Miley Cyrus (left) plays Tiffany Plastercaster in “Drive-Away Dolls,” a character inspired by Chicago legend Cynthia Plaster Caster (right). Credit: Focus Features/Provided
The Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel, are well-known for their cinematic collaborations, dating back to “Blood Simple” 40 years ago. But more recently, the brothers have focused on separate projects.
Joel released “The Tragedy of Macbeth” in 2021. It stars Denzel Washington as the title character and his wife, Frances McDormand, as Lady Macbeth.
“Drive-Away Dolls,” Ethan Coen’s new directorial effort co-written with his partner Tricia Cooke, is a far cry from Shakespeare — a madcap caper movie that hearkens back to early Coen efforts like “Raising Arizona.” Two lovelorn friends (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) rent a car to drive to Tallahassee, but unbeknownst to them, the vehicle contains a secret stash that shady characters are extremely interested in. Various hijinks ensue.
Colorful psychedelic interludes are threaded throughout the movie; at one point, a character emerges from the brightly colored ether. It’s none other than Miley Cyrus as the epitome of hippie goddess. She introduces herself as “Tiffany Plaster Caster.”
“Hey handsome,” she states. “Want to get plastered?”
The connection between Tiffany and Cynthia Plaster Caster seems obvious. Cynthia Albritton, known as Cynthia Plaster Caster, grew up on the South Side and was a huge rock fan even as a teenager. She became famous for what would become her lifetime art project: making plaster casts of rock stars’ penises. Frank Zappa declined to be cast himself, but was so intrigued by Cynthia’s project that he helped move her out to L.A.
Legendary cast No. 1 was Jimi Hendrix, followed by musicians like The Jesus Lizard’s David Yow, Jon Langford of the Mekons, Eric Burdon of the Animals, Wayne Kramer of the MC5, Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks and Dead Kennedys frontman Jello Biafra, resulting in dozens of casts overall.
Albritton eventually moved back to Chicago, where she was a vital part of the city’s arts and party scene.
Albritton died in Chicago in 2022, and rock giants all over the world expressed their condolences at the loss of one of pop culture’s legendary heroes. Metro threw a memorial concert for her that summer featuring Langford, Sallly Timms and the Waco Brothers.
Without giving too much away, we can say that plastercasting is featured into the plot of “Drive-Away Dolls” (another possible nod: as her friends know, “doll” was Cynthia’s favorite personal endearment).
Coen told The Wrap Cyrus was already familiar with the history of Cynthia Plaster Caster.
“That’s her thing, too,” Coen said. “She’s into that, both the retro hippie thing and the whole phallus molding thing. Miley loves her dicks.”
But for Cynthia fans, the greatest commemoration of the Plaster Caster comes at the end of the film, with a screen card that reads: “Dedicated to Cynthia Plaster Caster, 1947-2022. We remember!”
“Cynthia thought movies were a form of immortality,” said longtime friend John Connors, who she gifted with her cast of singer/songwriter Anthony Newley. “Being a character in a movie, especially in the ethereal way she’s portrayed, grants that wish.”