This is a movie that should never be remade, rebooted or have a sequel. It spoke to my generation back in the day, and continues to to every generation since.
Hello there. GenXer here. I was 13 years old when this film was released. You have no idea how important and impactful the film was on my generation. Filmmaker John Hughes touched a nerve and showed everyone what’s it like to be a teenager in the middle of Ronald Regan’s America. The 1980’s was seriously a different time than any other decade. Now I’m a 50 year old man with a kid, and when he becomes a teenager, I’ll be showing him this film and explaining to him what life was like then and how it will relates to him. The Breakfast Club has stood the test the time, and so has the soundtrack. It’s a time capsule that captures the 80’s perfectly, but it shows us how universal it is at the same time. I’m glad you enjoyed the movie.
I watched a documentary on this movie and heard they hated each other. Hughes suggested going record shopping and Ringwald and Hall found out they liked the same type of music. They then become friends.
How my mother saw me: Clare - because that's what she was when she was a teen; How my father saw me: Andrew - he was addicted to idea that I was a star athlete; How my brother saw me: Brian - socially awkward and easy to taunt; How I saw myself: Bender - need I say more? How everyone else saw me: Allison - the mysterious person you talk ABOUT but never talk WITH. They're all 5 dimensions of the same person.
This movie is the most accurate representation of high school any movie has ever done. Bender spends the whole movie abusing Claire, gets her in the end. Andrew gets a single detention despite brutally assaulting someone because he's a star athlete, also gets the girl in the end. Brian does all the work for everyone, other kids admit they won't be his friend come Monday, and is the only one who goes home single still.
Brian gets the high paying job and the trophy wife (probably Claire), Bender ends up dead before 30, Andrew hurts himself early in his sports career and ends up a janitor.
I graduated in 1984. The movie was released in 1985. It almost felt like a documentary. Everyone who was a teen who watched it felt like it changed them in some profound way.
The scene where they are all sitting in a circle is just GOD tier acting. When Anthony Michael Hall (Brian) starts crying - that's it, it's over for me.
I read where that scene was all completely ad-libbed. The director asked each of the actors to tell their stories how they felt their character got detention. They let the cameras roll.
This movie plus The Outsiders, St Elmo's Fire, Pretty In Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful and Ferris Bueller's Day Off were my favourites of that period. John Hughes was a genius.. Hard to believe he passed away almost 12 years ago.
St Elmos fire is awful. This movie is awful. Bad acting, terrible script, woefully miscast. The only good thing about this movie is the often parodied Simple Minds bit at the end. Ferris Bueller is in a different league. John Hughes is so not a genius. His teenage protagonists, with the exception of Ferris Bueller, are so unlikable and badly written
@@paulinegallagher7821 I agree St. Elmo's Fire is awful, which is why it's not nearly as big a name as this movie. But the Breakfast Club is pretty good, I wouldn't say it's one of the best movies ever made, but it might be the best high school movie ever made, possibly. I saw it nearly 20 years after it came out when I was in high school, and it still felt pretty spot on, outside of some of the 80s slang. That's gotta be saying something! Seems many others feel the same way
Fun Facts about this movie: - Emilio Estevez was originally going to play Bender, but they couldn't find someone to play Andrew so he switched to Andrew and Judd Nelson was cast as Bender. - In the opening you can see the Custodian's face in the plaque as a former "Man of the Year" student in like 1968.
Fun Facts part 2: John Hughes wanted Molly Ringwald to play Allison but she convinced him to let her play “the princess”. Also Molly & Anthony Michael Hall were the only ones who were actual teenagers (16). The rest were in their 20s. AMH had a growth spurt during filming & ended up taller than Judd & Emilo. U can see his size in the seen where the three guys are like dance walking together. AMH grew up to b 6’1
@@charlescallen460 There was something about the tape story too, either EE came up with it to replace the original one or he used that part of the script to convince Hughes to let him play Andrew.
I think Bender uses an offense as a defense which is why he pushes everyone's buttons. Every other kid has the typical emotional wall they've built around themselves. So its perhaps a blessing they all met Bender so he could break their walls
When Andy asked, “Oh, my God, are we gonna turn out like our parents?”, and Claire said, “Not me…ever.”, Bender gave a nod indicating “Yeah, right.” He had already started becoming his father.
The station wagon who drops off the GEEK kid, The mother is actually His REAL mother and the little girl is actually his real little sister. At the end of the movie the Father who picks up the geek is the writer director of this Movie.
@@eatsmylifeYT An asshole like that can't see a "geek" as an individual human being worthy of a name. The message of the film goes right over his head.
All of them were expected to come up with their character’s reason for detention(minus Claire and Bender), and when Ally Sheedy said she “didn’t have anything better to do”, those were genuine laughs.
I think she lied about that. Remember, she was a compulsive liar. I think she stole. She stole Bender’s knife and padlock, as well as Brian’s wallet. She even stole Andy’s patch off his letterman jacket while he was still wearing it. Also, if she wasn’t supposed to be there, why did the vice principal have 5 sheets of paper for essays?
One of the details that I really like about this film is the unspoken bond between Bender and Allison. Aside from Bender going after Claire after her lipstick trick, they were never at odds and had empathy for each other because of their similar upbringings. They came from broken homes, Allison is ignored and Bender is abused.
@@spacetofu19e too, she wasn’t proud of who she was or content, she was hiding herself, wouldn’t talk to anyone. She doesn’t even get that big of a make-over she just put on a little bit. It honestly brings out her natural beauty. And even Andrew says “I can see your face”, she’s not hiding behind it anymore. And let’s not forget she clearly wanted to be like this, she always had on that pink top underneath all that black. I think she envied Claire a lot, I think that’s why she lashed out when Claire was talking about who she would live with if her parents divorced, she was probably thrilled that finally something wasn’t perfect about her.
When Bender tells Allison "I've seen you before" when they first arrive in the library, to me shows that Allison felt recognized for the first time since she's always ignored by everyone.
@@mintjulius275 I get a different message there. The makeover itself wasn't the point. Clair needed a chance to showcase her skill outside her social circle and Allison gave her that chance. At the same time, Allison needed someone to breakdown the rest of her barriers and she needed confirmation she could trust someone. So, they both completed each other's character arc. The other 3 arcs are that Andrew learns to empathize with those less powerful and popular than himself, Brian finally learns to talk down the adults in his life beginning with the succinct, heavy-handed essay at the end, and Bender used his crudeness and aggression to inspire everyone else to figure themselves and each other out. Vernon is what the teens would become if they failed in all those areas: pugnacious like Bender, stuck-up like Clair, insensitive like Andrew, reclusive like Allison, and taking life too seriously like Brian. The janitor is the opposite.
In my eyes, Molly Ringwald walked on water when I was a teenager. Every excruciating thing a teen girl could go through she acted it out brilliantly. From the rich girl with all the breaks to the poor girl struggling to fit it. 80s teen actors to an incredible job of portraying teen angst! Thank You from a 80s kid😎🙏🏽
Cass: Is detention a real thing? Me: WHAT? Cass: I got along with my parents? Me: That explains it. Yeah, detention is very much a thing, even in Canada. TRUST me. I know.
Well, where I'm from, detention doesn't exist. We had a meeting between the principal and parents, and if the fault was serious, we got expelled. Sometimes the teacher just didn't let us go to recess and keep us working on some class assigment, or if we break or ruin something, we had to repair or clean it But never after school hours, that's must be because no teacher wanted to do extra hours.
@@scipioafricanus5871 It was a definitely thing for me when I was in High School (then again it may vary from state to state, but it exists in South Florida). In fact Saturday Detention was more widely known as "Saturday School"(atleast at my school), because the only reason you'd be in School on a Saturday WAS for detention. You'd have to do something pretty bad to have Saturday School though, it wasn't something you'd get for doing something very minor.
I graduated high school in '74 and always felt it would have fit well just a couple of years after that. In the early 70's, Bender would probably have had a muscle car that was beat up but was mechanically good. The bright kid would have been into stuff like ham radio (we had kids that ran phone patches for guys in the Antarctic). The other three would have been exactly the same.
I brought a friend of mine to see this movie. When Allison admits that she's in detention because she had nothing better to do, my friend ended up laughing so much she was actually rolling in the aisle. It was great.
That line “My home life is unsatisfying” Everyone’s home life is unsatisfying, if it wasn’t, you’d live with your parents forever” So true, and very true Me and my daughter laughed, because she lived at home off and on till she was 30 She loved it here apparently
Looking back, you realize that the reason Alison looks in the car window when she gets dropped off is because she's hoping someone will wave good-bye. Heartbreaking. A few other thoughts based on your comments: - The reason they never rat Bender out is because Vernon is a bigger enemy than Bender is. He represents all the strife and frustration the adults are putting them through, and that's one of the commonalities they bond over. - I think Bender torments Claire because he's jealous of her. She's been given everything and he has crap. Her parents spoil her; his abuse him. It infuriates him that she's whining about how bad she has it when he'd give anything for what she has. And I think the reason they get together is out of a desire to break free of the roles they're expected to play for their families and friends. Like Bender says in the closet, dating the bad boy would allow Claire to get back at her parents. - Also, in the DVD cast commentary, the actors point out that Brian is the one who leads the kids out of the school at the end, walking at the front of the pack. He doesn't get any of the girls, but he acts as the voice of the gang, and will likely go on to be a leader for his generation, such as a politician, executive, or scientist.
