"How Very" - The Unlikely Persistence of 'Heathers' (1989)

This week, Emilio, Julian, and Madeline break out the croquet mallets and slushies for a discussion of 'Heathers', the 1989 high school dark comedy starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. This is as formative a movie as there can be for Emilio, who can't help but speak with admiration for this cult classic. They dig into the film's satirical approach to the subject matter, its prescience about a future with rampant school violence, the star-making turns for the film's lead actors, and consider several cinematic predecessors and successors with similar themes and stylistic choices. Julian graces us with another impersonation and a few outside-the-box character comparisons. Madeline has lingering questions about Veronica's true nature. Emilio shares why the college party might be the most important scene in the movie. It's a conversation filled with exploration and earnest appreciation for one of the more influential high school movies of the 1980s. If you enjoy our podcast, please consider writing us a positive review on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us find new listeners! Send us an email at sleeplesscinematicpod@gmail.com, and follow us on IG and TikTok @sleeplesscinematicpod On Letterboxd? Follow Julian @julian_barthold and Madeline @patronessofcats