Desperately Seeking Susan (40th Anniversary)

Desperately Seeking Susan (40th Anniversary)

Author: Pod People Productions December 11, 2025 Duration: 1:26:58

"That's what I like about you. I never know what you'll say next."

40 years ago, Madonna transcended into pop star superstardom and helped turn a quarter-life crisis film into a coming-of-age classic that helped define teen fashion for a decade. Many women are shaped by the women who came before them and showed them what was possible, and that's precisely what Susan provided for a generation. Sometimes being desperate is the best thing for you.

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MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT

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Articles Mentioned

The Cut: https://www.thecut.com/2015/04/ode-to-desperately-seeking-susans-dgaf-style.html

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/26/style/remember-when-desperately-seeking-susan-madonna-signature-style

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Social Media Plugs

@ThisEndsAtProm

@BJColangelo

@HarmonyColangelo

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Logo Design: Haley Doodles @HaleyDoodleDo

Theme Song: The Sonder Bombs 'Title': https://thesonderbombs.bandcamp.com/


Every week, This Ends at Prom digs into a single film to explore how stories about teenage girls shape our understanding of womanhood itself. Hosts BJ and Harmony Colangelo, a married couple, bring their distinct queer and feminist perspectives-one cisgender, one transgender-to these conversations, creating a unique and essential dialogue. They’re less interested in simple nostalgia and more focused on the lasting cultural impact of these movies, asking what they truly say about power, identity, and survival. You’ll hear thoughtful analysis that celebrates the genre while also critically examining its flaws and hidden depths. This isn't just a film review show; it's a deep dive into the artifacts of our youth and how they continue to define us. Produced by Pod People Productions, the podcast finds profound resonance in the hallways, bedrooms, and climactic prom scenes of cinema, revealing why these specific stories stick with us long after the credits roll. Each episode feels like a compelling chat between friends who are unafraid to challenge each other and the material, making for listening that is as insightful as it is engaging. Tune in for a fresh take on the films you thought you knew.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 290

This Ends at Prom
Podcast Episodes
My Neighbor Totoro (1988) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:36
"Try laughing, then whatever scares you will go away."Few films capture the magic of girlhood quite like MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, one of the few films that actually prioritizes the perspective of children rather than an "all-…
The Runaways (2010) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:21
"Well, what were you thinking? Publicize the music! Not your crotch!"The Runaways completely changed what was possible for women in rock music, and the stories of Cherie Currie and Joan Jett are the stuff of legend. This…
Drop Dead Fred (30th Anniversary) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:21
"It takes more than a fire truck to stop Drop Dead Fred."Some of us aren't lucky enough to have an imaginary friend like DROP DEAD FRED, but plenty of people are fortunate enough not to need him. In honor of the film's 3…
Let the Right One In (2008) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:49
Content Warning: LET THE RIGHT ONE IN features troubling topics that may be difficult for some listeners. Please do your due diligence and check for potential triggers."I'm twelve. But I've been twelve for a long time."I…
Life-Size (2000) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:12
"Do you know I'm anatomically correct?"While everyone is celebrating entering their "new year, new me" era, This Ends at Prom is kicking off 2026 with the long-awaited discussion of LIFE-SIZE. The movie that strut in pla…
Little Women (2019) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:26:53
“I’m so sick of people saying that love is just all a woman is fit for. I'm so sick of it."The best way to spend the holidays is curled up next to a warm fire and waxing poetic about the March sisters and LITTLE WOMEN. T…
Saint Frances (2020) w/ Amelia Emberwing! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:32
"That's what I like about you. I never know what you'll say next."Alex Thompson and Kelly O'Sullivan's SAINT FRANCES was one of the best films released during quarantine, and no one has been a bigger champion of it than…
Battle Royale (25th Anniversary) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:41:21
"So today's lesson is, you kill each other off till there's only one left. Nothing's against the rules."25 years ago, Kinji Fukasaku brought the infamous novel BATTLE ROYALE to life, and essentially invented a new subgen…
Sweethearts (2024) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:40
"I... have a girlfriend. She lives in Ohio."The first fall break after leaving your hometown and going off to college is one of the weirdest adjustment periods in a young person's life, and it's weird that SWEETHEARTS is…
Seventeen Again (2000) w/ Aaron Perine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:49:17
"I am gonna do what I wanna do! And you know what? I don't need your permission to do it!"What if your grandparents magically turned back into teenagers, and they were so hot that it caused chaos in your high school? And…