The reason they don't rat Bender out is that you just don't do that, period. You don't snitch to the teachers. It would be a complete embarrassment to be the one who did that. At least that was the prevailing attitude back then. I don't think that's really changed actually.
@@jakes3799 I don't think that was the reason. Bender was annoying both Andrew & Claire enough that they had all the reasons to snitch on Bender and turn him over to Vernon. While the kids sure did come from different Cliques, they were united by the fact that they all equally hated Vernon. In the Detention, the kids realized that they only had each other to count on.
@@ruturajshiralkar5566 It doesn't matter how much they hated Bender. Trust me. I grew up in the 80s and I'm telling you that you absolutely didn't snitch on a peer. It just wasn't done, period.
@@jakes3799 What if you hated them. Those BC kids had nothing in common. They never identified with each other atleast in the initial moments. I know the phrase "Snitches get Stitches" is true but that again happens when you Snitch on friends or mates (Team/Group). Those four were complete strangers. Had Vernon been a bit more decent then I'm sure atleast Andy & Claire wouldn't have missed a chance to Snitch on Bender.
"How do you apologize for something like that? There's no way." The sad thing is. He's 100% right. That kid he tortured would actively avoid Andrew for the rest of his time in the school or god forbid consider suicide because of the humiliation he felt from that incident. Best high school film ever. Bar none.
If he actually genuinely apologized and told him it would never happen again and he would also do what he could to stop anyone else from doing so, it would go a long way. It wouldn't erase what happened, but it's a helluva lot better than not apologizing and going on pretending like you didn't do anything to him.
Ally Sheedy was crush worthy back in the day. Ringwald not so much, I liked her hair and obvious talent, but I'd flirt nonstop with Ally, and hang out with Molly, crack a beer, whatever.
It's okay to not speak during this one: your face says enough. This is that kind of movie. Thanks for reacting to one of the best movies ever made. Sincerely, The Breakfast Club Club.
Bender was an inspiration to the Simpsons writers "Eat my shorts" became one of Bart's character phrases and the name sake of a certain robot in Futurama.
LOL! I was the exact same age. Remember they were calling this movie at the time a teenage version of "The Big Chill" (1983) which was a movie about Thirtysomethings.
@@katrinaleebaldwin4660 That's for damn sure. My principal actually shoved me across the room once just because the kid he was actually mad at was behind me and I was in the way. Nowadays, he'd probably go to jail for something like that.
@@coolhandluke3223 I meant my comment about teachers. I get it some kids are just horrible, but then you have teachers who see a kid and for whatever reason judge them and treat them like crap. The difference is that these are kids and as the adult you are supposed to model behavior they can look up to. Sorry, you don't get to have a "bad" day when people are trusting you with their child's life/future. Would we say to a doctor who screwed up and killed someone "oh, well she/he just was pushed to his limits and had a bad day?" Command respect in your classroom, but it doesn't give you the right to talk to them like they are trash. (off soapbox) This scene in BC always gets me so upset
"Parents and teens should watch this movie." That is very true. Yes, the generations and "trends" differ with time, but the human condition is the same. I adored my high school years, but yeah... some of these issues are STILL very real to teens.
I am 57 years old and this was one of the movies on my list to share with him. He is 29 and still experienced the same emotions about high school. Love from South Africa! ❣
I met John Hughes at a local bookstore about 2 years after this movie. I was a student filmmaker at Columbia at the time and anyone whose ever seen a photo of Hughes knows he’s instantly recognizable. To my surprise? He stood there for at least 15-20 minutes and talked to me about film making. Told me he had never been on a movie set before Sixteen candles and gave me perhaps the greatest advice anyone ever gave me about filmmaking which I’ll share here and this is a quote “ Don’t get caught up in the technical aspects of filmmaking. Everything begins and ends with the story. A movie can be poorly filmed but if the story is good the audience won’t notice and even better, won’t care”. I’ve shared this story with several colleagues who have worked on set with Hughes and they ALL comment that I caught him on a good day (he was notoriously aloof) but I’ll always be grateful to this icon for taking the time out of his day to stand there in a crowded bookstore to answer a students questions about his craft. RIP John and thank you ….
I always forget how much this movie hurts to watch until I watch it again. Brian’s summation to his essay is 100% accurate. It is possible for each of us to see a bit of ourselves in every other person. The pain we feel, the loneliness in our imagined aloneness, and the fear of sharing that certifies it. It was *the* movie of my high school years. You are awesome Love your channel
I grew up in the 80’s and this movie spoke to a generation. John Hughes was a master of interpretation when it came to the ‘80 teenage and this movie is the epitome of that genre of movies. John Hughes is a god of ‘80 teen cinema. The fact that it still relates today is a testament to to what a genius he was.
I was LITERALLY a senior in HS when this movie came out... EVERYONE my age loves loves loves this movie and everyone certainly has their own favorite character they identify with the most.
I do not miss having to wait an hour for girls (and many guys) to do their makeup and hair before going to the corner store for snacks. If I never smell Aquanet again, I'm good with that.
New subscriber. Just so impressed with your content. It's honestly like i'm seeing some of these iconic movies and scenes for the first time, despite having seen them many times. Your reactions are so sincere, it's lovely, thanks for sharing.
That is so nice of you to say Steve. Thank you so much!! This is exactly the reason I do this. I'm so glad to have you around and hope you continue to enjoy the content!
@@PopcornInBed Also Please consider reviewing a few other movies: This will feel really "old" considering you refer to 80s movies as a LONG time ago like Goodfellas and the Godfather / Jaws. but a lot of the concepts in the movie are timeless (regarding winning in life... and how women are often used by powerful people): The Hustler (from 1961) Then the sequel in 1987 or so: The Color of MOney (with Tom Cruise...and yes, Paul Newman who finally won the Oscar way too late) That's in addition to Flashdance (1983). Thank you so much Cassie for all your work.
This was my generation. One of my favorites from high school. It moves you. The transition from overcoming insecurity and finding your identity. To growing into an adult and losing that vibrancy and love for life. Having hope in all of your tomorrows because your dreams are wide open. Stay alive.
I was 15 when this film came out. It spoke to me and my friends on so many levels back then. We all knew the script off by heart. And the music by Simple Minds was fantastic too!
The 80,s was great being a teenager not so much thank god i was in to sports and did not think to much There is no amount you could pay me to do it again
John Hughes made about a half dozen teenage “coming of age” movies. He always wanted to show realistic teens and their viewpoint without dumbing them down. The one exception being Weird Science. That movie is the one all the teens went to see for the over the top stupidity. John Hughes put out had an impressive body of work (mostly comedies) considering he died relatively young.
THANK YOU! Your appreciation of this film is perfect. Watched another reactor who didn’t get any of the underlying themes and thought it was boring, so your reaction was refreshing.
Great reaction! During the 1980's, Director John Hughes was seen as a 'teen whisperer'. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, Uncle Buck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off etc. all had a similar feel to them. There is a reason why teens today still enjoy his movies. It's the same reason they will enjoy them for generations to come: His movies perfectly capture teen angst in a way that transcends time and makes it relatable to all young people, regardless of what's going on in the world during their teen years. It also creates an amazing sense of nostalgia for those teens when they grow up and watch these same movies with their children. Keep up the great work!
I watched that for the first time a couple months ago (I'm 19), and boy has that movie aged VERY poorly. Between the racist Asian jokes and Anthony Michael Hall's character date raping the hot girl being played off for laughs, I think it's probably John Hughes' worst movie.
John Hughes had the knack for writing his movies perfect for teenagers in the 80s, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles are also prime examples. His actors also loved him because he could relate.
Best comment: "Dear heavens, why in the world does he eat an orange like that?" Haha! Also, I too find Ally Sheedy's character is the most enigmatic, I get that you throughout the movie craved her back story. Keep doing reactions, great job! John from Stockholm, Sweden.
I really enjoyed the way you edited the movie in your reaction. It was very smooth, and included the most important parts to build the drama! I love this movie, I was there when it was new!
If kids of this generation watched this movie they would learn so much about themselves now like we did when this movie came out. It was and is an iconic movie from my teenage years. It spoke volumes about who we were.
I still do not get tired of watching this movie. I've lost count over the decades how many times I've seen it and it still hits hard, still makes me laugh, still makes me cry sometimes.
This was 'the' movie of my generation. This movie came out just as I was starting high school. Every high school student should be required to watch this movie. Perhaps it would instill a small sense of empathy and compassion for their fellow class mates. This is an iconic movie that people of my generation will never forget. I can only hope that they share it with their own children. That last shot of Bender crossing the football field and raises his fist is truly iconic for my generation.
If you watch closely at the beginning of the movie you will see that "Carl" the janitor was voted most likely to succeed by his graduating class. Also the teacher you may recognize from "Die Hard" if you like Christmas movies ;). We had detention when I was in High School, but only after school for about an hour I believe not on Saturdays.
In real life, detentions are not held on Saturdays; the school district would have to pay extra money to whoever would show on that day to administer the detention.
