I watched Clueless for the first time when I was 11 years old. It was at a party where all the teenagers and kids were gathered in one room and someone stuck a movie in and that was it. I admit that I didn't understand most of it since most teenage lingo had been completely beyond my comprehension for an 11-year-old but I understood the basic plot. I fell in love with it immediately. I bought it and watched it several times over, when my friends were over and watch it at least once a year if not more. Monday night's screening of Clueless definitely brought about new revelations of the film for me that I have not even considered before.
I put Clueless into the same category as the Breakfast Club. Both films really presented the idea of class really well even though I believe that Clueless has a level of sophistication in it that the Breakfast Club doesn't. The character of Elton is the quintessential snob character, even more so than the main characters of the film. He shouts at Cher, "Do you even know who my father is!" Cher hits the nail right on the head when she proclaims him a snob -- and a half. Clueless approaches the subject of class really well with the introduction of the character of Tai. There is a definite class distinction between Cher and Dionne and Tai. Though Tai's home life isn't profiled (no mention of mother, father, where she lives) it's all in the outfit and that's all that the film needs. The film begins with Cher choosing her extravagant wardrobe so wardrobe is a large feature. As was said in class, Tai's wardrobe isn't exactly from Dior or Versace but it becomes the same style as Cher and Dionne. She becomes one of them by emulating style and even conversation and thereby becomes one of them. She's included, regardless of her background.
The other observation I made is the same as an observation made in class that the popular kids in school (probably with the exception of Elton) are really kids with good hearts and good intentions. They may seem ditzy and incredibly superficial on the outside but once conversation is heard, they want to be activists, believe that they're doing something good for Tai and Cher even retains her virginity as part of her values. That's something that isn't regularly viewed in high school movies. Again, I reference the Breakfast Club and Molly Ringwald's character who is also a virgin, both instances where the popular kids in school retain that value. Yes, not all the main characters retain it but the narrator of the story -- Cher -- does and she should be the focus. This is a very smart film, capturing the vernacular of the time very accurately and launching those phrases into popular culture. I still hear the occasional conversation where someone tosses in an 'As if'. I just hope that the rest of the audience has also recognized what a smart and clever film this is and that it's not just the teenage film that it seems to be.
I put Clueless into the same category as the Breakfast Club. Both films really presented the idea of class really well even though I believe that Clueless has a level of sophistication in it that the Breakfast Club doesn't. The character of Elton is the quintessential snob character, even more so than the main characters of the film. He shouts at Cher, "Do you even know who my father is!" Cher hits the nail right on the head when she proclaims him a snob -- and a half. Clueless approaches the subject of class really well with the introduction of the character of Tai. There is a definite class distinction between Cher and Dionne and Tai. Though Tai's home life isn't profiled (no mention of mother, father, where she lives) it's all in the outfit and that's all that the film needs. The film begins with Cher choosing her extravagant wardrobe so wardrobe is a large feature. As was said in class, Tai's wardrobe isn't exactly from Dior or Versace but it becomes the same style as Cher and Dionne. She becomes one of them by emulating style and even conversation and thereby becomes one of them. She's included, regardless of her background.
The other observation I made is the same as an observation made in class that the popular kids in school (probably with the exception of Elton) are really kids with good hearts and good intentions. They may seem ditzy and incredibly superficial on the outside but once conversation is heard, they want to be activists, believe that they're doing something good for Tai and Cher even retains her virginity as part of her values. That's something that isn't regularly viewed in high school movies. Again, I reference the Breakfast Club and Molly Ringwald's character who is also a virgin, both instances where the popular kids in school retain that value. Yes, not all the main characters retain it but the narrator of the story -- Cher -- does and she should be the focus. This is a very smart film, capturing the vernacular of the time very accurately and launching those phrases into popular culture. I still hear the occasional conversation where someone tosses in an 'As if'. I just hope that the rest of the audience has also recognized what a smart and clever film this is and that it's not just the teenage film that it seems to be.
2 comments:
It's interesting that while the characters in Clueless come from a world that none of us will ever experience (being excessively rich) we can still identify with their problems and understand if not empathise.
I am not rich in anyway, but have friends who are, and it may be due to the twentieth century, but they never acted in the same way as the characters in Clueless. Therefore I was not able to identify with this film, or the characters in it causing me to dislike the film in general. You may feel as though I am being a bit harsh, but at the same time, I am just being real. Sorry :(
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