The controversy that surrounds the transformation between Clueless directed by Amy.
Heckerling and Emma by Jane Austen is immense. Critics argue that Clueless is a.
"dumbing down" of Emma, reducing a timeless classic to a degrading, superficial and.
hardly distinguishable adaptation, taking away from it's historical, cultural and social.
significance. I feel that Heckerling has turned this classic into not only a multi layered.
social and cultural commentary in relation to our context but has added an extra.
dimension by using film as her text base. During Austen's day film was non-existent.
and the written word was the only form of text. It was a time where compulsory.
education wasn't present and books were expensive to purchase and hence her target.
audience were people of a middle class who could afford her writings. As technology.
has evolved to the present day, film has become an influential part of society. Clueless.
has the ability to appeal to a wider audience than Austens. Today, film is easily.
accessible and in many cases more understandable than the written word; this is the.
extra dimension that Heckerling has successfully added. In Emma, Austen observes the.
cultural norms of her time and uses satire and irony to ridicule what she saw as.
shameful and superficial. These narrative techniques are powerful in portraying her.
opinions. Heckerlings cinematic techniques such as voice over in parallel to Austens.
authorial comment have given her the ability to exploit the same.
The film is set in Beverley Hills, transforming the social classes of Emma's time into.
social groups at Bronson Alcott High School. As Cher points out to her protege Tai, the.
loadies, the crew and the persian mafia are a few of these divisions. "And there's Elton.
and the most popular boys in the school. If you are going to date a high school boy,.
these are the only acceptable ones." In the modern world of today, where politics has.