@@8967Logan A Christmas movie is about Christmas, not one that just takes place during Christmas. If the military raid in "The Dirty Dozen" took place on October 31, would that make the movie a Halloween movie?
Gotta love John Hughes for his ability to relate with the teenage mind, definitely have to do more if his movies, I've seen this movie a billion times and STILL teared up even watching this haha
"So what's gonna happen with all these high school stereotypes?" They all realize in the end that they're more than just what they've been labeled as by society (particularly the adults, but also by each other). That's the real beauty of this film...people are more than just stereotypes, no matter where they are in their lives. You really don't know who a person is or what they're really going through unless you actually try to get to know them...most people only look at what's on the surface and don't bother to dig any deeper, taking the easy way out. Nobody had ever done a character study of teenagers in high school like this before; 'The Breakfast Club' was groundbreaking because it was really the first film to tackle this theme in a serious way...that's why it's such a classic. The now-famous end credits song ('Dont You Forget About Me' by Simple Minds) was written specifically for the movie.
I remember when this movie came out..the one resounding response from all of us was just YES…director John Hughs will always hold a special place in my heart.
The only thing I know about that movie is there's a scene with a girl in a red bikini getting out of a pool that a guy...pleasures...himself to. It's been in enough cultural references and Best of 80's tv talking head shows, plus I believe Stacy's Mom parodies it. But I've never actually seen the whole film.
I was in high school when I saw this movie in the theater in 1985, and it was emotional for me. There was a lot of turbulence in my life at that time, both at school and at home. And this movie, well, it spoke to me. I saw myself and my classmates in these characters, and I got it immediately. And now, at 55, I see a whole new generation of young people watching this movie and getting it as well. It speaks to the common experiences of teen life in a way few films can. Even though it is set in the 80s, this film has become timeless.
I'm curious how you knew that people would enjoy watching your reactions to movies. Was it one of those things where someone watched a movie with you and said you should make a video of yourself? Love your channel. You give me a whole new appreciation for these movies. 😊
GREAT REACTION VIDEO! Two big thumbs up! This classic John Hughes movie has stood the test of time. The exploration of teenage angst and how we relate to one another makes it one of the best high school movies ever made.
Bender was my buddy from HS, called in boom threats, spray painted the cheerleaders phone number on the side of the school, constantly trying to instigate a fight, was one of the most loyal friends you could ever ask for. few years after HS he would call me, asking to hang out but i was to busy dealing with my own darkness to give it a second thought so i kept putting him off. since then he's been across the world, lived in Alaska, the middle east, and just moved back home from Tokyo. RIP Shane, it's been near 20 years, but i will continue to take you with me where ever i go.
all the John Hughes coming of age movies really hold up overall through the years. i saw this first when i was maybe 12 and it was already old but it remains one of my all time favs.
Wow, no shit, I was just going to say "if you want to see a movie that will make you remember how hard it really was to go through all this", that's the one
I find it's funny that Alician reaches over and steals Johns knife after he sticks into the desk. She also steals the lock to Johns locker. The final scene in which Alician and Andrew kiss, she steals his varsity patch off his jacket.
Hey... Greetings from Germany. I am 52 now and I first saw this movie as it was released in 1985. And today maybe 30 oder 40 times. It's a masterpiece. I am sure you now understand the magic and the potion that this movie got to all the long-time-fans. IT DID SOOOOO MUCH FUN to join with you watching TBC the first time. I always was about to prepare and asked myself.. .. how would you react in the upcoming scene....? 😅 I always felt with you... espacially the long key-scene as all kids sitting in a circle. Yes... indeed. It is a heartbreaking scene how they find out a lot of each other and..... don't kidding me... I am always about to cry with them (even in german translation). Thats the sign, that John Hughes and the Crew did everything right. I hope to get a quick feedback from you.
This is one of my favorite teen movies because they took stereotypes and humanized them. You had it right that we all went through intense emotions in high school that later seem unimportant. It also does show that you never know what someone is dealing with in their life.
When we had detention at my school (for being awake after hours) we had to go into the forest and help the groundskeeper figure out what’s been feeding on the unicorn’s blood
Congrats on 50k. We're all here for you! I can easily see you hitting 500k pretty fast. You're editing is spot on. Quality is great and most importantly you have an awesome personality.
@@kennypangman4636 This movie was made at Maine North High School, which closed a few years prior to filming. Ferris Bueller also has a scene inside Maine North and an exterior scene at Shermer, now named Glenbrook North. Breakfast Club was shot in the school gym, which was remade to look like a library.
The fact that you're so taken with a film... that you don't feel the need to fill space or silence, is amazing. To watch your face as you repeat dialogue is so good. It's the best. Please keep reacting to movies that don't exist anymore. 70's, 80's, and 90's.... they seem to say something that movies today don't. You're sweet. Keep it up.
I love that the crazy dance sequence comes after the emotionally grueling confessional section -- the movie is an exorcism, the kids are exorcising their terrors, their anguish, their anxieties and now they are free, even if that freedom is for that moment, they're free in their own minds. It's beautiful and so cathartic for teenagers to see/experience.
How I imagine reality played out for the Breakfast Club. Nerd: Struggles with emotional instability for most of his adult life, though at least ends up getting through college, and landing a decent paying job. He does not marry, but he does have a cat named Franky, and plenty of friends from work. Princess: Has an on and off 1.5 year relationship with the Rebel, but it ends up not working out as she goes to college. Life ends up mostly fine for her, as it was always going to. She still suffers from poor self esteem, but at least she ends up with a good job. She tries the marriage game once, but sadly it ends in divorce. She eventually focuses on her career, gaining a bit more traction in her field. She never re-marries, but she also never feels a particular desire to. She realizes she's happy just being her, and doesn't need a man in her life to define herself by. Rebel: Sadly after the breakup, he falls into a similar lifestyle as his father (not abusive, but heavy drinker and emotionally damaged). Eventually he reflects on his life, right before sinking to the point of abuse, and manages to turn things around for himself. Although not at successful as the two prior, he does end up landing a descent paying construction job, and ends up falling in love again. Oddity: Her and the Jock end up staying together (despite a brief time apart after the first 6 months). Her long term relationship with the jock eventually builds up her confidence enough to begin flourishing a bit more socially. She ends up selling handmade jewellery, and becomes surprisingly successful at it. Jock: He eventually gets into college for wrestling. Sadly in his final year he got a bad injury, preventing him from ever going pro. Luckily for him, his relationship with the Oddity girl does end up working out, and because of her financial success, he still manages fine in that regard. At first his Injury does really get to him mentally and emotionally. Eventually though, he accepts his own worth through the love and support of Oddity. Through this he is able to rediscover himself and his own likes/skills.
In our school we had a bunch of "detention" options that varied depending on the transgression. 8th hour - stay after school for an extra hour (kind of the classic "detention" from movies/tv Saturday school - what goes on here. You're there all day, but it's just for the day ISS (In-School Suspension). - Takes place during the regular school hours, you just don't go to your normal classes (normally lasted at least a week). You're in a class room where you work on all the assignments that you'd be learning about in class (you just have to be quiet and figure it out for yourself). In my high school, the basketball coach "taught" ISS because he was incapable of being an actual teacher. OSS (Out-of-school Suspension). - You stay at home and you're responsible for learning your assignments on your own (also normally last at least a week...and once you finished OSS, you'd normally have a period of time in ISS). You had to do something pretty rough for this one.
I actually saw this movie in the theater during my freshman year in high school. with both of my parents And my girlfriend at the time 😸 we had a very similar reaction, it's deep it's relatable no matter who you are you can see yourself in at least one of the characters if not multiple . It is truly a timeless classic The thing is 50 years from now it will be relatable as it was the day it came out.
great watching your reactions. when this movie came out in the mid 80's I was working on the road and seen it over 50 times in the theaters, lost count after that. also I was able to visit the school where it was filmed and the janitor showed me around. everything you see outside the library is real and inside that school, like the hallways, BUT the library was constructed inside a large gym just for the movie and was already taken down by the time I got there.
This is such a good movie. John Hughes managed to capture a perfect snapshot of high school, of the eighties, and the hidden family lives we all secret away.
"I make $31,000 a year and I got a home" .... Yeah, good luck with that these days. Edit because you people are beginning to "ackshually" me: Your comments are only adjusting the income for inflation, not home costs. Yes, adjusted for inflation $31k would be around $75k today, but the average home cost in 1985 was $82,500. Compare that $75k today versus the average home cost of $320,000 in 2020. My statement stands "Yeah, good luck with that these days." Edit 2: Someone mentioned the 1/3rd rule but the comment isn't showing up for some reason. While the 1/3rd rule still applies today the issue is that the average salary vs home costs have become greatly disproportionate. To buy that average-priced home today you have to make over $100,000 a year with the 1/3rd rule. I'm not saying that you can't get a house. There are plenty of houses out there for $100k-$150K. But the average is now disproportionate to what it was in the '80s. I would still have to do research on median salaries vs median home prices as this may change the results and my mind. I just know anecdotally that my grandfather bought his three-bedroom house in the 1960s for $4,500 while supporting four children and a stay-at-home wife on a grocer's salary. Now it takes two incomes of the same type of job for the average middle-class family to be able to afford a home of the same size. After he passed away in 2010, his home sold for $275,000.
