Nostalgia is sometimes an irresistible attraction. This is the case for FilmSoc's latest Beer Garden event for the cult classic Clueless.
“I think for whatever reason it’s pretty much a movie that we all have seen,” said FilmSoc exec Emily O’Brien. “People really like this movie. It’s fun.”
For those not in the know, Clueless is a popular 1995 chick-flick. According to FilmSoc member John Tastad, it is also part of the holy trinity of high-school teenage girl films along with the 1988 film Heathers and 2004's Mean Girls.
Although both O’Brien and Tastad couldn’t pinpoint the source of their lasting appeal either. However, both execs had a number of theories as to why the film is still applicable today despite the generation jump.
“Universities [and] high schools, they’re all these sort of microcosms of society where social relations are played out on a much smaller scale,” said Tastad.
There are other elements to consider that make the film perfect for a Friday night. Apart from the film being a rare contrast to the "mean girls" stereotype, according to O’Brien, there’s also the fascination of seeing the 90’s editions of Paul Rudd and Brittany Murphy.
More notably, Clueless is one of the last few hits that Alicia Silverstone had before her declining stardom.
“This is her crown and glory. It’s the pinnacle of her [career],” said Film Soc exec Mady Davis.
Gabey Lucas, an Arts student who attended the event, could also name a couple of things that kept her going back to the film.
“It’s conscious of how silly [it is]... whoever wrote [it] didn’t think it was serious,” said Lucas, who also thinks that its sheer “90s-ness” still makes the film stand out today. “If you’re gonna get a primary artifact from the 90s [and] put it in a time capsule, this’d be one of them.”
Whether the film is still relevant due to its comedic take on life lessons or its 90’s gimmicks, perhaps all that matters, according to Davis, is that we are all still unified by our nostalgic sentiments.
"In a sense, nostalgia is a pretty big part of pop culture," she said. "What isn't made for us?"
Share this article
