By Rebecca Daniel
“Clueless” is a movie that has always been in my life. It was released eight days before I was born. I was supposed to be born in mid-August, but something tells me I sensed that a cinematic masterpiece was in theaters and just had to be born in a world when “Clueless” was the hype. Who could blame me? Okay, I know what you’re thinking: is this an ad for “Clueless” or what? But I’m not buggin’ because one of the most iconic teen rom coms of the ‘90s is celebrating its 25th anniversary on July 19th. As if I could ignore such a momentous occasion! Writer-director Amy Heckerling’s “Clueless” is a charming and endlessly witty ‘90s take on Jane Austen’s “Emma.” Audiences had seen the story of “Emma” plenty of times, but “Clueless” is special. “Clueless” adapted Austen’s costume drama for the MTV age. It had its finger on the pulse of pop culture but wasn’t afraid to satirize the very audience that it catered to. The characters are hip, the fashion is trendy, and the dialogue is endlessly quotable. The film follows Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and her “way normal life” at Bronson Alcott High School. She plays matchmaker for her peers with her best friend Dion (Stacey Dash), befriends the new student, Tai (Brittany Murphy), and instead of going to high society balls, the girls go to parties in the valley. What about Cher’s quest for love? Well, she could never stoop to dating a high school guy. As if! Every member of the “Clueless” cast fits their character perfectly. Alicia Silverstone is iconic as Cher, owning every scene as the ditzy Valley Girl demeanor with a kind heart. Deep down, we all wanted to dress like Cher in high school. Stacy Dash is the equally quick-witted best friend who always has a one-liner ready to go and her hilarious boyfriend Murray (Donald Faison) in tow. A personal favorite scene is when Murray teaches Dion to drive on the freeway. Life has few greater terrors than getting on the freeway for the first time. Brittany Murphy was the perfect choice to round out the trio of friends as Tai, the new student that Cher takes under her wing. And who can forget Paul Rudd? The sarcastic but dreamy Josh? His casual college style is a look like no other. Has Paul Rudd aged a day since this movie? I don’t think so. Breckin Meyer and Jeremy Sisto have their share of humorous moments in the film as Travis (the school stoner) and Elton (the obnoxious, preppy guy). Much like Elton’s deep attachment to his Cranberries CD, I’m very attached to the “Clueless” soundtrack. This movie already has so much going for it: Great story? Check; perfect cast? Check; memorable Dialogue? Check; the ‘90s style that I want? Check; how about some classic musical moments? Sounds good to me! From the opening montage set to “Kids in America” to the final scene set to General Public’s “Tenderness,” every musical cue feels like a wave of nostalgia that greets you with a smile. What makes “Clueless” so iconic is its multigenerational appeal. It had its first wave of popularity among the initial release in 1995 but didn’t just fade away with the end of the ‘90s. It stands the test of time, bringing in a new audience with each passing decade. Whenever I bring it up with friends, each one has a story about the first time they saw it. “Clueless” is a film that I became obsessed with at 13 when I came across it on TV one night. Twelve years later, it’s my go-to comfort film. As it approaches its 25th anniversary, new generations of teens are discovering “Clueless” on Netflix. When discussing “Clueless,” one has to acknowledge the film’s enduring effect on pop culture. Shortly after the initial release, a book series was launched to keep the hype alive. What “Clueless” fan could forget the television