@@Kreege If you lived in a communist state, you wouldn't be making mortgage payments because the government provides everything. Get your shit straight.
Ya. Home costs have skyrocketed in the past 20 years. I bought my first house in 2000, a 2000 sq ft 4-br home w 2-car garage for $140K. When I graduated university in 1992, the average starting wage for university graduates was $24K - $32K per year depending on the type of work
Teaching for 25 years...this movie came out when I was 15....teachers back in the day could really discipline students...can’t do that today....had a crush on molly ringwald...especially in 16 Candles...ahhh the good old days...miss the 80’s
Today parents know they have to listen to their kids (we're aware of Mental Health). Back then, no way were parents even considering your point of view. As long as you were fed and clothed, what do you have to complain about. They thought, "What the hell is mental health." Their parents survived WW2. You've got it easy.
I was a freshman in high school when _Breakfast Club_ was released. The way our parents were raised affected how we were raised. And they were raised by parents who had seen some stuff. My parents were 28 and 30 years old when I was born. Both of my mom's parents were over forty when she was born. Same with my dad. One of my grandfathers was born in 1900 and the other was born in 1908. They both grew up dirt poor in the south. They grew up during WWI. As was fairly common at the time, they stopped school at 8th grade and had families during the Depression. Both of my grandfathers were considered too old to fight in WWII, but they lived through the experience just like everyone else at the time. Then they lived through the Korean War, the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam, and the U.S. cultural revolution of the 1960s where everything changed. Not to mention, they were raised by parents who were still used to the fact that a lot of kids didn't make it to adulthood. It was almost expected that at least one, and possibly several, of your children would die while they were infants. TB, Polio, Small Pox, no vaccines, no antibiotics, poor access to doctors, little to no access to medication, etc. It was a time we can't even imagine. The way children were both viewed and raised was different. So my parents were only one generation removed from that, and then I was raised in a similar manner. I have to say, I don't disagree with most of it. The way children were raised definitely wasn't as pleasant, but it produced "The Greatest Generation". I also think the generation gap was bigger then because of technology. When my parents were growing up, they did not even have the technology available at the time: indoor plumbing, telephones, TVs, etc. My mom did not see a TV in person until she was 18 years old. It would be hard to quantify how much technology has affected child-rearing. My peers and I were raised by parents who were *not* trying to be your friend. They did not go along with the cultural revolution of the 60s that began looking to the youth for wisdom. The bottom line is that children were most definitely subordinate. If I had talked to my parents the way many children do today, I wouldn't be able to sit for a week, if I were lucky. All of that is to say, I agree, I believe the generation gap was larger at the time.
I have never met anyone of my age that didn't see this movie. It went beyond anything ever. no one in the generation before us still can't figure out the meaning.
When my daughter hit her teens, I gave her a list of movies that she had to watch. The Breakfast Club was one of them, some like THE GOONIES, and the original KARATE Kid, she had already seen. But she needed to see these great movies, no matter how cheese they were. Movies like: WEIRD SCIENCE, FERRIS BEULLER'S DAY OFF, LICENCE TO DRIVE, COMBAT ACADEMY, THE LAST DRAGON, (Berry Gordie's), MOVING VIOLATION(S), ST. ELMO'S FIRE, THE OUTSIDERS, ST AND BY ME, THE SURE THING, WAR GAMES, and of course, THE LOST BOYS. There are a fair few more, like all the other JOHN HUGHS, movies. From Home Alone to Sixteen Candles and more.
This is a movie that should never be remade, rebooted or have a sequel. It spoke to my generation back in the day, and continues to to every generation since.
Oh I’ve already got the nuke ready should they try.
Agreed. You have to be from that generation to know what a Neo-Maxi Zoom Dweebie is. Lol
@@heyitsmemg7494 as soon as its even discussed just fucking blast them to ashes and then more bombs for the ashes
Actually, a lot of millennials don’t get this movie.
The premise won't work today. Especially the idea of a teacher acting like that.
Hello there. GenXer here. I was 13 years old when this film was released. You have no idea how important and impactful the film was on my generation. Filmmaker John Hughes touched a nerve and showed everyone what’s it like to be a teenager in the middle of Ronald Regan’s America. The 1980’s was seriously a different time than any other decade. Now I’m a 50 year old man with a kid, and when he becomes a teenager, I’ll be showing him this film and explaining to him what life was like then and how it will relates to him. The Breakfast Club has stood the test the time, and so has the soundtrack. It’s a time capsule that captures the 80’s perfectly, but it shows us how universal it is at the same time. I’m glad you enjoyed the movie.
Exactly ... Same
PPPPPANTIES!!!!!!!!!!
Fun fact: Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall were dating in real life when this movie was made. I guess the nerd did get the princess after all.
that is did not know
I watched a documentary on this movie and heard they hated each other. Hughes suggested going record shopping and Ringwald and Hall found out they liked the same type of music. They then become friends.
They were also the only teenagers in the movie.
Nelson was reportedly in character throughout the film even off scene. Hughes had to be talked out of firing him because he kept bullying Ringwald.
Nerds are in now, from what I’ve been seeing.
How my mother saw me: Clare - because that's what she was when she was a teen;
How my father saw me: Andrew - he was addicted to idea that I was a star athlete;
How my brother saw me: Brian - socially awkward and easy to taunt;
How I saw myself: Bender - need I say more?
How everyone else saw me: Allison - the mysterious person you talk ABOUT but never talk WITH.
They're all 5 dimensions of the same person.
Interesting…
This movie is the most accurate representation of high school any movie has ever done. Bender spends the whole movie abusing Claire, gets her in the end. Andrew gets a single detention despite brutally assaulting someone because he's a star athlete, also gets the girl in the end. Brian does all the work for everyone, other kids admit they won't be his friend come Monday, and is the only one who goes home single still.
Glad someone else noticed it
Brian gets the high paying job and the trophy wife (probably Claire), Bender ends up dead before 30, Andrew hurts himself early in his sports career and ends up a janitor.
Incel?
@@Soughidiot
@@SoughHow is noticing the realism of the story “incel”? 🤨
Maybe the word you were looking for was “cynical” instead?
Now you have to do Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! Another 80s teen comedy staple. And, the original Karate Kid.
License to Drive
Weekend at Bernie's
Can't buy me love
Three O'Clock High
What about THE LOST BOYS and FRIGHT NIGHT?
Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Sixteen Candles. John Hughes at his best.
Yes the original karate kid, the new one sucks, it doesn't even include karate he learns kung fu
I think she'd enjoy the rom-com The Sure Thing (1985). It has a similar coming-of-age feel.
I graduated in 1984.
The movie was released in 1985.
It almost felt like a documentary. Everyone who was a teen who watched it felt like it changed them in some profound way.
This wasn't a documentary??? :)
@@cineeggs630
It sure felt like it at the time.
Those scenes where they're sitting in a semi-circle feel so raw and real.
I was born in 1984 and it’s one of my favorites from that time period.
I graduated in 1985. I saw the film and said "ugh, pretty suburban white teen 'problems'." And I said that as a non-pretty suburban white teen.
I graduated in '93, still that same.
The scene where they are all sitting in a circle is just GOD tier acting. When Anthony Michael Hall (Brian) starts crying - that's it, it's over for me.
And writing. John Hughes had the pulse of 80's youth that was kind of mindblowing.
Unbelievably moving!
I read where that scene was all completely ad-libbed. The director asked each of the actors to tell their stories how they felt their character got detention. They let the cameras roll.
@@MrEnvirocat *shakes head slowly but sternly*
@@MrEnvirocat I've read that, but don't remember where.
This movie plus The Outsiders, St Elmo's Fire, Pretty In Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful and Ferris Bueller's Day Off were my favourites of that period. John Hughes was a genius.. Hard to believe he passed away almost 12 years ago.
John Hughes didn't make the Outsiders or St Elmo's Fire.
Hughes wrote the screenplay to Some Kind Of Wonderful but didn't direct it.
St Elmos fire is awful. This movie is awful. Bad acting, terrible script, woefully miscast. The only good thing about this movie is the often parodied Simple Minds bit at the end. Ferris Bueller is in a different league. John Hughes is so not a genius. His teenage protagonists, with the exception of Ferris Bueller, are so unlikable and badly written
@@paulinegallagher7821 I would agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong. 🙂
I think Stand By Me also does a great job in displaying youth dynamics and emotional difficulties.
@@paulinegallagher7821 I agree St. Elmo's Fire is awful, which is why it's not nearly as big a name as this movie. But the Breakfast Club is pretty good, I wouldn't say it's one of the best movies ever made, but it might be the best high school movie ever made, possibly. I saw it nearly 20 years after it came out when I was in high school, and it still felt pretty spot on, outside of some of the 80s slang. That's gotta be saying something! Seems many others feel the same way
Fun Facts about this movie:
- Emilio Estevez was originally going to play Bender, but they couldn't find someone to play Andrew so he switched to Andrew and Judd Nelson was cast as Bender.
- In the opening you can see the Custodian's face in the plaque as a former "Man of the Year" student in like 1968.
That is something I'd never heard.
