The issue with modernization: The “Heathers” scandal
Entertainment February 1, 2018 Admin
In the case of modern cinema, remakes are largely prevalent with movies such as “It” and “Jumanji” recently taking over theaters nationwide. This isn’t something that is strictly rooted to the movie scene, it’s also relatively prevalent within television. It also seems apparent that cult classics are the most likely to be remade.
The 1988 cult classic “Heathers” has fallen victim to this particular fate. Before anything can be said in opposition of the new “Heathers” series, which airs on Wednesday March 7, 2018, some context must be provided for its predecessor.
“Heathers” is the story of Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder), a teen who has come to be associated with the popular elite of her school also known as the Heathers (a group of three girls who share the same name). Veronica establishes that her rapport with the Heathers is more or less a business venture and less of a friendship. Eventually she encounters the socially dysfunctional JD (Christian Slater) and they quickly develop a Bonnie and Clyde esque relationship as they take out the most popular kids in school.
“Suicide gave Heather depth, Kurt a soul and Ram a brain. I don’t know what it’s given me, but I have no control over myself when I’m with J.D,” Are we going to prom or to hell?”
The style choices of the film are also incredibly of the time and that’s why it seems so difficult to insert this piece in a new era.
Sawyer ultimately comes to realize JD lacks his sanity and fights him off before he can blow up their school. Of course, the story is absurd and certainly eccentric, but that’s partially why it’s a cult classic. Veronica Sawyer personifies “teenage angst” and JD the failure associated with “rebellion” of the 1980s, the Heathers the conformity that everyone sought to escape.
The style choices of the film are also incredibly of the time and that’s why it seems so difficult to insert this piece in a new era.
In case of the new television series “Heathers,” it seems the creators have taken some liberties that drastically change the message of the film. At this point in time, the issues found with this particular show are based on what has been presented in its most recent trailer.
In this modern day rendition of the film, the Heathers are no longer the catty, white females we knew before and have instead been replaced with a plus-sized female (Melanie Field), a genderqueer youth (Brendan Scannell) and an African Female (Jasmine Mathews). In many cases, this might initially be seen as a good thing as it seems minorities are being given a place in a story which was originally meant for white America.
Without the context of the original piece, it seems that the show loses its original message.
Unfortunately, however, it seems they’ve turned the oppressed into the oppressors by making these ladies into the villains of this tale. Veronica (Grace Victoria Cox) is portrayed as being an innocent amongst this villainous elite and is the traditional female protagonist of the days of the past.
Without the context of the original piece, it seems that the show loses its original message, whether or not that is a good thing has yet to be determined. While viewers wait in anticipation or abject horror for this new series, one thing is for certain: the outcome is unknown and the show has potential.
Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures
