What happens when you take a dash of Jock, a pinch of cheerleader, stir in some misfits, firmly whisk in some guy-bets-guy plot twist and set in the sunny surroundings of an American High School with an extra serving of cheese?
The archetypal 90's Teen Movie.
These fundamental ingredients are what formed a majority of nineties films. Whether it be through a house party setting complete with red plastic cups and sound systems or the blasting of Third Eye Blind and 'The Rockafella Skank' by Fatboy Slim, these 'hangovers' of 80's teen films encapsulated the trials and tribulations of dating, awkward teenage sexual endeavors and the struggles of fitting in.
The social hierarchy of American High Schools was essential to 90's teen movies. Heightened stereotypes and situations that often involved the introduction of an 'outsider' into a crew of 'popular kids' were familiar themes along with character makeover, romantic complications and socially awkward encounters.
Clueless (1995) was the first of the quintessential American-High-School films with The Muff's 'Kids of America' blaring over establishing shots of school grounds complete with US flags and yellow school buses.
The archetypal 90's Teen Movie.
These fundamental ingredients are what formed a majority of nineties films. Whether it be through a house party setting complete with red plastic cups and sound systems or the blasting of Third Eye Blind and 'The Rockafella Skank' by Fatboy Slim, these 'hangovers' of 80's teen films encapsulated the trials and tribulations of dating, awkward teenage sexual endeavors and the struggles of fitting in.
The social hierarchy of American High Schools was essential to 90's teen movies. Heightened stereotypes and situations that often involved the introduction of an 'outsider' into a crew of 'popular kids' were familiar themes along with character makeover, romantic complications and socially awkward encounters.
Clueless (1995) was the first of the quintessential American-High-School films with The Muff's 'Kids of America' blaring over establishing shots of school grounds complete with US flags and yellow school buses.
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It sparked a whole wave of teen movies and is now regarded as a cult film in its own right (note: Iggy Azalea's music video for 'Fancy' is a pretty impressive homage). Cher (Alicia Silverstone) was the epitome of the desired stereotype: a pretty, wealthy, popular girl who always had her way.
Standardized plots such as: 'geek gets the girl'; 'Prom Queen is disgraced' and 'The popular guys choice between his mates and his new love interest' (the ultimate bros before hoes) provided the make-up for 90's teen films.
She's All That (1999) is the typical Jock-bets-he-can-date-any-girl-chooses-the-geek-ends-up-falling-for-her-and-it-all-goes-tits-up-when-she-finds-out film.
School president and Jock Zak (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is dumped by his 'every girl wants to be her and every guy wants to nail her' girlfriend Taylor Vaughn and is propositioned by his buddies to replace her by turning Arty geek Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook) into the Prom Queen.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999) the modern re-working of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew' is another prime example of nieve, horny teenagers making business deals with each other for the attention of girls.
Popular girl Bianca is not allowed to date until her 'head case' of a sister Kat (Julia Stiles) does. A baby-faced Joseph Gordon-Levitt approaches a mysterious foreign guy (Heath Ledger) to date Kat in exchange for money, simultaneously double-crossing the schools 'big guy' Joey.
American Pie (1999) was paramount for this particular 'genre' as it spawned an entire plethora of slap-stick comedies and has become a cultural phenomenon.
Whats so unique about these specific films (and other along a similar ilk) is simply there... American-ness. 90's teen films played a massive role in consolidating a vibrant representation of American youth culture. Everything from the fashion, the cars, the music and even the food is forceful in its 'Americanism'.
'MURICA
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