Letters To Cleo Slated For Ten Things I Hate About You

In what sounds like a flashback to the music- filled '80s films of teen auteur John Hughes (Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink), Ten Things I Hate About You will highlight bands familiar to the under-21 set in the film's plot and soundtrack. The first two sign-ons are Letters to Cleo and Save Ferris.

Directed by TV veteran Gil Junger, who was Emmy- nominated for Ellen's coming-out episode, the romantic teen comedy is a contemporary version of Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew and stars 3rd Rock from the Sun's Joseph Gordon- Levitt and Veronica's Closet's Daryl "Chill" Mitchell

Currently shooting on location in Seattle, the Touchstone film is tentatively scheduled to open in early 1999. Save Ferris' ska/ pop/ swing rhythms are spotlighted in a high school prom scene, which features two new tunes, "I Know" and "Can't Stop." During one of those numbers, the septet, who shot their scenes during a two-day break from the Vans Warped Tour, is joined onstage by Letters to Cleo's Kay Hanley. She and her Boston bandmates also appear in a nightclub scene and, at this time, are slotted to sing the film's end track, which runs over the closing credits, according to the film's spokesperson.

Letters to Cleo and Save Ferris were recruited after the teen cast submitted their musical guest wish list to Junger and music supervisor Ralph Sall, who also were considering the two young bands. "The music is a character [in the movie], so often teens define themselves by music," says the film's spokeswoman. She also says more bands will be added to the film lineup. The soundtrack roster and label distribution haven't been determined.