Thank God Emilio Estevez didn’t play Bender🙂💯
Fun Facts part 2: John Hughes wanted Molly Ringwald to play Allison but she convinced him to let her play “the princess”. Also Molly & Anthony Michael Hall were the only ones who were actual teenagers (16). The rest were in their 20s. AMH had a growth spurt during filming & ended up taller than Judd & Emilo. U can see his size in the seen where the three guys are like dance walking together. AMH grew up to b 6’1
@@charlescallen460 There was something about the tape story too, either EE came up with it to replace the original one or he used that part of the script to convince Hughes to let him play Andrew.
I think Bender uses an offense as a defense which is why he pushes everyone's buttons.
Every other kid has the typical emotional wall they've built around themselves.
So its perhaps a blessing they all met Bender so he could break their walls
He was their perfect therapist. Forcing them to break their archetypal characteristics.
When Andy asked, “Oh, my God, are we gonna turn out like our parents?”, and Claire said, “Not me…ever.”, Bender gave a nod indicating “Yeah, right.” He had already started becoming his father.
No one mentions this but Bender is the only one who didn't have food.
@@williamdean4775 and the nerdy kid was the only one who had a gun
The station wagon who drops off the GEEK kid, The mother is actually His REAL mother and the little girl is actually his real little sister. At the end of the movie the Father who picks up the geek is the writer director of this Movie.
Anthony Michael Hall of Weird Science and Pretty In Pink, also staring Molly Ringwald. Those were the days...
Couldn't you have taken the time to actually research what the name of the geek kid was?
@@johnnydoughness7051 Jon Cryer was in Pretty in Pink not Anthony Michael hall, they were in 16 candles together
@@johnnydoughness7051 He was also King of the Geeks in 'Sixteen Candles' along with Molly Ringwald.
@@eatsmylifeYT An asshole like that can't see a "geek" as an individual human being worthy of a name. The message of the film goes right over his head.
All of them were expected to come up with their character’s reason for detention(minus Claire and Bender), and when Ally Sheedy said she “didn’t have anything better to do”, those were genuine laughs.
I think she lied about that. Remember, she was a compulsive liar. I think she stole. She stole Bender’s knife and padlock, as well as Brian’s wallet. She even stole Andy’s patch off his letterman jacket while he was still wearing it. Also, if she wasn’t supposed to be there, why did the vice principal have 5 sheets of paper for essays?
@@mattslupek7988 Yet the vice principle doesn't even know her name. He just saw the 5 kids walking in.
Ally Sheedy is literally the exact clone of my late mom. She is and was so damn beautiful. Miss you, mom.
One of the details that I really like about this film is the unspoken bond between Bender and Allison. Aside from Bender going after Claire after her lipstick trick, they were never at odds and had empathy for each other because of their similar upbringings. They came from broken homes, Allison is ignored and Bender is abused.
I love Allison so much (bender too) . My only issue with the movie is how Allison ended up, getting all preppyfied to date the jock. Boo.
@@mintjulius275 I don’t see a problem with the “preppyfried”ness, I feel like this is one of the only movies where it actually works and makes sense.
@@spacetofu19e too, she wasn’t proud of who she was or content, she was hiding herself, wouldn’t talk to anyone. She doesn’t even get that big of a make-over she just put on a little bit. It honestly brings out her natural beauty. And even Andrew says “I can see your face”, she’s not hiding behind it anymore. And let’s not forget she clearly wanted to be like this, she always had on that pink top underneath all that black. I think she envied Claire a lot, I think that’s why she lashed out when Claire was talking about who she would live with if her parents divorced, she was probably thrilled that finally something wasn’t perfect about her.
When Bender tells Allison "I've seen you before" when they first arrive in the library, to me shows that Allison felt recognized for the first time since she's always ignored by everyone.
@@mintjulius275 I get a different message there. The makeover itself wasn't the point. Clair needed a chance to showcase her skill outside her social circle and Allison gave her that chance. At the same time, Allison needed someone to breakdown the rest of her barriers and she needed confirmation she could trust someone. So, they both completed each other's character arc.
The other 3 arcs are that Andrew learns to empathize with those less powerful and popular than himself, Brian finally learns to talk down the adults in his life beginning with the succinct, heavy-handed essay at the end, and Bender used his crudeness and aggression to inspire everyone else to figure themselves and each other out.
Vernon is what the teens would become if they failed in all those areas: pugnacious like Bender, stuck-up like Clair, insensitive like Andrew, reclusive like Allison, and taking life too seriously like Brian.
The janitor is the opposite.
In my eyes, Molly Ringwald walked on water when I was a teenager. Every excruciating thing a teen girl could go through she acted it out brilliantly. From the rich girl with all the breaks to the poor girl struggling to fit it. 80s teen actors to an incredible job of portraying teen angst! Thank You from a 80s kid😎🙏🏽
Yes, I don't think people nowadays can truly understand how much of a teen icon Molly Ringwald was unless you grew up in the 80's.
Cass: Is detention a real thing?
Me: WHAT?
Cass: I got along with my parents?
Me: That explains it.
Yeah, detention is very much a thing, even in Canada. TRUST me. I know.
The privilege of not knowing whether detention actually exists. Supreme envy to a life so sheltered 😭
Well, where I'm from, detention doesn't exist.
We had a meeting between the principal and parents, and if the fault was serious, we got expelled.
Sometimes the teacher just didn't let us go to recess and keep us working on some class assigment, or if we break or ruin something, we had to repair or clean it
But never after school hours, that's must be because no teacher wanted to do extra hours.
It was whether SATURDAY detention is a thing.
We don't have detention.
@@scipioafricanus5871 It was a definitely thing for me when I was in High School (then again it may vary from state to state, but it exists in South Florida). In fact Saturday Detention was more widely known as "Saturday School"(atleast at my school), because the only reason you'd be in School on a Saturday WAS for detention. You'd have to do something pretty bad to have Saturday School though, it wasn't something you'd get for doing something very minor.
Ally sheedy was my childhood crush. This and WarGames were the best
Short Circuit also...
war games! yaasssssssss 🤘
I was more into Molly, but I've always had a thing for redheads (ended up marrying one).
Wargames when she traps Mathew Broderick between her legs and St. Elmo's Fire. Ahh, boyhood fantasies...
I liked her more than molly ringwald
The Breakfast Club is the eighties in a nutshell.
For teens of that decade, yes.
I graduated high school in '74 and always felt it would have fit well just a couple of years after that. In the early 70's, Bender would probably have had a muscle car that was beat up but was mechanically good. The bright kid would have been into stuff like ham radio (we had kids that ran phone patches for guys in the Antarctic). The other three would have been exactly the same.
Yup
St. Elmo’s Fire as well.
I brought a friend of mine to see this movie. When Allison admits that she's in detention because she had nothing better to do, my friend ended up laughing so much she was actually rolling in the aisle. It was great.
That line
“My home life is unsatisfying”
Everyone’s home life is unsatisfying, if it wasn’t, you’d live with your parents forever”
So true, and very true
Me and my daughter laughed, because she lived at home off and on till she was 30
She loved it here apparently
Makes me feel better because I’m 30, and I’m living at home smh.
Looking back, you realize that the reason Alison looks in the car window when she gets dropped off is because she's hoping someone will wave good-bye. Heartbreaking.
A few other thoughts based on your comments:
- The reason they never rat Bender out is because Vernon is a bigger enemy than Bender is. He represents all the strife and frustration the adults are putting them through, and that's one of the commonalities they bond over.
- I think Bender torments Claire because he's jealous of her. She's been given everything and he has crap. Her parents spoil her; his abuse him. It infuriates him that she's whining about how bad she has it when he'd give anything for what she has. And I think the reason they get together is out of a desire to break free of the roles they're expected to play for their families and friends. Like Bender says in the closet, dating the bad boy would allow Claire to get back at her parents.
- Also, in the DVD cast commentary, the actors point out that Brian is the one who leads the kids out of the school at the end, walking at the front of the pack. He doesn't get any of the girls, but he acts as the voice of the gang, and will likely go on to be a leader for his generation, such as a politician, executive, or scientist.
Wow. Thats Deep.
The reason they don't rat Bender out is that you just don't do that, period. You don't snitch to the teachers. It would be a complete embarrassment to be the one who did that. At least that was the prevailing attitude back then. I don't think that's really changed actually.
@@jakes3799 I don't think that was the reason. Bender was annoying both Andrew & Claire enough that they had all the reasons to snitch on Bender and turn him over to Vernon. While the kids sure did come from different Cliques, they were united by the fact that they all equally hated Vernon. In the Detention, the kids realized that they only had each other to count on.
@@ruturajshiralkar5566 It doesn't matter how much they hated Bender. Trust me. I grew up in the 80s and I'm telling you that you absolutely didn't snitch on a peer. It just wasn't done, period.
@@jakes3799 What if you hated them. Those BC kids had nothing in common. They never identified with each other atleast in the initial moments. I know the phrase "Snitches get Stitches" is true but that again happens when you Snitch on friends or mates (Team/Group). Those four were complete strangers. Had Vernon been a bit more decent then I'm sure atleast Andy & Claire wouldn't have missed a chance to Snitch on Bender.
Thank you for doing these, means a lot to me. I'm disabled and spend a lot of time alone so it's nice feeling like I'm sharing a movie with somebody.
Me too...😎😎😎
Hey me too! :D Nice to find commonalities here
Yup, you got us. You're not alone!
