Back to School Blogathon

Hey there! I'm taking part in another movie blogathon: Back to School hosted by Wendell of Dell on Movies. Basically you're suppose to fill the class with characters from movies in school archetypes such as jock, class clown, troubled youth and so forth. So head down to his blog, check out the rules and create your own class.

I think I've switched around characters and movies at least several times over for each of the archetype before settling with the below. Plus I'm going for an all female route which can be pretty challenging for certain archetype which you will soon see.

So take your seats. Class is now in session.

Headmistress - Mrs Appleyard from Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)

Proprietress and headmistress of Appleyard College for girls, she is a severe authority figure demanding obedience from students and staff alike. She is especially cruel to the quiet orphan, Sarah, whose guardian has fallen late on school fees. Trouble in store for Mrs Appleyard is not slipping academic grades or teen delinquency, but 3 students and a teacher disappearing after a picnic at Hanging Rock.

Teacher - Miss G from Cracks (2009)

I guess the first thought when picking this archetype was an inspirational teacher, in the end I thought why not flip it and feature a bad one. Swim teacher of an all girls boarding school, Miss G is young, pretty, exudes glamour and charms her students with romantic tales of adventure. Her impressionable students all adore her; except for the worldly new foreign student who sees past her fictitious tales. Miss G who loves adoration, craves attention from the new girl and soon begins obsessing over her.

Star Student/Nerd - Hermione Granger from Harry Potter (2001-2011)

I honestly couldn't find anyone better to fit this archetype. She's extremely bookish and was after all a star student at Hogwarts.

Jock - Kat Stratford from 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

So I had a hard time finding a character to fill this archetype. The girl jocks that immediately came to mind were playing sports outside of school (Whip It, Bend It Like Beckham) which didn't really fit with this blogathon. Why aren't school set movies not featuring more major female characters that are jocks? I mentally went through all the movies I watched and finally found feisty Kat. Remember that scene when Patrick serenade her during her soccer practice.

 

Class Bully - Regina George from Mean Girls (2004)

Almost picked Heather Chandler but as Regina had much more screen time and therefore we saw more of her meanness and manipulations I ended picking Queen Bee Regina. By the way is 4 the magic number for mean girl cliques?

Popular Girl - Cher from Clueless (1995)

Seems like a lot movies usually feature popular girls to be also meanies. Pretty, rich and popular Cher may be incredibly spoiled and selfish, but she is generally good natured. She wants people around her to be happy because it makes her her happy and uses her wit and charm to match make her teachers and friends.

Invisible/Unpopular Girl - Melinda Sordino from Speak (2004)

After being accused of sabotaging a party during the summer when she tried to call the cops, Melinda enters freshman year an outcast. When she is not ignored by her peers, they taunt her and call her "squealer". Kristen Stewart's awkwardness really works in this movie as a girl trying to communicate after a traumatic experience.

Class Clown - Jan from Grease (1978)
This was another archetype which was hard to fill. I couldn't think of anyone until I finally remembered Jan the goofy one in the Pink Ladies in Grease. She had the really short fringe and was always in pig tails. The joker of the girls, she doesn't seem to mind being silly for fun. Remember the toothpaste commercial at the sleepover.

Troubled Youth - Precious from Precious (2009)

Poor, overweight, illiterate, abused by her parents, already a mother herself at sixteen and expecting a second child, Precious is one of the most troubled youth we've seen on screens the past few years.


So that's it. Class is over. I hope it's been educational.