the decade since, though when Aguilera's rocking braids in the "Your Body" bar scenes, we can't help but think she's paying tribute to a similar hairstyle she rocked in her "Dirrty" days.
"The Lucy Show": The follow-up to the legendary "I Love Lucy," it ran on CBS from 1962-68. Aguilera can be seen watching the opening credits to the fourth season -- which featured Ball shown in a kaleidoscope -- at the very end of "Your Body."
Moon Boots: Futuristic footwear first designed in the 1970s by an Italian sportswear company, they became a notable fashion trend in the 1980s. In the "Your Body" video, a pair is worn by one of Christina's trailer-park pals, and if you like 'em, they're readily available online.
NES Advantage: Ridiculously oversize Nintendo controller released in 1987 that featured a joystick, adjustable turbo controls and a slow-mo button but really served no purpose aside from making all the other kids in the neighborhood incredibly jealous. We're not sure how Xtina rigged it to play computer games, but we wish she'd show us how.
Oranum.com: Online psychic site -- or, ahem, "global esoteric community" -- that makes several cameos in the "Your Body" video, for plot-advancement purposes (and, we're assuming, budgetary reasons). We're pretty sure the guy who gives Christina advice is the owner or something, but that's mainly because he's got a giant "O" painted on his forehead. Then again, if he really is a psychic, couldn't he have predicted how weird his shirt would look on camera?
The Pink Motel: Retro motel located in Sun Valley, California, it's been open since 1946 and has been used as a location for numerous films, including "The Whole Ten Yards" and "House of Sand and Fog." In the "Your Body" video, it serves as the site for Christina's confetti murder, surely a first in its 66-year history.
Rich Bitch: The rather striking (and, uh, to the point) necklace Christina rocks while lounging in the trailer park is part of designer Tom Binns' "Tough Talk" collection, so-called "statement jewelry" that combines crystals with phrases like "Chaos," "Punk" and "Rebel." Binns' pieces have also been worn by everyone from Lady Gaga to first lady Michelle Obama.
Slurpee: Frozen flavored drink readily available at your local 7-Eleven, it comes in more flavors than we can possibly mention (though everyone knows Coca-Cola is the best) and is even kosher. In "Your Body," Aguilera can be seen pouring herself a cup of it, which she downs before icing a dude with a baseball bat. Maybe she mixed flavors or something.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments!