I am in the SoCal area if you want to do lunch or whatever else Andrew
@@TheGunderian thanks I appreciate the offer but I'm in Wisconsin. :)
"Is that sugar?" Those are Pixie Stix, so yes - with a bit of generic fruit flavor and food coloring.
Ahem...within a paper straw 😉
@@krisfrederick5001 Cocaine for kids.
Think pulverized sweettarts
What we call hyperactivity in a stick
@@Nexusofgeek not just america, we had them in the UK too, you could buy them about 4 feet long
"How do you apologize for something like that? There's no way."
The sad thing is. He's 100% right. That kid he tortured would actively avoid Andrew for the rest of his time in the school or god forbid consider suicide because of the humiliation he felt from that incident. Best high school film ever. Bar none.
If he actually genuinely apologized and told him it would never happen again and he would also do what he could to stop anyone else from doing so, it would go a long way. It wouldn't erase what happened, but it's a helluva lot better than not apologizing and going on pretending like you didn't do anything to him.
when Allison says, "when you grow up, your heart dies" is heartbreaking yet true.
Ally Sheedy had such a great look and I always liked her more than Molly Ringwald. Check her out in Short Circuit and Only The Lonely.
Ally Sheedy was crush worthy back in the day. Ringwald not so much, I liked her hair and obvious talent, but I'd flirt nonstop with Ally, and hang out with Molly, crack a beer, whatever.
I always they were both on the hot list.
She will like Short Circuit
I liked Molly in Sixteen Candles.
She looked amazing in Wargames!
It's a John Hughes flick...that's what it's called. The only....."label" you need for it. Not that it needs one. One of my top 3 movies of all time
Couldn't have said it better myself.
It's okay to not speak during this one: your face says enough. This is that kind of movie. Thanks for reacting to one of the best movies ever made.
Sincerely, The Breakfast Club Club.
That made me tear up. 🥲
Bender was an inspiration to the Simpsons writers "Eat my shorts" became one of Bart's character phrases and the name sake of a certain robot in Futurama.
I would suggest that principal Skinner is based primarily off this movies principal as well.
In '84, when this story takes place, I was in 10th grade. This was so real for me.
I saw this movie in 1985. I was 17 years old. Nothing ever hit me harder at that age than this movie. John Hughes is a genius to the teenage mind.
LOL! I was the exact same age. Remember they were calling this movie at the time a teenage version of "The Big Chill" (1983) which was a movie about Thirtysomethings.
No truer words have ever been spoken!!! This was our movie 😁👍🏽
Teachers act like him all the time and the John Benders of the world are usually the only ones that know it.
Yes beacuse they are people too and it you push them hard enough they will certainly push back
@@bored0886 and some teachers are just assholes
@@katrinaleebaldwin4660 yeah but John Bender is funny in his own way and has good heart deep down but is a product of the home he’s growing up in
@@katrinaleebaldwin4660 That's for damn sure. My principal actually shoved me across the room once just because the kid he was actually mad at was behind me and I was in the way. Nowadays, he'd probably go to jail for something like that.
@@coolhandluke3223 I meant my comment about teachers. I get it some kids are just horrible, but then you have teachers who see a kid and for whatever reason judge them and treat them like crap. The difference is that these are kids and as the adult you are supposed to model behavior they can look up to. Sorry, you don't get to have a "bad" day when people are trusting you with their child's life/future. Would we say to a doctor who screwed up and killed someone "oh, well she/he just was pushed to his limits and had a bad day?" Command respect in your classroom, but it doesn't give you the right to talk to them like they are trash. (off soapbox) This scene in BC always gets me so upset
"Parents and teens should watch this movie." That is very true.
Yes, the generations and "trends" differ with time, but the human condition is the same. I adored my high school years, but yeah... some of these issues are STILL very real to teens.
My mother saw this film when it came out (she was a teacher) and actually recommended it to me...I was fifteen at the time.
Don't forget about us parents that were in school when this came out.
I am 57 years old and this was one of the movies on my list to share with him. He is 29 and still experienced the same emotions about high school. Love from South Africa! ❣
I met John Hughes at a local bookstore about 2 years after this movie. I was a student filmmaker at Columbia at the time and anyone whose ever seen a photo of Hughes knows he’s instantly recognizable. To my surprise? He stood there for at least 15-20 minutes and talked to me about film making. Told me he had never been on a movie set before Sixteen candles and gave me perhaps the greatest advice anyone ever gave me about filmmaking which I’ll share here and this is a quote “ Don’t get caught up in the technical aspects of filmmaking. Everything begins and ends with the story. A movie can be poorly filmed but if the story is good the audience won’t notice and even better, won’t care”. I’ve shared this story with several colleagues who have worked on set with Hughes and they ALL comment that I caught him on a good day (he was notoriously aloof) but I’ll always be grateful to this icon for taking the time out of his day to stand there in a crowded bookstore to answer a students questions about his craft. RIP John and thank you ….
I always forget how much this movie hurts to watch until I watch it again. Brian’s summation to his essay is 100% accurate. It is possible for each of us to see a bit of ourselves in every other person. The pain we feel, the loneliness in our imagined aloneness, and the fear of sharing that certifies it. It was *the* movie of my high school years.
You are awesome
Love your channel
I was a high school sophomore when this came out! I feel VERY blessed that I got to be a teenager in the 1980s!!
Me too
Sophomore...me too!
I was a freshman.
Class of 88 here. The 1980's were the best decade ever.
@@warpig4942 yes they were
It's perfectly cool to have barely any commentary, nobody talks during this movie.
Not sure if UA-cam agrees though.
I grew up in the 80’s and this movie spoke to a generation. John Hughes was a master of interpretation when it came to the ‘80 teenage and this movie is the epitome of that genre of movies. John Hughes is a god of ‘80 teen cinema. The fact that it still relates today is a testament to to what a genius he was.
I was LITERALLY a senior in HS when this movie came out... EVERYONE my age loves loves loves this movie and everyone certainly has their own favorite character they identify with the most.
We were lucky to grow up in the 80s with great movies like this, we had a great time 😎
Even as a young adult in the 80s, the times were fun. The music, fashion. clubs, and movies were all the best ever. (Jan Griffiths).
I do not miss having to wait an hour for girls (and many guys) to do their makeup and hair before going to the corner store for snacks. If I never smell Aquanet again, I'm good with that.
New subscriber. Just so impressed with your content. It's honestly like i'm seeing some of these iconic movies and scenes for the first time, despite having seen them many times. Your reactions are so sincere, it's lovely, thanks for sharing.
That is so nice of you to say Steve. Thank you so much!! This is exactly the reason I do this. I'm so glad to have you around and hope you continue to enjoy the content!
@@PopcornInBed
Also Please consider reviewing a few other movies:
This will feel really "old" considering you refer to 80s movies as a LONG time ago like Goodfellas and the Godfather / Jaws. but a lot of the concepts in the movie are timeless (regarding winning in life... and how women are often used by powerful people): The Hustler (from 1961)
Then the sequel in 1987 or so: The Color of MOney (with Tom Cruise...and yes, Paul Newman who finally won the Oscar way too late)
That's in addition to Flashdance (1983).
Thank you so much Cassie for all your work.
This was my generation. One of my favorites from high school. It moves you. The transition from overcoming insecurity and finding your identity. To growing into an adult and losing that vibrancy and love for life. Having hope in all of your tomorrows because your dreams are wide open. Stay alive.
I was 15 when this film came out. It spoke to me and my friends on so many levels back then. We all knew the script off by heart. And the music by Simple Minds was fantastic too!
@@kathleenclark815 23
The 80,s was great being a teenager not so much thank god i was in to sports and did not think to much There is no amount you could pay me to do it again
Quite simply one of the best movies ever made... 80's in a nutshell. I've lost count how many times I've seen it.
This movie is so deep! Is much more than a "comedy".
Yeah... everybody knows that though.
More like a "dramady"?
John Hughes made about a half dozen teenage “coming of age” movies. He always wanted to show realistic teens and their viewpoint without dumbing them down. The one exception being Weird Science. That movie is the one all the teens went to see for the over the top stupidity. John Hughes put out had an impressive body of work (mostly comedies) considering he died relatively young.
Ferris Buehler wasn't exactly realistic
He didn't die relatively dumbass.
He died at age 59.
@@robmarconi6758 Of course it was
@@justinedse3314 😂
@@robmarconi6758 It absolutley was, just with disguise.
THANK YOU! Your appreciation of this film is perfect. Watched another reactor who didn’t get any of the underlying themes and thought it was boring, so your reaction was refreshing.
Great reaction!
During the 1980's, Director John Hughes was seen as a 'teen whisperer'. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, Uncle Buck, Ferris Bueller's Day Off etc. all had a similar feel to them. There is a reason why teens today still enjoy his movies. It's the same reason they will enjoy them for generations to come: His movies perfectly capture teen angst in a way that transcends time and makes it relatable to all young people, regardless of what's going on in the world during their teen years. It also creates an amazing sense of nostalgia for those teens when they grow up and watch these same movies with their children.
Keep up the great work!
An entire movie filmed in one location and basically one room and your glued to the chair. That's what made this movie great.
"Sixteen Candles" definately. You will love that one.
