VHS Review (Posted on 08-19-2014)
"As
if....!" will be a phrase you, or your younger sister/cousin/daughter, may be muttering all day.
Off the bat, with the audible sound of the perky, grotesquely brain-less teenager, you might think it's another story of why a girl can't get her way. You're absolutely right: Cher, a student from Beverly Hills High School, learns just that....the hard way. Not sure how your high school days went, but films like this help better understand why the folks in high school were unusual, and why the girls I liked were impossible to date (majority of them are still single and self-centered, just like how they were when I first met them).
Using her popularity to shift her needs and wants to her liking, Cher and her friend Dionne get their way, started off from setting up two of their strict teachers to fall in love, doing the campus a big favor. Worse, they 'adopt' a new friend, Tai, as a means of manipulation to Cher's liking—stripping off her soul and becoming a someone who admires Cher herself. From being sexually taken-advantage of, being too choosey and unsatisfied with Josh's "kooky" interests, Cher learns that you can't mold anyone to your liking. After rigorous trials and errors, using Tai to prove her high stature, and dating the best-looking guy in her class, Cher learns it can't always be about her—perfect and beautiful. She also learns of the "monster" she created with Tai—becoming the new popular girl at school having nearly been thrown off the second floor mall and everyone wanting to hear her story, instead of Cher's—failing her driving test, and seeing that she actually loves Josh, it took quite a bit of time before her thoughts summed up to such a realization. And although shopping seems to be her go-to to ease the problems she encounters, including advice from her dear father, life lessons got the best of Cher and felt it was best to learn them, even though she learned them later.
Since her father wanted a licensed person with her while driving, I found it humorous when Cher dragged Josh to tag along with her, while he was reading a book on
Fredrich Nietzsche—the philosopher who stated and declared that "God is dead."
Having underwent a reality check despite her cluelessness, Cher interprets her friends' situations and her own that people are, well, the way they are. The person they are are the person they are. Sure, one can smooth out the edges off to make someone better, but in the interest of someone's hobbies and passions, that's what gravitates them in being everything they have become. What's wrong with Travis' skateboarding skills? Why is Josh interested in watching the news? I'm willing to bet the girls I grew up with wonder why I pursued video production....and why I host this website.
On this VHS includes the music video "Alright" by Supergrass—one of the soundtracks used on this movie, namely during the scene when Cher takes photos of friends, while trying to hook Tai up with Elton. The video may not have been the subtle inspiration for Ok Go's brilliantly-made videos, but it's worth a watch, for you (music) fans.
Because of the nature of simply accepting a person's differences and who they are, some may argue that the film also brings the message that "popular girls have feelings too." The popular girls I met and tried to date in my high school, even though I was one of those odd guys that few wanted to hang out with, never convinced me of such notion. Most of them are stuck in school because they can't find jobs; The jerks they dated are all in a rut as they've got no ambitions whatsoever. Like it is in Hollywood, popularity is like milk: it's stamped with an expiration date. Using your popularity for control? As the saying goes, "you can't fool everyone all the time."
I could go on but this film certainly couldn't entertain without good, psychological messages a majority of us can relate. The success of this film launched a sitcom under the same title. Nevertheless, beautiful actress Alicia Silverstone's career launched thanks to her starring role on this movie. Oh, and because ideas continue to dry up in the film industry, don't act surprised if a sequel of this film is in the works (if it hasn't been already). I'm not sure who the beautiful girl will be playing Cher, but I'm betting that the pretty
Chloë Grace Moretz might play the role of Tai. Who knows?
"Tolerance is always a good lesson, even when it comes out of nowhere." — Mr. Hall
"When a boy comes, you should always have something baking." — Cher
"Getting off the freeway makes you realize how important love is." — Cher
"You're a virgin who can't drive." — Tai
Josh: "You look like Pippi Longstocking."
Cher: "You look like Forrest Gump."
"Seems like without tenderness, there's something missing." — lyrics from closing song "Tenderness" by General Public
If
Clueless had a remake, or a sequel, I'm certain there'd be lots of references to selfies. And I'm sure they'll use
CanvasWorld to create their collages. You should too:
© 2008-2019 written and reviewed personally by Kris Caballero.
