Film: Clueless
Director: Amy Heckerling
Country: USA
Released: July 1995
Runtime: 97 minutes
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Paramount
Influenced: Sofia Coppola, Mark Waters, Gil Junger, Greg Mottola, Greta Gerwig
A modern adaptation of Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma, set in the upscale world of a Beverly Hills high school, Amy Heckerling's Clueless has become a classic teen comedy of the 1990s. The film's title, Clueless, reflects the superficial and naïve nature of the main character, Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), and her wealthy friends. Their unique culture and slang was what Heckerling wanted to capture on film, and the influence of Wayne's World on Clueless is clear to see, with its similar use of iconic catchphrases ("as if!"). The film follows Cher, a wealthy, fashion-obsessed teenager who lives with her father in Beverly Hills. Cher decides to give her friend Tai (Brittany Murphy) a makeover to boost her popularity, which leads to a series of comedic mishaps and life lessons for Cher and her friends.
Cher is popular but often shallow and self-absorbed, and the film's main narrative trajectory is her character's personal growth as she navigates the ups and downs of high school life and relationships. The film introduced a unique fashion aesthetic that became iconic, with Cher's yellow plaid outfits and the use of high-end designer labels like Calvin Klein and Alaïa having an influence on wider society. Clueless also popularised various slang terms, such as "totally!", which became part of the 90s lexicon. Alicia Silverstone was relatively unknown before Clueless and the film catapulted her to stardom. The film also features several actors who went on to have successful careers, including Stacey Dash (as Dionne), Paul Rudd (as Josh), Brittany Murphy and Donald Faison (as Murray).
Heckerling spent time observing and researching the behaviour, speech patterns and lifestyles of teenagers in the Beverly Hills area, and cleverly mixed this goldmine of material with timeless themes from Austen's novel, such as matchmaking, class inequality and characters undergoing a journey of self-realisation. Some of the scenes in the film were improvised, adding to the natural and comedic feel of the dialogue. In the scene where Josh and Cher have an argument about her motivations for helping Tai, there's a moment when Cher tries to quote Hamlet but struggles to remember the exact words. Rudd's reaction to her struggles with the quote was improvised, making the scene feel genuinely comedic. Heckerling's script included numerous cultural references from the 90s, such as fashion trends, music and technology, and she collaborated closely with the cast, allowing them to bring their own ideas and improvisations to the dialogue.
Clueless was nominated for several awards, including the American Comedy Award for Funniest Actress in a Leading Role (Alicia Silverstone) and a Young Artist Award for Best Supporting Actress (Brittany Murphy). Heckerling had previous hit films like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and the Look Who's Talking franchise (1989-93), but nothing she directed attained the cult classic status of Clueless. The film's fashion and style have had a lasting impact on pop culture, and Clueless has often been cited as one of the most fashionable films in cinema history. Cher's computer than runs outfit-matching software, which she relies on to choose her daily ensembles, is one of my favourite scenes in the film and is also oddly prescient about the future of fashion technology.
Comments