I watched that for the first time a couple months ago (I'm 19), and boy has that movie aged VERY poorly. Between the racist Asian jokes and Anthony Michael Hall's character date raping the hot girl being played off for laughs, I think it's probably John Hughes' worst movie.
John Hughes had the knack for writing his movies perfect for teenagers in the 80s, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles are also prime examples. His actors also loved him because he could relate.
Best comment: "Dear heavens, why in the world does he eat an orange like that?" Haha! Also, I too find Ally Sheedy's character is the most enigmatic, I get that you throughout the movie craved her back story. Keep doing reactions, great job! John from Stockholm, Sweden.
I really enjoyed the way you edited the movie in your reaction. It was very smooth, and included the most important parts to build the drama! I love this movie, I was there when it was new!
If kids of this generation watched this movie they would learn so much about themselves now like we did when this movie came out. It was and is an iconic movie from my teenage years. It spoke volumes about who we were.
I still do not get tired of watching this movie. I've lost count over the decades how many times I've seen it and it still hits hard, still makes me laugh, still makes me cry sometimes.
That's One....
This was 'the' movie of my generation. This movie came out just as I was starting high school. Every high school student should be required to watch this movie. Perhaps it would instill a small sense of empathy and compassion for their fellow class mates. This is an iconic movie that people of my generation will never forget. I can only hope that they share it with their own children. That last shot of Bender crossing the football field and raises his fist is truly iconic for my generation.
And what exactly does that scene mean?
@@eatsmylifeYT He "got the girl" and made friends that day. Despite being told he was worthless by his father and the teacher.
If you watch closely at the beginning of the movie you will see that "Carl" the janitor was voted most likely to succeed by his graduating class. Also the teacher you may recognize from "Die Hard" if you like Christmas movies ;). We had detention when I was in High School, but only after school for about an hour I believe not on Saturdays.
He’s also the evil henchman in “Trading Places”.
In real life, detentions are not held on Saturdays; the school district would have to pay extra money to whoever would show on that day to administer the detention.
Except "Die Hard" isn't a Christmas movie.
@@locustjohn3865 there is no movie more Christmassy than "Die Hard" obviously.
@@8967Logan A Christmas movie is about Christmas, not one that just takes place during Christmas. If the military raid in "The Dirty Dozen" took place on October 31, would that make the movie a Halloween movie?
You’re reactions in all your videos are so pure and real, especially in this one. I’m enjoying watching these classic movies “with” you.
Gotta love John Hughes for his ability to relate with the teenage mind, definitely have to do more if his movies, I've seen this movie a billion times and STILL teared up even watching this haha
"So what's gonna happen with all these high school stereotypes?"
They all realize in the end that they're more than just what they've been labeled as by society (particularly the adults, but also by each other). That's the real beauty of this film...people are more than just stereotypes, no matter where they are in their lives. You really don't know who a person is or what they're really going through unless you actually try to get to know them...most people only look at what's on the surface and don't bother to dig any deeper, taking the easy way out. Nobody had ever done a character study of teenagers in high school like this before; 'The Breakfast Club' was groundbreaking because it was really the first film to tackle this theme in a serious way...that's why it's such a classic.
The now-famous end credits song ('Dont You Forget About Me' by Simple Minds) was written specifically for the movie.
Thanks for this, I learned something.
I remember when this movie came out..the one resounding response from all of us was just YES…director John Hughs will always hold a special place in my heart.
Should try "Fast times at ridgemont high" which is based on Cameron Crowe going undercover at a high school in san diego.
Agree, much more like high school was back then, way more accurate.
Seconded.
That's a pretty good movie too.
Please
The only thing I know about that movie is there's a scene with a girl in a red bikini getting out of a pool that a guy...pleasures...himself to. It's been in enough cultural references and Best of 80's tv talking head shows, plus I believe Stacy's Mom parodies it. But I've never actually seen the whole film.
Great movie!
I was a Junior in high school when this came out. Now, as a high school teacher, I remember this everyday when dealing with kids.
I was in high school when I saw this movie in the theater in 1985, and it was emotional for me. There was a lot of turbulence in my life at that time, both at school and at home. And this movie, well, it spoke to me. I saw myself and my classmates in these characters, and I got it immediately. And now, at 55, I see a whole new generation of young people watching this movie and getting it as well. It speaks to the common experiences of teen life in a way few films can. Even though it is set in the 80s, this film has become timeless.
I'm curious how you knew that people would enjoy watching your reactions to movies. Was it one of those things where someone watched a movie with you and said you should make a video of yourself? Love your channel. You give me a whole new appreciation for these movies. 😊
GREAT REACTION VIDEO! Two big thumbs up! This classic John Hughes movie has stood the test of time. The exploration of teenage angst and how we relate to one another makes it one of the best high school movies ever made.
Be careful going down the John Hughes rabbit hole is very eye opening! He does adolescents, teenage angst, and our grownup selves as good as anybody!
Bender was my buddy from HS, called in boom threats, spray painted the cheerleaders phone number on the side of the school, constantly trying to instigate a fight, was one of the most loyal friends you could ever ask for. few years after HS he would call me, asking to hang out but i was to busy dealing with my own darkness to give it a second thought so i kept putting him off.
since then he's been across the world, lived in Alaska, the middle east, and just moved back home from Tokyo.
RIP Shane, it's been near 20 years, but i will continue to take you with me where ever i go.
all the John Hughes coming of age movies really hold up overall through the years. i saw this first when i was maybe 12 and it was already old but it remains one of my all time favs.
"...doesn't matter who you are, everyone has issues...never going to get better..." Oh, someone needs to watch Pump up the Volume.
Wow, no shit, I was just going to say "if you want to see a movie that will make you remember how hard it really was to go through all this", that's the one
YES
Lol that would be good it's in my top 5 high school movies along with this one but I don't think she's quite prepared for that one.
I find it's funny that Alician reaches over and steals Johns knife after he sticks into the desk. She also steals the lock to Johns locker. The final scene in which Alician and Andrew kiss, she steals his varsity patch off his jacket.
AND? She stole his heart.
Hey... Greetings from Germany.
I am 52 now and I first saw this movie as it was released in 1985. And today maybe 30 oder 40 times. It's a masterpiece.
I am sure you now understand the magic and the potion that this movie got to all the long-time-fans.
IT DID SOOOOO MUCH FUN to join with you watching TBC the first time. I always was about to prepare and asked myself.. .. how would you react in the upcoming scene....? 😅 I always felt with you... espacially the long key-scene as all kids sitting in a circle. Yes... indeed. It is a heartbreaking scene how they find out a lot of each other and..... don't kidding me... I am always about to cry with them (even in german translation). Thats the sign, that John Hughes and the Crew did everything right.
I hope to get a quick feedback from you.
This is one of my favorite teen movies because they took stereotypes and humanized them. You had it right that we all went through intense emotions in high school that later seem unimportant. It also does show that you never know what someone is dealing with in their life.
Iconic movie. I must have watched it 100 times or more. So many life lessons in it.
When we had detention at my school (for being awake after hours) we had to go into the forest and help the groundskeeper figure out what’s been feeding on the unicorn’s blood
😂
Wow.
Watch out for the giant spiders.
#StTrinians
Had me in the first half, not gonna lie😂
Congrats on 50k. We're all here for you! I can easily see you hitting 500k pretty fast. You're editing is spot on. Quality is great and most importantly you have an awesome personality.
This movie takes place in the same school as Ferris Bueller's Day Off. You can even see a poster for Ferris on the wall in one of the scenes.
Shermer High School, also in Sixteen Candles and Weird Science.
And, Jay [with Silent Bob] talks about trying to going to Shermer in the movie Dogma.
@@kennypangman4636 This movie was made at Maine North High School, which closed a few years prior to filming. Ferris Bueller also has a scene inside Maine North and an exterior scene at Shermer, now named Glenbrook North. Breakfast Club was shot in the school gym, which was remade to look like a library.
I absolutely love your reactions and your witty comments. That’s why I follow you it’s a little break from the stressful world.
The fact that you're so taken with a film... that you don't feel the need to fill space or silence, is amazing. To watch your face as you repeat dialogue is so good. It's the best. Please keep reacting to movies that don't exist anymore. 70's, 80's, and 90's.... they seem to say something that movies today don't. You're sweet. Keep it up.
Not only the movies but the music as well, remember so many movies with great sound track to them ,
I think the next movie you should watch is Good Will Hunting
I concur.
GREAT movie
Emilio Estevez looked so much like his father at this time that it's a little scary. His father is Martin Sheen. His brother is Charlie Sheen.
"You don't know any of my friends. You don't look at any of my friends. And you certainly wouldn't condescend to speak to any of my friends."
And your point is?
@@eatsmylifeYT A statement of fact is all.
I love that the crazy dance sequence comes after the emotionally grueling confessional section -- the movie is an exorcism, the kids are exorcising their terrors, their anguish, their anxieties and now they are free, even if that freedom is for that moment, they're free in their own minds. It's beautiful and so cathartic for teenagers to see/experience.
I love the group therapy vibe of this movie!
How I imagine reality played out for the Breakfast Club.
Nerd: Struggles with emotional instability for most of his adult life, though at least ends up getting through college, and landing a decent paying job. He does not marry, but he does have a cat named Franky, and plenty of friends from work.
