April Blum on Clueless

I think there's so much to take away from any piece of artwork, and everyone sees things differently and creates different meanings that relate the most to them.

This month, I was running behind with my monthly interview!! Luckily, April stepped in and immediately said yes when I asked if I could interview her on one of the films I covered in May. April's work is so unbelievably stunning that I am in awe every time I look at her Instagram account, @aprilblumphoto, where she shares her work.

April has countless photos on her account that look like they were taken straight from a magazine advertisement. However, April's lifestyle photos, like a black-and-white image of a horse or a flock of turkeys, are equally stunning. I always admire artists who allow themselves to step out of the box instead of pigeonholing themselves to one thing, and when someone can do multiple styles as well as April can, I find it especially impressive.

Side by Side photos by April Blum from her Instagram: @aprilblumphoto

While April's expertise is in photography, she's also incredibly passionate about film, which is why I am so grateful she spoke to me this month, especially on such short notice!!! Without further ado, here is my discussion with April on the 90s classic Clueless.

Hi April! Can you introduce yourself to Movie Mondays subscribers and tell us about your career and passions?

Before I get started, I just want to say how honored I am to be talking with you for Movie Mondays! My name is April. I'm a photographer based in the tri-state area. When I'm not on set, you can find me at my local pottery studio, throwing something cylindrical on the wheel.

I love your photography so much. I'm blown away just scrolling through your Instagram feed right now. Who would you say is your biggest inspiration, and how do you channel them in your work?

Thank you so much! Oh boy, there are so many people who inspire me in my day-to-day life, but if I had to pick one person who I look to as an inspiration for my art, it would have to be Richard Avedon. He's a pioneer, and I've always been drawn to his portraits; they're beautiful and evocative. One of my favorite quotes about his work is when he said, "My photographs don't go below the surface. They don't go below anything. They're readings of the surface. I have great faith in surfaces." What I love about this is how much deeper those words are than the surface they present.

You have to read between the lines. I think there's so much to take away from any piece of artwork, and everyone sees things differently and creates different meanings that relate the most to them. I always think about this quote when I'm creating my own work; my photos tend to come from whatever most recently inspired me. Whether that's a new book I've read, something I walked past in the city, a film, or a song, I try to create a surface-level image based on my inspiration for the shoot that my audience has to read between the lines to figure out for themselves.

As a photographer, how do you connect to the visual aspects of films, like directing and cinematography? Is there a recent film you've seen that you felt especially moved by its visuals?

I absolutely love film and television. I think you can get away with a lackluster plot as long as the visuals are stunning, and that includes everything from set design to costume design to lighting design. It all has to fit together seamlessly to create a micro-environment that sucks you into whatever you're watching. I recently saw the film Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, and was absolutely blown away by the visuals. Against popular opinion and overall rave reviews of the film, I didn't love the plot. What really made the movie memorable for me were the visual choices Luca made -- they enhanced the story far beyond the dialogue.

Not only was the cinematography beautiful, but the use of hair/makeup and costume design helped the audience decipher which era of the character's lives we were watching. The sweat was its own character, and a LOT was said with detailed shots of physical gestures and eye contact. It's a film you really have to read between the lines to fully understand. I also loved the experimental camera angles, the tennis ball POV was something I haven't seen before. The soundtrack wrapped all these visuals up together with a perfect bow on top.

“My photographs don't go below the surface. They don't go below anything. They're readings of the surface. I have great faith in surfaces.”-Richard Avedon.

Getting into the movie, why did you choose to discuss Clueless?

Clueless is such an iconic movie. I absolutely love it and it's been such an iconic part of pop culture and my personal life for as far back as I can remember! Also -- Paul Rudd looks exactly the same today as he does in the movie. I'll have whatever he's having.

One of my favorite aspects of Clueless (and what I assume most people think of when it comes to the movie) is Cher's style. How do you think her fashion adds to the film's appeal and to her as a character?

Cher's style is, for lack of any better-suited word, iconic. How many times has her all-yellow matching plaid outfit been referenced in pop culture? How many times have people dressed in that same outfit for Halloween since 1995? Even if you've never seen the movie, you know what she was wearing when she screams the line of the '90s: "as if!". I grew up in a different era of style than Cher was wearing during the film (shoutout to mid-2000s fashion girlies), but what I love so much about her outfits is how much of a time capsule of the mid-90s they've become. Her fashion highlights her as the main character but also enhances her personality, not just subtly but also in how she talks about her clothes throughout the film.

Do you have a favorite outfit from the movie?

There are so many amazing outfits from the movie but I think the red Alaia dress has to be my favorite! It's made such an iconic movie poster, whenever Clueless comes up in conversation the image of Cher in that dress, cell phone in hand with her white fluffy coat on always comes to mind.

Clueless was famously based on Jane Austen's novel, Emma. Have you read the book, or are you familiar with the story? If so, do you think Amy Heckerling did a good job translating the story into a 90s rom-com?

I love that this era of teen rom-com films is based on the classics. Similarly to 10 Things I Hate About You, another 90s rom-com, it does such a fun job taking a well-known story and translating it to something relatable for its modern-day audience. I love how now, in the 2020s, we're having a mini-renaissance of this same type of adaptation (recently with Anyone But You), and I hope more classics are adapted!