?Recreations of an existing text provide not only a new text, but a new reading of prior text.?
Amy Heckerling?s ?Clueless? is an appropriated text of Jane Austen?s ?Emma?. Amy Heckerling has transformed Emma, by taking it from one context and transforming it into another. This transformation has allowed new insight into the original text and emphasized the contextual differences between the two.
By recreating Emma, Amy Heckerling has not only provided a new text, but she has also provided a new reading of the original text.
Clueless classifies as a modern day ?teen pic?. Heckerling, the composer of Clueless has adopted the themes from Emma with the basic plot and translated it into modern culture. Sexuality, Money, fashion and prestige are very much foregrounded in Clueless, however these themes similarly exist throughout Emma. An audience must be able to relate to a text and Clueless allows the message presented in Emma to become relative to a modern day audience.
English: Back View of Jane Austen, Watercolor
Is Clueless (2001)
English: A tribute to Jane Austen - Bouquet Emma W...The opening of Emma presents to its audience, a description of the protagonist, along with her lifestyle, all through the use of third ? person narration. Numerous pages are dedicated to the protagonist who the audience accompanies along her journey and development of character.
Clueless as the appropriated text, takes on much of the same idea, however in a modern day approach. An overview of Cher?s life is presented through the use of montage of clips, colouring, upbeat music, camera techniques and voice over.
These two openings, both present the protagonist and their lifestyle and the era in which they live. The fact that Clueless presents itself just as Emma, Clueless therefore becomes a canonical text and a new reading is then provided for Emma.
The protagonist of Clueless, Cher not only is able to...