VHS Ratings
Our Rating:
100%
0%
Fan Rating:
VHS Credits
Written and Directed by
Amy Heckerling
Produced by
Scott Rudin
and
Robert Lawrence
Director of Photography
Bill Pope
Production Designer
Steven Jordan
Film Editor
Debra Chiate
Co-Producers
Barry Berg
Adam Schroeder
Associate Producer
Twink Caplan
Costume Designer
Mona May
Unit Production Manager
Barry Berg
First Assistant Director
Richard Graves
Second Assistant Director
Daniel Silverberg
Music Supervisor
Karyn Rachtman
Music Score by
David Kitay
Casting by
Marcia S. Ross (C.S.A.)
Alicia Silverstone
Paul Rudd
Stacey Dash
Brittany Murphy
Dan Hedaya
Jeremy Sisto
Breckin Meyer
Justin Walker
Wallace Shawn
Twink Caplin
Julie Brown
Donald Fasion
An
Amy Heckerling
Film
A
Robert Lawrence
and
Scott Rudin
Production
CAST
Cher Alicia Silverstone
Dionne Stacey Dash
Tai Brittany Murphy
Josh Paul Rudd
Murray Donald Faison
Amber Elisa Donovan
Travis Breckin Meyer
Elton Jeremy Sisto
Mel Hamilton Dan Hedaya
Lucy Aida Linares
Mr. Wendell Hall Wallace Shawn
Miss Toby Geist Twink Caplan
Christian Justin Walker
Paroudasm Sabastian Rashidi
Principal Herb Hall
Ms. Stoeger Julie Brown
Heather Susan Mohun
Summer Nicole Bilderback
DMV Tester Ron Orbach
Lawrence Sean Holland
College Guy Roger Kabler
Robber Jace Alexander
Logan Josh Lozoff
Priest Carl Gottlieb
Student Joseph D. Reitman
Bartender Anthony Beninati
Stunt Coordinator Patrick Romano
Stunts Troy Robinson
Jill Stokesberry
La Faye Baker
Kelsee Devoreaux
Kealona Rosecrans
Gidget Churchill
Kevin Lemont Jackson
Woody Itson
Gary McLarty
Steve Picerni
Jimmy Romano
Chet Thomas
Danny Mayer
Choreographer Mary Ann Kellogg
Dancers Micki Duran
Greg Russell
Jermaine Montell
Daniella Eckert
Art Director William Hiney
Set Decorator Amy Wells
Camera Operator Lawrence Karman
First Assistant Photographer Gregor Tavenner
Second Assistant Photographer Poly Veitzer
Steadicam Jim Muro
Sound Mixer David Ronne
Property Master Dean Wilson
Assistant Property Masters Glen R. Feldman
Scott Leslie
Lead Person Billy Frank
Set Dressers James La Barge
Wendy Murray
Ken Abraham
Mark Kusy
Chief Lighting Technician Norm Glasser
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician George Dunagan
First Company Grip Tony Mazzucchi
Second Company Grip Mark Gambino
Dolly Grip Steven W. Gage
Grips Shawn Whalan
Larry McCarron
"Rambo" Fitzgerald
Michael Carter
Matt Tonne
Rigging Gaffer Joseph Gallo
Lamp Operators John Shoemaker
Scot Gaal
Jerry Posner
Boom Operator Cary Weitz
Cable Person Thomas Giordano
Video Keith Collea
Make-Up Supervision Alan "Doc" Friedman
Assistant Make-Up Artist Geri Oppenheim
Hairstylist Nina Paskowitz
Assistant Hairstylists D.J. Plumb
Barbara Olvera
Script Supervisor Esther Vivante
Assistants to Mr. Rudin Raul Gutierrez
Derek Evans
Noah Ackerman
Gary Goodman
Assistant to Mr. Lawrence Tanya Cohen
Assistant to Mr. Schroeder Edward Kitsis
Assistant to Ms. Heckerling Sarah Connolly
Production Coordinator Yoli Poropat
Assistant Production Coordinator Elybe Allyn Ramsdell
Costume Supervisor Chic Gennarelli
Costumer Isabella Braga
Set Costumers Garet Reilly
Vickie Brinkkord
Assistant Costume Designer Leesa Evans
First Assistant Film Editor L. James Langlois
Second Assistant Film Editor Jill Goularte
Music Editor Danny Garde
Post Production Sound and Sound Editing Provided by Todd-AO Studios
Supervising Sound Editor Uncle J. Kamen
Sound Effects Editors Bruce Tannis
Peter Bergren
Andrew Ellerd
ADR Editors Shelley Rae Hinton
Eileen Norta, M.P.S.E.
