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justin hall february 18, 1998 film: form and signification t. kaori kitao
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sequence analysis:
clueless
Cher, the young woman protagonist of the film and her best friend Dionne are in physical education class when a new student, Tai, is introduced to the school. They decide to take her in and show her the ropes. After class they give her a social tour of the campus along the main outdoor stretch of pathway.This comes after some matchmaking by Cher has created a new romantic relationship between two professors - she is feeling excited by "good works" and wants to use her popularity "to help humanity." We are approximately one quarter into the movie.
script by paul, see below
SEQUENCE I. Courtside
| 1 |
steady pan L across high school girls at tennis courtside camera tightens in as it moves - first knees to head finishing with a waist shot with cheerleaders behind cyclone fence in BG end on Dionne and Cher, Dionne sneezes
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CHER V.O.: I felt so satisfied, I wanted to do more good deeds. (Dionne sneezes) CHER: Dee, when your allergies act up, take out your nose-ring. |
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| 2 | distance shot of unknown girl with coach L FG hitting ball then walking towards high school girls in BG, coach calls to Cher |
MISS STOEGER: Follow... through! There you go, there you go. All right, Cher. Earth to Cher! Come in Cher! |
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| 3 |
cut to girls, Cher and Dionne and Amber from the L end of the along the fence line up of shot 1. knees to head voice over coach calling |
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| 4 |
head to toe shot coach exasperated calling
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| 5 |
cut back to 3, Cher hands cell phone caddy to Dionne camera pans L with Cher walking L towards coach camera bends down with her en route as she picks up racquet she turns her back to the coach and addresses the camera knees to head |
CHER: Oh. Miss Stoeger? I would just like to say that physical education in this school is a disgrace. I mean, standing in line for forty minutes is hardly aerobically effective. I doubt I've worked off the calories in a stick of care-free gum.
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| 6 |
distance shot of girls line clapping at Cher's remark.
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(Class cheers) |
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| 7 |
back to end of shot 5, Cher and coach coach orders Cher
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MISS STOEGER: Well, you certainly exercised your mouth Cher. Now, hit the ball. |
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| 8 |
cut to ball machine medium length shot, it shoots
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| 9 |
head shot of Cher ball flies by her face she makes a lawsuit comment
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(Ball flies by, inches from Cher's nose) CHER: Miss Stoeger, that machine is just a lawsuit waiting to happen! |
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| 10 |
cut to head shot of coach saying thanks for legal advice
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MISS STOEGER : Thanks for the legal advice. |
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| 11 |
return to scene 9, Cher turns and walks R |
(Cher returns to line) |
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| 12 |
return to shot 10, coach calls for Dionne |
MISS STOEGER: Dionne? You're up. |
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| 13 |
return to shot 3, without Cher Dionne takes out a note excusing her from participation girls in BG behind cyclone fencing do cheerleading jumps and arms in the air Cher comes in from L |
DIONNE: Uh, no, Miss Stoeger? I have a note from my tennis instructor, and he would prefer it if I didn't expose myself to any training that might derail his teachings. |
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| 14 |
return to 10, coach replies, fine, calls for Amber |
MISS STOEGER: Fine! Amber? |
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| 15 |
return to shot 3, Cher Dionne Amber, Amber excuses herself from tennis because of plastic surgery Dionne makes witty rejoinder. |
AMBER: Miss Stoeger. My plastic surgeon doesn't want me doing any activity where balls fly at my nose. DIONNE: Well, there goes your social life. |
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| 16 |
return to shot 10, coach, sighs. |
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| 17 |
voice off screen invites camera to cut to principal walking R to L camera tracks along with him, he's center frame, oddly dressed girl is in R side of frame he walks to meet coach, L, new student is behind him he addresses the crowd introducing Tai
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(Girls giggle. Principal walks onto the scene) PRINCIPAL: Miss Stoeger? Got another one. Ladies, we have a new student with us. This is Tai Frasier. |
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| 18 |
shot like shot 3 except now back a little, shoes to head shot, Cher Dionne and Amber flanked by two other girls 5 total girls in frame, leaning against the fence regarding the new girl
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| 19 |
return to the end of shot 17, minus principal coach directs Tai to play as she is
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MISS STOEGER: Tai, you don't have time to change, but you could hit a few balls in those clothes. |
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| 20 |
return to shot 18, Amber says mean thing
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AMBER: She could be a farmer in those clothes. |
