Amy Heckerling Brings Clueless to the Paramount

By Josiane Amezcua

If there was a film I watched about a dozen times growing up, it probably had to be Clueless, the popular 1995 comedy based on Jane Austen's novel Emma. From quoting lines to discussing scenes, the movie became a favorite of mine to watch with friends over the years.

When I discovered the Paramount Theatre was going to be holding a screening of Clueless at the Stateside as part of its Summer Classic Film Series, I knew I had to take the opportunity to see one of my favorite movies on the big screen. The opportunity seemed even more exciting when I learned that it also included a Q&A with the film's writer and director, Amy Heckerling.

When I arrived at the event, the theater was packed. From groups of friends to mothers with their daughters, the screening brought out a large crowd. There was a lot of energy and excitement in the room, which only grew more once the first scene began to play. I had only seen Clueless on a TV set before, so viewing it on the big screen with an audience made the experience feel a lot different and more enjoyable. Laughter filled the theater from the beginning to end, as Clueless is one of those films where you could find the same scene funny even after watching it countless times.

Following the screening, the Q&A with Amy Heckerling (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Look Who's Talking, European Vacation) took place. She was welcomed to the stage with loud applause, as everyone was very thrilled to see the person behind the classic. When the moderator asked for questions from the audience, it felt like almost everyone raised their hand.

One of the first questions Heckerling was asked focused on how Clueless came to be. Heckerling explained how she was asked by one of the studios to write a TV pilot about "the cool kids." However, when she wrote one, they ended up passing on it. Luckily, another studio had faith in making it into a film instead.

Another topic brought up in the discussion was the comedy's cast. At the time, with the exception of a few, most of the actors in Clueless were unknown. Heckerling explained how most of them had really not done any major roles until this film. With Alicia Silverstone, for example, Heckerling noted that she had only seen the actress who would play Cher in the Aerosmith music videos. This film was a breakout role for several of the actors, which seemed to make Heckerling proud of as she spoke about how great it was working with all of them.

The soundtrack in Clueless also came up as a popular topic, as one audience member noted the excellent choice of music used in the movie. Heckerling agreed and said that music was major to her. When it comes to her films, she explained that she often thinks of scenes by listening to songs.

After the event ended, I overheard several people leaving the theater still talking about their favorite scenes in the film. It was very clear after the screening that Clueless was timeless and remained a favorite for several today.

Overall, the event was really fun, and it was obvious that everyone who attended had a great time. Heckerling's next upcoming film is Vamps, which reunites her with Clueless star Alicia Silverstone. For fans of Heckerling's other films, Fast Times at Ridgemont High will play on July 5 at the Stateside as part of the Paramount Summer Classic Film Series.

Josiane Amezcua is an apprentice at the Austin Film Society.