Virginia Cook-McGowan
Michele Perrone
Dialogue Editors Gary Lewis
Sonya Henry
Dennis Gray
Andy Summers
Ralph Osbourne
Supervising Foley Editor Trevor Jolly
Foley Editors Peter Drake Austin
Andrew G. Patterson
Solange S. Schwalbe, M.P.S.E.
Richard Taylor, M.P.S.E.
Assistant Sound Editors Bill Baldwin
Damon Cohoon
ADR Mixers Charlene Richards
Dean Drabin
Paul Zydel
Foley Artists Alyson Dee Moore
Patricia Nedd
Foley Mixer David Jobe
Re-Recording Mixers Paul Massey
Chris David
Don Digirolamo
Music Clearance Arlene Fishbach
Music Orchestrated and Conducted by Reginald Powell
Music Preparation Bob Bornstein
Orchestra Contractor Carl Fortina
Music Scoring Mixer John Richards
Orchestra Recorded and Mixed at Paramount Pictures
Scoring Stage M
Music Coordinator Billy Gottlieb
Unit Publicist Stuart Fink
Still Photographer Elliot Marks
Production Auditor Kevin Landry
First Assistant Auditor Gene Strange
Payroll Auditor Irina Naydichey
Assistant Auditors Barbara Treutelaar
John Rash
Production Secretary Brigitte Bourque
Production Assistants Steve Werbkay
John Estrada
Dawn Mandell-Miller
Joseph Aspromonti
Craig Conolly
Second Second Assistant Director Diana Williams
DGA Trainee Maura McKeown
Art Department Coordinator Laurie Stevens
Illustrator Petko Kadiev
Construction Coordinator Barry Kingston
Construction General Foreperson Charles G. Phillips
Construction Labor Foreperson Ronald MacDonald
Paint Foreperson Gary A. Clark
Production Painter Tom Bartholomew
Location Manager Jeffrey T. Spellman
Assistant Location Managers Darrin Lipscomb
Mauni Caves
Casting Assistant Jon Scott
First Aid Jean Quay
Craft Service "Cajun"
Transportation Coordinator Randy White
Transportation Captain Mike Fenster
Picture Car Coordinator Glenn Carter
Color Timer Mike Milliken
Negative Cutter Theresa Repola Mohammed
Opticals Pacific Title
Titles by Robert Dawson
Original Soundtrack Available on
Capitol Compact Discs and Cassettes
"Kids In America"
by Ricky Wilde & Marty Wilde
performed by The Muffs
Rob Cavallo and The Muffs
The Muffs perform courtesy of
Reprise Records
"Fashion"
Written & Performed by
David Bowie
courtesy of RakoDisc/
Jones Music Mainman SA
"Shoop"
by Cheryl James, Sandra Denton,
Mark Sparks & Otwane Roberts
performed by Salt N Pepa
courtesy of London Records
by arrangement with
Polygram Special Markets
contains sample from "I'm Blue"
by Ike Turner
performed by Sweet Inspirations
courtesy of
Atlantic Recording Corp.
by arrangement with
Warner Special Products
"Just A Girl"
by Gwen Stefani & Tom Dumont
performed by No Doubt
courtesy of
Trauma Interscope Records
"Fake Plastic Trees" (acoustic version)
by Thomas Yorke & Edward O'Brien
performed by Radiohead
courtesy of Capitol Records
under license from
CEMA Special Markets
"Shake Some Action"
by Cyril Jordan & Christopher Wilson
performed by Cracker
courtesy of Virgin Records America, Inc.
"Girls Just Want To Have Fun"
by Robert Hazard
"Change"
by Ian Broudie
performed by Lightning Seeds
courtesy of Trauma Interscope Records
and Epic Records,
Licensed from Sony Music
Entertainment |UK| LTD.
