Editor’s Note: This review was originally in the March 15 “Catching You UP” newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

“Heathers” (1989) directed by Michael Lehmann is a fantastic film. Especially during Women’s History Month, I had to return to the 80’s black comedy teen film that showcases women in their preppy, murder-y, and poetic glory.

“Heathers” focuses on a clique of four women who rule the school: Heather Chandler (Kim Walker), Heather Duke (Shannen Doherty), Heather McNamara (Lisanne Falk), and Veronica Sawyer (Winona Ryder). Their “happy” life of asking people survey questions is interrupted by the gun-toting trench-coat-wearing bad boy J.D. (Christian Slater), who grabs Veronica’s attention. Later there’s murder.

This movie has fantastic one-liners, such as “If you want to fuck with the eagles, you better learn how to fly,” “Fuck me gently with a chainsaw,” “Call me when the shuttle lands,” and “Did you eat a brain tumor for breakfast?” With the “eagles” quote practically opening the movie, you know you’re in for a ride.

The movie’s color design is gorgeous. Each character has a specific palette that defines them, with H. Chandler is red, H. Duke is green, H. McNamara is yellow, and Veronica is blue. These palettes are mainly used in the beautifully 80s costumes and the lighting design. They are also used as symbols, as H. Chandler’s red scrunchie signifies power. One of the best examples of the color design is at a college party that H. Chandler & Veronica go to, where Veronica starts a fire in a red room while H. Chandler is displaying her internal anger in a blue room.

The soundtrack also fits the teen angst aesthetic, with the beats of the tracks fitting the energy of the scene and not detracting from it. The song “Teenage Suicide (Don’t Do It),” which was written for the film, embodies the humor of the film as to how the world uses an upbeat 80s jam, or later in the movie- a pep rally, to cover-up the serious problem of teenage suicide.

The editing of the sequences is also fantastic. One of my favorite sequences takes place right after the college party that H. Chandler & Veronica go to, where their argument is placed between a fire growing and Veronica’s later diary entry, which she writes wearing a monocle of course.

Besides the mean Heathers, the movie also showcases why female friendships are important, with Veronica’s best friend Betty Finn (Renée Estevez), her reconciliation with H. McNamara after her suicide attempt, and with Martha “Dumptruck” Dunnstock (Carrie Lynn). All the women in the movie are endlessly complex, with each character being more than their archetype. You get more than just “mean” with the mean girls, they have souls too.

“Heathers” captures the teen angst of high schoolers, the uselessness of parents who just don’t understand, why complex female characters matter, and the flair of the 80s. Truly the teen movie to, literally, end them all.

Marcy Wilder is the web editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet her @MarcyJWilder.