spin-off created for ABC? The show aired from 1996-1999. Many cast members, including Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, and Brittany Murphy didn’t appear due to their increasingly popular movie careers; however, the show still followed Cher and her friends in Beverly Hills. One of the most popular contributions to the “Clueless” culture in recent years is the Charli XCX and Iggy Azalea music video for the song “Fancy.” The two dressed up as Cher and Dion and recreated scenes from the movie through the whole video. Did you know there was even a “Clueless” musical? It’s true! In 2018, “Clueless: The Musical” opened in New York City starring Dove Cameron. The show was a jukebox musical written by Amy Heckerling and included songs from the movie like “Kids in America.” Here I am days away from celebrating my 25th birthday during a global pandemic. I have no idea what the next few months will hold, but I do know that I’m thankful for Amy Heckerling's brilliant rom-com that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary. Cher and the group's antics have brought a smile to my face throughout my life and continue to do so today. “Clueless” is timeless and brings joy to all who watch. What are your thoughts on "Clueless?" When was the last time you watched it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our Twitter account. You can follow Rebecca hear more of her thoughts on the Oscars and Film on Twitter at @rebeccadaniel95
Comments
|
BEST PICTURE Nomadland (16) - AWFJ, BOFCA, BSFC, CFCA, CIC, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, NDFS, NSFC, SFBAFCC, StLFCA, TIFF, VENICE Promising Young Woman (5) - COFCA, KCFCC, MCFCA, SCA, SDFCS First Cow (2) - FFCC, NYFCC Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (3) - BFCC, CIC, PFCC Minari (2) - NCFCA, OFCC The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (2) - DFCS, HFCS Another Round - EFA Da 5 Bloods - CIC Small Axe - LAFCA BEST DIRECTOR Chloé Zhao (23) - AWFJ, BOFCA, BFCC, BSFC, CFCA, COFCA, DFCS, FFCC, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, LAFCA, MSFCA, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NYFCC, OFCC, PFCC, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Spike Lee (2) - CIC, HFCS Regina King - BFCC Darius Marder - SCA Andrew Patterson - GOTHAM Thomas Vinterberg - EFA BEST ACTRESS Frances McDormand (12) - AWFJ, BOFCA, CFCA, FFCC, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFJA, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, OFCC, SFBAFCC Carey Mulligan (8) - COFCA, DFCS, HFCS, KCFCC, LAFCA, MCFCA, SCA, SDFCS, StLFCA Viola Davis (3) - BFCC, CIC, PFCC Sidney Flanigan (2) - BSFC, NYFCC Paula Beer - EFA Nicole Beharie - GOTHAM BEST ACTOR Riz Ahmed (9) - COFCA, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, HFCS, KCFCC, NDFS, OFCC, SCA, SDFCS Chadwick Boseman (9) - AWFJ, BFCC, CFCA, CIC, DFCS, LAFCA, MSFCA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Delroy Lindo (7) - BOFCA, HFCS, IFJA, NCFCA, NSFC, NYFCC, PFCC Anthony Hopkins (2) - BSFC, FFCC Mads Mikkelsen - EFA BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Youn Yuh-jung (14) - AWFJ, BFCC, BSFC, COFCA, GWNYFCA, KCFCC, LAFCA, MCFCA, NCFCA, OFCC, SCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Maria Bakalaova (10) - BOFCA, CFCA, CIC, FFCC, HFCS, IFJA, MCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, NYFCC Ellen Burstyn - DFCS Olivia Cooke - HFCS Amanda Seyfried - PFCC BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Paul Raci (13) - BOFCA, BSFC, CFCA, COFCA, FFCC, GWNYFCA, HFCS, NSFC, OFCC, SCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Leslie Odom Jr. (5) - AWFJ, BFCC, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC Sacha Baron Cohen (4) - DFCS, MCFCA, NCFCA, NDFS