"My Iron Lung"
by Thomas Yorke & Edward O'Brien
performed by Radiohead
courtesy of Capitol Records
Under license from
CEMA Special Markets
"Buns of Steel 3"
by FIT Video
"Mentos Jingle 'Fresh Goes Better'"
by John Groves
"Supermodel"
by David Baerwald, David Kitay
Brian MacLeod & Kristen Vigard
performed by Jill Sobule
Produced by
Brad Jones & Robin Eaton
Jill Sobule Performs
courtesy of Lava/Atlantic
Recording Group
"Miss Brown To You"
by Ralph Rainger, Leo Robin &
Richard Whiting
performed by Billy Holiday
courtesy of Columbia Records
by arrangement with
Sony Music Licensing
"Alright"
Written & Performed by
Supergrass
courtesy of Capitol Records
under license from
CEMA Special Markets
"Someday I Suppose"
by Dennis Brockenborough,
Tim Burton, Joe Cattleman,
Kevin Lenear, Joseph Sirois,
Nate Albert & Dickey Barrett
performed by
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
courtesy of Mercury Records
by arrangement with
Polygram Special Markets
"This Time"
by Novacain & World
performed by Phunke Assfalt
courtesy of A Street Records
"Rollin' With My Homies"
by A. Ivey, Jr. & Ralph Sall
performed by Coolio
produced by Ralph Sall & Coolio
Coolio Performs courtesy of
Tommy Boy Records
"Where'd You Go?"
by Nate Albert & Dicky Barrett
performed by
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
produced by Paul Koederie
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
perform courtesy of
Mercury Records
"Give It All You Got"
by Domino & Ralph Sall
performed by Domino
produced by Ralph Sall & Domino
Domino Performs courtesy of
Outburst Records
"Here (Squirrel Mix)"
by A. Ivey, Jr. & Ralph Sall
performed by Coolio
produced by Ralph Sall & Coolio
Coolio Performs courtesy of
Tommy Boy Records
"Away"
by Dolores O'Riordan
performed by The Cranberries
courtesy of Island Records, Inc.
"Closer To Heaven"
by Wendy Morris
performed by
The Chocolate Hippies
courtesy of Chippie Records
"The Ghost In You"
by Richard Butler & Tim Butler
performed by Counting Crows
courtesy of DGC Records
"Also Sprach Zahathustra"
by Richard Strauss
"I Believe I'm You"
by David Baerwald, Kevin Gilbert
& Sintra Wilson
performed by Gail Orange
"Oysters & Snails (from 'Spartacus')"
by Alex North
"My Forgotten Favorite"
written and performed by
Velocity Girl
"All The Young Dudes"
by David Bowie
performed by World Party
courtesy of
Chrysalis Records Limited
"Summer of '42"
by Michel LeGrand
"All By Myself"
by Eric Carmen &
Sergei Rachmaninoff
performed by Jewel
produced by David Kitay
Jewel Performs courtesy of
Atlantic Recording Corporation
"Mullet Head"
written & performed by
Beastie Boys
courtesy of
Capitol Records, Inc.
"Ain't Nuttin' Wrong"
by Deidra "Spin" Roper
& Herby Azor
performed by Spin
produced by
Hurby "Luv Bug" Azor
Spin Performs courtesy of
Jureh MCA Records
"Need You Around"
by Josh Caterer
performed by Smoking Popes
courtesy of Capitol Records
Under License from
CEMA Special Markets
"Tenderness"
by Roger Charlery,
David Wakeling &
Michael Billingham
performed by General Public
produced by Ralph Sall & Coolio
courtesy of I.R.S. Records
"Gigi"
by Alan Jay Lerner &
Frederick Loewe
TM & Copyright ©MCMXCV by
Paramount Pictures Corporation
All Rights Reserved
The Producers wish to thank:
Judy McGrath
Doug Herzog
Wendy Taeuber
Craig Perry
Gary Gersh
Tim Devine
Todd Ruff
Victor Rinaldo
Occidental College, Los Angeles
Westside Pavillion
Additional footage provided by MTV Networks
MTV's Beavis & Butthead and The Ren & Stimpy Show
and all related titles, logos and characters are
the trademarks of Viacom International, Inc.
Buns of Steel 3 courtesy of
WarnerVision Entertainment
Color by DELUXE®
The persons and events in this motion picture
are fictitious. Any similarity to actual
persons or events is unintentional.
This motion picture is protected under laws of
the United States and other countries. Unauthorized
duplication, distribution or exhibition may result
in civil liability and criminal prosecution.
Paramount®
A Viacom Company
© 1995 EMI Records Limited