H is for Heathers...

There are so many great fictional H characters: Harry, Hermoine, Helen. But when it comes to influences in my YA life, I can’t deny the Heathers. I saw this movie so many times in high school, I actually could recite whole scenes verbatim. My HS radio station even did a radio play version (with a lot of editing, obviously) where I got to be Veronica and it was one of the most fun things I ever did on the radio. 

Basic plot: Bad boy Slater moves into town, starts dating Winona Ryder, and the two of them end up killing a couple of popular people (accidentally, sort of). It’s not Natural Born Killers crazy, more a dark comedy about the cost of popularity. This movie did mean girls before anyone was talking about them. It did Columbine before anyone could even consider something like that happening. It turned issues like date rape and bulimia into a punch line but still managed to get the message across about how every teenager is seeking love and acceptance.

Added bonuses: croquet (“I get to be red”), paté (“Great paté but I gotta motor if I’m gonna get to this funeral on time”), and Hot Probs the radio program (total inspiration for my WIP RADIO STATIONS ARE FOR LOSERS).

Favorite Heathers quotes:

“This is Ohio. If you don’t have a brewski in your hand, you might as well be wearing a dress.”

Veronica: No, my life’s not perfect…I don’t really like my friends.

JD: Yeah…I don’t really like your friends either.

“It’s one thing to want someone out of your life, but it’s another thing to serve them a wake-up cup full of Liquid Draino”

“Our love is God, let’s go get a slushie.”

“My teenage angst bullshit has a body count.”