Chadwick Boseman (3) - CIC, NYFCC, PFCC Glynn Turman - LAFCA BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Nomadland (9) - AWFJ, CFCA, COFCA, GWNYFCA, HFCS, IFJA, KCFCC, NCFCA, OFCC I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (4) - BOFCA, BSFC, FFCC, StLFCA First Cow (3) - DFCS, PFCC, SFBAFCC The Father (2) - SCA, SDFCS Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2) - BFCC, CIC BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Promising Young Woman (9) - AWFJ, CIC, COFCA, HFCS, KCFCC, LAFCA, NDFS, OFCC, StLFCA Minari (5) - BFCC, FFCC, NCFCA, SDFCS, SFBAFCC Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always (5) - CFCA, GWNYFCA, IFJA, NSFC, NYFCC The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (4) - CIC, DFCS, HFCS, MCFCA Another Round - EFA The Forty-Year-Old-Version - GOTHAM Fourteen - GOTHAM BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Nomadland (15) - AWFJ, BOFCA, BSFC, CFCA, CIC, COFCA, GWNYFCA, HFCS, MCFCA, NCFCA, NDFS, NSFC, PFCC, SDFCS, StLFCA Mank (3) - FFCC, OFCC, SCA Small Axe (2) - LAFCA, NYFCC Tenet (2) - BFCC, HFCS First Cow - SFBAFCC Hidden Away - EFA The Vast Of Night - KCFCC BEST COSTUME DESIGN Emma. (2) - CFCA, SDFCS Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2) - CIC, HFCS Hidden Away - EFA BEST FILM EDITING Nomadland (6) - AWFJ, BOFCA, GWNYFCA, NDFS, SFBAFCC, StLFCA The Trial Of The Chicago 7 (4) - CIC, COFCA, HFCS, MCFCA I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (2) - BSFC, CFCA The Invisible Man (2) - MCFCA, SDFCS The Father - LAFCA Once More Unto The Breach - EFA BEST MAKEUP & HAIRSTYLING The Endless Trench - EFA Mank - HFCS Ma Rainey's Black Bottom - CIC BEST ORIGINAL SCORE Soul (13) - BOFCA, CFCA, CIC, COFCA, DFCS, FFCC, GWNYFCA, HFCS, LAFCA, NCFCA, OFCC, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Tenet (3) - IFJA, MCFCA, SCA Mank (2) - HFCS, NDFS Berlin Alexanderplatz - EFA Minari - BSFC BEST ORIGINAL SONG One Night In Miami (5) - CIC, DFCS, HFCS, HFCS, MCFCA Over The Moon - NDFS BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Mank (9) - CFCA, CIC, FFCC, HFCS, LAFCA, MCFCA, NDFS, SDFCS, StLFCA First Cow - SFBAFCC The Personal History Of David Copperfield - EFA BEST SOUND Little Girl - EFA Sound Of Metal - HFCS BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Tenet (6) - DFCS, HFCS, HFCS, NCFCA, SDFCS, StLFCA The Invisible Man (2) - CFCA, CIC The Platform - EFA Possessor - FFCC BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Soul (15) - AWFJ, BFCC, CCA, CIC, DFCS, FFCC, HFCS, IFJA, MSFCA, NCFCA, NDFS, OFCC, PFCC, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Wolfwalkers (8) - BOFCA, CFCA, COFCA, GWNYFCA, KCFCC, LAFCA, NYFCC, SDFCS Josep - EFA The Wolf House - BSFC BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM Another Round (9) - AWFJ, CFCA, EFA, IFJA, KCFCC, MCFCA, NCFCA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Minari (3) - COFCA, DFCS, GWNYFCA Bacurau (2) - BOFCA, NYFCC The Life Ahead (2) - HFCS, SDFCS And Then We Danced - NDFS A Sun - HFCS Beanpole - LAFCA Collective - NSFC His House - CIC Identifying Features - GOTHAM Jumbo - PFCC La Llorona - BSFC Los Fuertes - FFCC Martin Eden - OFCC Night Of The Kings - BFCC BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Time (7) - BFCC, GOTHAM, GWNYFCA, LAFCA, NYFCC, PFCC, SDFCS Dick Johnson Is Dead (5) - CCA, CFCA, COFCA, IFJA, NCFCA Collective (4) - BSFC, EFA, SFBAFCC, StLFCA Boys State (3) - CIC, DFCS, OFCC All In: The Fight For Democracy (2) - AWFJ, NDFS The Painter And The Thief (2) - AWFJ, BOFCA Beastie Boys Story - HFCS Crip Camp - IDA The Dissident - KCFCC My Octopus Teacher - HFCS The Social Dilemma - MCFCA A Thousand Cuts - GOTHAM You Don't Nomi - FFCC AuthorsNicole Ackman Archives
January 2021
Categories
All
|