Heathers

2020-02-29

The students of Westerberg High would kill to get into the popular clique known as The Heathers; Veronica Sawyer would kill to get out. To wind down the episode streak of cult films, Susan introduces Greg to "Heathers," the 1989 cult classic starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. Greg is having a hard time relating to this "Mean Girls" predecessor and Susan attempts to talk him through. The two discuss the screenwriter's (Daniel Waters)and director's (Michael Lehmann) opinions...

The students of Westerberg High would kill to get into the popular clique known as The Heathers; Veronica Sawyer would kill to get out.

To wind down the episode streak of cult films, Susan introduces Greg to "Heathers," the 1989 cult classic starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, and Shannen Doherty. Greg is having a hard time relating to this "Mean Girls" predecessor and Susan attempts to talk him through.

The two discuss the screenwriter's (Daniel Waters)and director's (Michael Lehmann) opinions about this dark comedy/satire and how "Heathers" was a takedown of other teen films of the 80s.

The two discuss the key story beats, characters, and the darker elements of the film. Susan points out the color symbolism and the minute details of the film that seem to be inspired by the work of Stanley Kubrick.

The episode winds down with a discussion on how the film bombed at the box office but found new life as a cult classic inspiring both "Heathers: The Musical" and a TV show along with "I Have Questions" and Greg and Susan's top 3 moments.

Sources referenced:

https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/film/heathers-30-years-on-how-the-dark-teen-comedy-predicted-everything-1.3583180

https://filmschoolrejects.com/21-things-we-learned-from-the-heathers-commentary-439a871c1f8c/

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/aug/04/michael-lehmann-on-the-legacy-of-heathers-cult-teen-film

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20180803-is-heathers-too-shocking-for-2018

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