Thought I'd run this little article I was working on past you guys, see how you responded.
The Breakfast Club is Depressing
Dear Mr. Vernon:
We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question?
Sincerely yours,
The Breakfast Club.
If you recognize that text immediately, and may shame befall you if you dont, youve obviously watched The Breakfast Club. One of the perennial favorites, this 80s teen film classic has a cadre of viewers that know parts of it by heart. This was also one of John Hughes greatest achievement, made in the mid 80s when he was invincible (having died and replaced by a robot around 92 or thereabouts). Everything came together to make something special.
For those not familiar, or if you just want a short catch-up on events, here goes. First, the main cast and why they were around.
The Brain (Brian) - Brought a gun to school. A flare gun.
The Athlete (Andrew) - Taped Larry Lesters buns together.
The Basket Case (Allison) - Nothing at all, just came.
The Princess (Claire) - Skipped school to go shopping.
The Criminal (Bender) - Set off a fire alarm.
Now, as the plot goes, theyre all in detention on Saturday morning in Shermer High. Their punishment is, as stated above, to write an essay about who they think they are. Overlooking this detention is Paul Gleason, who made a role so definingyou still see Vernon coming out in other movies he does (even when unintentional).
Various things happen throughout, bonds get made, the five get tested. It isnt so much the actions as the feeling that everyone gets for each other that makes the film. And, at the end, we get a lot of resolutions. Claire gives Bender her earring, Allison and Andrew seem to have hit it off, and well, Brian wont be dating anyone for a long while.
Bender then is shown alone on the football field, while Simple Minds Dont You Forget About Me continues blaring. He walks towards us, having experienced life more than he ever had being able to talk to someone normally other than Carl (AKA coolest janitor ever) finding what could be love. He stalls a second, and shoves his fist in the air in a silent celebration. Of course, with the songs meaning and tone of the ending, its hinted that the status quo will resume when the weekends over. Cliques will be returned to, rivalries continued, lessons will be ignored. In the end, this was but a small victory for the five something theyll remember forever but in the end, they know it would never work.
And thats why its depressing, kids.
Extra Bonus!
As many Breakfast Club viewers have watched, the question always comes up as to whats the end of the joke that Bender was telling? According to this informative site, there was no punchline. It was in the script that he say I forgot my pencil when he fell into the room, and he had to work backwards from that.
The Breakfast Club is Depressing
Dear Mr. Vernon:
We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you're crazy for making us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us: in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question?
Sincerely yours,
The Breakfast Club.
If you recognize that text immediately, and may shame befall you if you dont, youve obviously watched The Breakfast Club. One of the perennial favorites, this 80s teen film classic has a cadre of viewers that know parts of it by heart. This was also one of John Hughes greatest achievement, made in the mid 80s when he was invincible (having died and replaced by a robot around 92 or thereabouts). Everything came together to make something special.
For those not familiar, or if you just want a short catch-up on events, here goes. First, the main cast and why they were around.
The Brain (Brian) - Brought a gun to school. A flare gun.
The Athlete (Andrew) - Taped Larry Lesters buns together.
The Basket Case (Allison) - Nothing at all, just came.
The Princess (Claire) - Skipped school to go shopping.
The Criminal (Bender) - Set off a fire alarm.
Now, as the plot goes, theyre all in detention on Saturday morning in Shermer High. Their punishment is, as stated above, to write an essay about who they think they are. Overlooking this detention is Paul Gleason, who made a role so definingyou still see Vernon coming out in other movies he does (even when unintentional).
Various things happen throughout, bonds get made, the five get tested. It isnt so much the actions as the feeling that everyone gets for each other that makes the film. And, at the end, we get a lot of resolutions. Claire gives Bender her earring, Allison and Andrew seem to have hit it off, and well, Brian wont be dating anyone for a long while.
Bender then is shown alone on the football field, while Simple Minds Dont You Forget About Me continues blaring. He walks towards us, having experienced life more than he ever had being able to talk to someone normally other than Carl (AKA coolest janitor ever) finding what could be love. He stalls a second, and shoves his fist in the air in a silent celebration. Of course, with the songs meaning and tone of the ending, its hinted that the status quo will resume when the weekends over. Cliques will be returned to, rivalries continued, lessons will be ignored. In the end, this was but a small victory for the five something theyll remember forever but in the end, they know it would never work.
And thats why its depressing, kids.
Extra Bonus!
As many Breakfast Club viewers have watched, the question always comes up as to whats the end of the joke that Bender was telling? According to this informative site, there was no punchline. It was in the script that he say I forgot my pencil when he fell into the room, and he had to work backwards from that.
