The summer of 1992 saw the release of many future classics, including Batman Returns, Unforgiven, Deep Cover, The Player, A League Of Their Own, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. It was also the summer that debuted a little movie called Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Directed by Fran Rubel Kuzui, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was based on an original screenplay by an up-and-coming writer named Joss Whedon. The young adult action-horror-comedy failed to take off at the box office, and critics were not kind to the silly spin on classic movie monsters and “valley girl” comedies.

The film starred Kristy Swanson as the titular heroine, a high school senior in Los Angeles who discovers that she’s the latest in a line of “slayers,” destined to defend the world from various demons, ghouls, and vampires. Buffy Summers is taught the art of combat by her mentor, Merrick Jamison-Smythe (Donald Sutherland), who trains her to face off against a hoard of vampires led by the enigmatic Lothos (Rutger Hauer). If this all sounds a little familiar, it’s because Whedon’s television series of the same name would become a cult phenomenon when it began airing on television five years later.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer-Kristy Swanson

The series adaptation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer became the defining fictional universe for an entire generation. In addition to the complex mythology of the “Hellmouth” and the heroes known as “The Scooby Gang,” Buffy the Vampire Slayer was initially praised for its sensitive depiction of adolescence, young love, and female empowerment. The series frequently took bold narrative risks, and turned individual episodes into musicals (“Once More, With Feeling”), Lynchian thrillers (“Restless”), stripped-down dramas (“The Body”), and psychological horror-thrillers (“Hush”). The series attracted a loyal online fan base that became active on early social networking sites.

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However, the legacy of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is under more skepticism than ever before, following an extended controversy over Whedon’s alleged misconduct on the set of Justice League. Following reports from many cast members of abuse during both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff series, Angel, many fans questioned their dedication to a world that’s long been singularly defined by Whedon. Since the inception of the “Buffyverse,” Whedon has held strict control over what is considered “canon.” He’s never been fond of the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer film, due to its alterations to his script; he famously walked off of the film’s set.

Buffy-Kristy Swanson

Buffy the Vampire Slayer has never belonged just to Whedon. It’s defined by the work of Sarah Michelle Gellar, the show’s cast and crew, the loyal fans, and everyone who was inspired by Buffy’s story. No small part of that legacy belongs to the team behind the original film. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie is nothing like what Whedon intended, and that’s a good thing. Whedon has claimed that the series was intended to subvert horror and high school comedy movie genre archetypes with a more sensitive depiction of its characters. Ironically, the film is attacking the exact same clichés; it’s just that it does it in a completely satirical way.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer revels in its campiness. While Whedon felt that he was “above” vintage monster movie tropes and high school comedies, the film has fun acknowledging that these silly stories were in need of a modern update. While Whedon demanded to be taken seriously, the film was able to respect Buffy without completely dismissing the genres that inspired her. The visual effects and makeup are cheesy, the romantic scenes are melodramatic, and the mythology makes absolutely no sense, but there’s nothing about the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie that isn’t self-aware.

In terms of those who should be given credit for their contributions to the legacy of Buffy, Kristy Swanson is hardly given enough respect. Swanson’s performance is more complex than it may seem. Swanson has fun leaning into the eccentricities of the “Valley Girl,” and displays a casual disinterest in ditching the L.A. social scene for a life dedicated to fighting demons. However, Swanson’s Buffy is able to do something that Whedon’s version never could: she gets it both ways. Buffy gets to kick butt fighting vampires, but she also gets to have a steamy romance with her senior year crush, Oliver Pike (the late great Luke Perry).

Buffy the Vampire Slayer-Luke Perry Kristy Swanson

One of the reasons the film has largely been dismissed by fans of the series is that it includes early versions of characters that clearly inspired the show’s central cast. Lothos is hardly a nuanced character on the level of Angel (David Boreanaz) or Spike (James Marsters), but for the purposes of a standalone campy adventure, he’s funny and scary enough. Rutger was renowned for his ability to elevate B-movies, so he was perfectly cast. Sutherland is clearly a rough draft of Anthony Stewart Head’s Rupert Giles, but he actually got to define the character beyond Whedon’s original concept. Whedon was reportedly furious at Sutherland for improvising lines, and expanding his characterization beyond what was in the script.

If there’s any character in the film that feels completely absent from the series, it's Perry’s version of Buffy’s love interest. Of all the aspects of the series that have aged poorly given the revelations about Whedon, the depiction of teenage sexuality falls close to the top. Buffy and Pike's relationship is hardly complex, but it’s earnest and respectful. Pike doesn’t treat Buffy as less than what she is worth, and comes to her aid without having to “rescue” her. Ironically, this simple depiction of a normal high school romance has aged better than any of the “elevated” storylines from the series. Seriously, Pike riding his motorcycle to the school dance to help Buffy battle the vampire Amilyn (Paul Reubens)? That’s the definition of cool.

The battle in the Hemery High School gym personifies everything that makes the film work. Buffy and Pike trade snappy one-liners, but quips like, “It's a stupid dance, with stupid people I see every stupid day!” don’t feel particularly “Whedon-esque.” They’re not condescending or etched in popular culture references, as so much of Whedon’s dialogue often is. The fight choreography is silly, and there’s room for humor, including the particularly amusing extended death of Amilyn. Buffy earns her legacy as a hero, but she also gets to have fun.

On its 30th anniversary, Buffy the Vampire Slayer deserves to be remembered as a silly B-movie sendup that’s fun for a casual Friday night viewing with friends. However, given the more complex analysis of the “Buffyverse” in recent years, the film has transcended into a more important cultural moment that should be recognized. Now is a better time than ever before to honor the legacy of Buffy that doesn’t belong to Whedon.