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The movie about five high school students, "a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal", stuck together in the school library in detention on a Saturday is still my favorite John Hughes film. It was 1985 when I first saw The Breakfast Club, I was 17 and a junior in high school. In the 80s the cliques in school were very prominent. Living in the Silicon Valley we had them all. The jocks and cheerleaders, the nerds/band/drama geeks, the Cholos/Cholas, the Ags, punk rockers, preppy, the exchange students, the loners and the stoners. I was considered a stoner. I wore rock tee shirts and 501 jeans, hung out at "the stage" which was in the middle of our quad and our smoking section and had feathered hair Aqua Netted to perfection. Yes, believe it or not we were allowed to smoke on campus, and yes Ahab, I did indulge in the occasional doobage.
Even though I was labeled a stoner, when I watched The Breakfast Club I could relate to them all. Each and every one of those characters struck a chord with me on some level. John Hughes absolutely made the perfect storm of what cliques in high school were like and how each person, no matter what the outer shell labeled them, were sometimes very much like you on the inside or behind closed doors with many of the same fears and insecurities you were feeling, problems at home or school, struggling with acceptance. At the beginning of the film I'm sure you could relate to one of them and label yourself as such but by the end of the film the lines are a bit blurred. I'm sure there was a time in your school years that you looked at the popular kid and wished that your life was like theirs...what you didn't see was what went on when that kid went home. Their life may not have been as perfect as you think and they may have been looking at you and wishing they could have your life. The film made such an impact on how I viewed others that I taught my own four sons the same life lesson about their perception of others and of themselves.
I'm not sure if The Breakfast Club could be made today and have the same impact it did then. I think not and I certainly hope no one ever tries. First, with the advent of cell phones and headphones, most of them would have their faces in their screens (unless of course teacher would gather them before hand). Secondly there would also be a more diverse cast and there would be more cultural issues and political issues addressed. While 36 years have passed, the story about dismissing people as a particular stereotype, and then realizing you have more in common that you first thought, still seems to ring true.
I still wear rock tees, jeans, pink checkerboard high-top Van's, listen to 80s music, and use 80s slang from not only this movie but many others as well. I don't understand much of what my teen sons say, their teen vernacular is almost as alien to me as mine was to my grandmother back then. I will say that they love 80s music which makes this mom proud. I hope that they remember me with a smile as they sing along to Don't You Forget About Me.
This movie is on my favorites list and hopefully it might be on yours as well. When I first saw this movie I don’t think I really understood what it was about. So I watched it again and I’ve been hooked ever since.
This movie shows the power of friendship and how it can go over those high school groups we’ve all been in or seen before. In a way it kind of reminds me of "Schitts Creek" and how that stuck up family became part of a town that was very different from them or what they thought. Back to "The Breakfast Club" . This movie starts out with a Saturday detention and the shenanigans that ensue from that. At first, you see how only two in the same friends group just get along, but as the day goes on that seems to change. They all talk and grow, seeming to get closer which is never a bad thing. This movie has a great message, and you know me and messages. Well, it seems that no matter how different you think you are from another person, doesn’t mean you can’t get along or become friends in the end. Just give someone a chance and that’s what exactly happens in this movie.
Opposites attract. Mismatched pairs. A neo-maxi zoomdweebie. What we have here is a classic brought to us by the master of the 80’s, John Hughes. So many wonderful films. Each of them is a classic in their own right and most likely hard to pick a favorite. Even if there is one you don’t like as much, chances are that the film is someone else’s favorite.
Today’s class lesson is on "The Breakfast Club". The movie defines a mixed genre. I’ve seen this listed in the comedy section and I’ve seen it listed in the drama section. Most of Hughes movies fit perfectly into comedies but this one I’ve always felt is more defined as a drama, although probably not your typical drama. Playing on the line from the movie, it does not fit into the most convenient definitions. Unless you’ve been living a rock for the last 35 years (damn, has it really been 35 years? When did I get this old?), you know the story. A jock, a brain, a princess, a criminal, and a basket case are all forced into a day of detention together. They go into the dreadul Saturday, thinking they have nothing in common. Starting out the day in combat and at odds, they start to realize they are more alike than either of them would like to admit. The Brat Pack definitely delivered an absolutely classic for all to enjoy. And Now For The Giveaway .....
GIVEAWAY DETAILS & HOW TO ENTER!
Melanie's Muses will be giving away a "Breakfast Club Prize Pack" featuring a Breakfast Club DVD from Dennifer Rhodes Christy, and a Mug, Sticker, And Bag from Diana Dalton. There is also a 2nd copy of the DVD that will be awarded to one of the commenters! For your chance to win- leave a comment ON THIS POST ON THE WEBSITE (comments left on shares around other social media WILL NOT COUNT) - Which High School Clique Would You Say You Belonged To And Would It Be Different Now? The winner will be picked randomly from qualifying comments. Other comments about the article are very welcome but only entrants with the qulifying comments will go in the hat! What your answer is will not influence whether you go into the hat - Only that you answer the question! Winner will be announced during the Live show on February 28th (and then posted here on the blog as well on March 1st. Full Rules Below! Good luck everyone! Rules
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