Princess: Has an on and off 1.5 year relationship with the Rebel, but it ends up not working out as she goes to college. Life ends up mostly fine for her, as it was always going to. She still suffers from poor self esteem, but at least she ends up with a good job. She tries the marriage game once, but sadly it ends in divorce. She eventually focuses on her career, gaining a bit more traction in her field. She never re-marries, but she also never feels a particular desire to. She realizes she's happy just being her, and doesn't need a man in her life to define herself by.
Rebel: Sadly after the breakup, he falls into a similar lifestyle as his father (not abusive, but heavy drinker and emotionally damaged). Eventually he reflects on his life, right before sinking to the point of abuse, and manages to turn things around for himself. Although not at successful as the two prior, he does end up landing a descent paying construction job, and ends up falling in love again.
Oddity: Her and the Jock end up staying together (despite a brief time apart after the first 6 months). Her long term relationship with the jock eventually builds up her confidence enough to begin flourishing a bit more socially. She ends up selling handmade jewellery, and becomes surprisingly successful at it.
Jock: He eventually gets into college for wrestling. Sadly in his final year he got a bad injury, preventing him from ever going pro. Luckily for him, his relationship with the Oddity girl does end up working out, and because of her financial success, he still manages fine in that regard. At first his Injury does really get to him mentally and emotionally. Eventually though, he accepts his own worth through the love and support of Oddity. Through this he is able to rediscover himself and his own likes/skills.
This was one of my fav movies during the 80s. Such a wonderful film.
In our school we had a bunch of "detention" options that varied depending on the transgression.
8th hour - stay after school for an extra hour (kind of the classic "detention" from movies/tv
Saturday school - what goes on here. You're there all day, but it's just for the day
ISS (In-School Suspension). - Takes place during the regular school hours, you just don't go to your normal classes (normally lasted at least a week). You're in a class room where you work on all the assignments that you'd be learning about in class (you just have to be quiet and figure it out for yourself). In my high school, the basketball coach "taught" ISS because he was incapable of being an actual teacher.
OSS (Out-of-school Suspension). - You stay at home and you're responsible for learning your assignments on your own (also normally last at least a week...and once you finished OSS, you'd normally have a period of time in ISS). You had to do something pretty rough for this one.
We had "Campus Beautification" as a punishment. Scrubbing graffiti off walls, pulling weeds, and emptying trash cans for one hour.
I got in-school suspension once. I actually liked it better than class. It was quiet, didn't have to deal with the assholes.
I actually saw this movie in the theater during my freshman year in high school. with both of my parents And my girlfriend at the time 😸 we had a very similar reaction, it's deep it's relatable no matter who you are you can see yourself in at least one of the characters if not multiple . It is truly a timeless classic The thing is 50 years from now it will be relatable as it was the day it came out.
great watching your reactions. when this movie came out in the mid 80's I was working on the road and seen it over 50 times in the theaters, lost count after that. also I was able to visit the school where it was filmed and the janitor showed me around. everything you see outside the library is real and inside that school, like the hallways, BUT the library was constructed inside a large gym just for the movie and was already taken down by the time I got there.
This is such a good movie. John Hughes managed to capture a perfect snapshot of high school, of the eighties, and the hidden family lives we all secret away.
"I make $31,000 a year and I got a home" .... Yeah, good luck with that these days.
Edit because you people are beginning to "ackshually" me:
Your comments are only adjusting the income for inflation, not home costs.
Yes, adjusted for inflation $31k would be around $75k today, but the average home cost in 1985 was $82,500. Compare that $75k today versus the average home cost of $320,000 in 2020. My statement stands "Yeah, good luck with that these days."
Edit 2: Someone mentioned the 1/3rd rule but the comment isn't showing up for some reason. While the 1/3rd rule still applies today the issue is that the average salary vs home costs have become greatly disproportionate. To buy that average-priced home today you have to make over $100,000 a year with the 1/3rd rule. I'm not saying that you can't get a house. There are plenty of houses out there for $100k-$150K. But the average is now disproportionate to what it was in the '80s. I would still have to do research on median salaries vs median home prices as this may change the results and my mind.
I just know anecdotally that my grandfather bought his three-bedroom house in the 1960s for $4,500 while supporting four children and a stay-at-home wife on a grocer's salary. Now it takes two incomes of the same type of job for the average middle-class family to be able to afford a home of the same size. After he passed away in 2010, his home sold for $275,000.
The wonderful people at Google have informed me that $31,000 back then would be equivalent to a little over $77,000 now.
31k in 1985 is like 75k today. More than enough to afford a mortgage payment if you don't live in a communist state.
@@Kreege If you lived in a communist state, you wouldn't be making mortgage payments because the government provides everything. Get your shit straight.
@@Kreege the average home cost in '85 was $82K vs $320k today. Could you do it today? Sure, but you'd be house poor.
Ya. Home costs have skyrocketed in the past 20 years. I bought my first house in 2000, a 2000 sq ft 4-br home w 2-car garage for $140K.
When I graduated university in 1992, the average starting wage for university graduates was $24K - $32K per year depending on the type of work
You should watch True Romance. It's kinda like a chick flick. It has the word romance in it :D
I will second this one!
…And an All Star cast!! Great movie!!
Truly a romantic film
🤣 some of that was true. I’ll allow it!
Well, it DOES have romance in the title. 😂
The greatest coming of age movie ever made! Something every person of every generation can relate to... Love your channel, keep up the awesome job.
Teaching for 25 years...this movie came out when I was 15....teachers back in the day could really discipline students...can’t do that today....had a crush on molly ringwald...especially in 16 Candles...ahhh the good old days...miss the 80’s
The best teen movie of all time. I remember when it came out and all of my friends had to see it.
I'm of this generation, and the gap between kids & parents was a whole lot wider back then
yes and no
I am from the tail end of Gen X (75), but the gap was huge. So many of my choices in life have been made with "I wont do what they did to me."
Today parents know they have to listen to their kids (we're aware of Mental Health). Back then, no way were parents even considering your point of view. As long as you were fed and clothed, what do you have to complain about. They thought, "What the hell is mental health." Their parents survived WW2. You've got it easy.
@@lethaldose2000 I would argue today's kids are turning out worse.
I was a freshman in high school when _Breakfast Club_ was released. The way our parents were raised affected how we were raised. And they were raised by parents who had seen some stuff.
My parents were 28 and 30 years old when I was born. Both of my mom's parents were over forty when she was born. Same with my dad. One of my grandfathers was born in 1900 and the other was born in 1908. They both grew up dirt poor in the south. They grew up during WWI. As was fairly common at the time, they stopped school at 8th grade and had families during the Depression. Both of my grandfathers were considered too old to fight in WWII, but they lived through the experience just like everyone else at the time.
Then they lived through the Korean War, the Cold War, the Civil Rights movement, Vietnam, and the U.S. cultural revolution of the 1960s where everything changed. Not to mention, they were raised by parents who were still used to the fact that a lot of kids didn't make it to adulthood. It was almost expected that at least one, and possibly several, of your children would die while they were infants. TB, Polio, Small Pox, no vaccines, no antibiotics, poor access to doctors, little to no access to medication, etc. It was a time we can't even imagine. The way children were both viewed and raised was different.
So my parents were only one generation removed from that, and then I was raised in a similar manner. I have to say, I don't disagree with most of it. The way children were raised definitely wasn't as pleasant, but it produced "The Greatest Generation".
I also think the generation gap was bigger then because of technology. When my parents were growing up, they did not even have the technology available at the time: indoor plumbing, telephones, TVs, etc. My mom did not see a TV in person until she was 18 years old. It would be hard to quantify how much technology has affected child-rearing.
My peers and I were raised by parents who were *not* trying to be your friend. They did not go along with the cultural revolution of the 60s that began looking to the youth for wisdom. The bottom line is that children were most definitely subordinate. If I had talked to my parents the way many children do today, I wouldn't be able to sit for a week, if I were lucky. All of that is to say, I agree, I believe the generation gap was larger at the time.
I graduated HS in 1995 and we definitely had Saturday school lol
Edited for speeling ;D
You had it defiantly? The school didn't permit it but you did it anyway?
@@patrickflanagan3762 That’s how bad they were.
That’s the year I was born.
@@patrickflanagan3762 I don't think he graduated.
Haha, you spelled 'definitely' wrong... and they're having a bit of fun at your expense. 😁
I have never met anyone of my age that didn't see this movie.
It went beyond anything ever.
no one in the generation before us still can't figure out the meaning.
When my daughter hit her teens, I gave her a list of movies that she had to watch. The Breakfast Club was one of them, some like THE GOONIES, and the original KARATE Kid, she had already seen. But she needed to see these great movies, no matter how cheese they were. Movies like: WEIRD SCIENCE, FERRIS BEULLER'S DAY OFF, LICENCE TO DRIVE, COMBAT ACADEMY, THE LAST DRAGON, (Berry Gordie's), MOVING VIOLATION(S), ST. ELMO'S FIRE, THE OUTSIDERS, ST AND BY ME, THE SURE THING, WAR GAMES, and of course, THE LOST BOYS.
There are a fair few more, like all the other JOHN HUGHS, movies. From Home Alone to Sixteen Candles and more.