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| 21 |
close up of Cher and Dionne with thrusting cheerleaders BG behind cyclone fence
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CHER: Dee, my mission is clear. Would you look at that girl? She is so adorably clueless. We have got to adopt her. |
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| 22 |
foot to head vertical pan of Tai clutching her notebook, self conscious same cyclone fence behind her, no cheerleaders voice over Cher and Dionne
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DIONNE: Cher, she is toe-up. Our stock would plummet. CHER: Dee, don't you want to use your popularity for a good cause? DIONNE: No. |
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| 23 |
same as shot 21 Cher invites Tai over
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CHER: (Motions to Tai) C'mere. Yeah, c'mere. |
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| 24 |
return to the end of 22, head shot of Tai, moves R out of frame |
TAI: Oh, thank you. |
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| 25 |
like 21, two girls, but back further - knees to head shot Tai enters from L Cher invites her to hang |
CHER: (Motions to Tai) Hang with us. |
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| 26 |
same as 21 Cher makes pleasant conversation |
CHER: How do you like California? |
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| 27 |
head shot of Tai L in frame, behind cyclone fence in the distance runners on a track far BG Tai says she is having a hard time and wants some drugs |
TAI: Man, I am freakin'. I could really use some sort of a herbal refreshment? |
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| 28 |
return to shot 25, Dionne checks her beeper misses the drug reference, offers coke instead of tea Tai thinks she means cocaine |
DIONNE: Well, we do lunch in ten minutes. We don't have any tea, but we have Coke and stuff. TAI: No shit! You guys got Coke here? DIONNE: Well, yeah. CHER: Yeah, this is America. |
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| 29 |
return to 27, Tai is laughing, incredulous |
SEQUENCE II. Promenade
| 1 |
camera moving L to R and forward through crowd of students headed towards camera students first head L off camera, then R camera rises a little towards their faces when they get close then back down voice over Cher decided to show Tai around |
(Scene changes to the girls walking down main path) "Unknown song and artist" CHER V.O.: So, we decided to show Tai the ropes at Bronson Alcott High School. |
| 2 |
shot of school tv station staff in grass off path L camera from above down on them moves L to R and tightens in over over Cher |
CHER: That is Alana's group over there. They do the T.V. station. |
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knees to head shot three girls Tai L, Cher center, Dionne R with school facade behind camera tracks backwards at same speed as them walking students pass by behind Cher is speaking |
CHER: They think that's the most important thing on Earth. |
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Persian mafia camera move R to L along path tracking some slick looking dudes on a bench and standing talking leafy trees BG |
CHER: And that's the Persian mafia. You can't hang with them unless you own a BMW. |
| 5 |
camera tracks R to L, getting closer scene R homeboys sitting on a bench back slick looking elton on a cell phone, scene L buildings behind trees, BG |
CHER: And there's Elton in the white vest, and all the most popular boys in the school. |
| 6 |
return to shot 3, girls walking long take two pairs of students walk along behind, random students walk across the path in BG Dionne points offscreen to R, talking about her boyfriend Murray (doesn't quite mesh with scene 5: R to L tracking in that scene implies the most popular boys are on the other side of the path) Murray enters R, camera pulls back for him asking Dionne for 5 bucks |
DIONNE: Including my boyfriend. Ain't he cute? TAI: Yeah. CHER: If you make the decision to date a high school boy, they are the only acceptable ones. TAI: Cher, which one of them is your boyfriend? CHER: As if! DIONNE: Cher's got attitude about high school boys. CHER: It's a personal choice every woman has got to make for herself. (Murray approaches the girls) MURRAY (to Dionne) Woman, lend me five dollars. DIONNE: Murray, I have asked you repeatedly not to call me Woman! |
| 7 |
head shot of Murray talking with Dionne 1/4 her face visible, frontal shot of Murray students in BG he defends his verbiage, sticks out his tongue, leaves L Dionne's head turns CW towards us smiling broadly |
MURRAY: Excuse me, Miss Dionne. DIONNE: Thank you. MURRAY : OK, but street slang is an increasingly valid form of expression. Most of the feminine pronouns do have mocking, but not necessarily in a misogynistic undertone. (Murray hops away) |
| 8 |
head shot Tai and Cher 1/4 Cher's head visible, frontal Tai tai comments on mature talk Cher praises the school |
TAI: Wow! You guys talk like grown-ups. CHER: Oh, well, this is a really good school. |
| 9 |
return to 7, head shot of Dionne center tilted head nodding at Cher |
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| 10 |
return to 8, Tai announces a soda purchase, leaves R Cher turns CCW towards us, frame centers on her |
TAI: I'm gonna go get a soda. You guys want? CHER: Sure. TAI: Alright. |
| 11 |
return to 9, Dionne pronouces Tai nice |
DIONNE: She's nice. |
| 12 |
Cher squeals, leaves toward camera screen R |
CHER: Oooh, project! |
Many thanks to Paul for his labour of love, repeatedly watching the movie and typing in the entire Clueless script online, with pictures. Truly a devoted fan!My use of his script begins at his notation "SCENE XIV - SCHOOL P.E."
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