Finishing up my analysis of Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Clueless.
If you missed part 1 or part 2, check them out or else this would be a whole lot of babble talk (maybe it is anyway).
Like Clueless, Fast Times at Ridgemont High sets aside the plot and focuses on the characters. The latter differs in that the main characters are both female and male, so that the perspective is fairly balanced. The balance also carries into the visual style, with the opening sequence highlighting both males and females gazing at each other. But the female is granted the stronger role, as it is the voice of the woman that is heard, asking “Did you see his cute little butt?” Heckerling also satisfies the female eye with more male eye candy, such as a close-up of a male shaking his behind while washing his car.
The films are also similar in their portrayal of the male characters as feeble compared to the females. In introducing the school, the males are shown as incompetent when it comes to handling their locker. One student attempts to fit a clearly too large of an instrument into his locker while another discovers his book is covered in gum, with his sweater soon to follow. This student is Mark Ratner who leads the pack of immaturity as a shy, sexual inexperienced individual. After a date with the girl of his dreams, Stacey Hamilton, she asks him to unzip her blouse and he complies, but when spotting her bra, he quickly diverts his eyes away. Later, when they finally kiss he finds an excuse to exit, which he clearly regrets this as he hesitates walking back to his car, but leaves after the light in Stacey’s room turns off. The best example of Mark’s juvenility is on his date when sitting at the restaurant, he appears tiny in a huge overstuffed chair.
Another infantile male is that of Mike Damone, the school’s lady-killer whose ego exceeds his charm. Trying to impress younger students that are asking for tickets, Mike explains that the school’s football star is his friend. However, when greeting the football player, he is simply told not to **** with his car. Later in the film, Stacey asks if he wants to take off his clothes and instead of giving a normal playboy’s answer of “Definitely”, he quickly says “You first.” After impregnating Stacey, Mike is unable to come up with half the payment for an abortion. As a result, he bails completely, not even fulfilling his promise to give her a ride to the clinic. As Mike explains to Rat, he has the attitude, but his actions do not reflect it.
Stacey Hamilton is the strongest female of the film, evident by her character as well as extensive screen time. She begins as a virgin, but afterwards becomes aggressive with her sexuality. She is the one that comes on to Mike, frankly stating her desire for him. After her date with Mark, she explains to her friend that she made the first move and she made the second move only to embarrass herself after he left. At the conclusion of the film, she knows exactly what she wants, which is romance and she has it with Mark.
While Fast Times at Ridgemont High focuses on sex, Clueless maintains image as its main theme. This holds close to the Lacanian approach to feminism, which emphasizes the mirror stage of Freudian theory. The theory explains that a child has an inflated sense of themselves after they see their image in the mirror. Throughout the movie, Cher is seen grooming herself appropriately in a mirror. The first thing she does on her date is look in the side view mirror. However, she claims at one point that she does not rely on mirrors and instead trusts Polariods. This is interesting in that it brings back her paradoxical characteristics. Cher certainly relies on her image, but perhaps it is a sense of insecurity that dissuades her from trusting the mirror.
Amy Heckerling devises alternative views of the female role in society in her films. It comes as no surprise that it takes a female director to point out the gender roles of society which breach into ridiculousness. Hence, it makes perfect sense that she chose comedy as the medium in both films.
