Sixteen Candles (1984)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

4 May 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

This is Samantha Baker and today is her 16th birthday. The problem is, nobody remembers.

Plot:

A young girl's "sweet sixteenth" birthday becomes anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible.

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Crush | Birthday | Exchange Student | Girl

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Molly Ringwald	...	Samantha Baker
Justin Henry	...	Mike Baker
Michael Schoeffling	...	Jake Ryan
Haviland Morris	...	Caroline Mulford
Gedde Watanabe	...	Long Duk Dong
Anthony Michael Hall	...	The Geek
Paul Dooley	...	Jim Baker
Carlin Glynn	...	Brenda Baker
Blanche Baker	...	Ginny Baker
Edward Andrews	...	Howard Baker
Billie Bird	...	Dorothy Baker
Carole Cook	...	Grandma Helen
Max Showalter	...	Grandpa Fred
Liane Alexandra Curtis	...	Randy (as Liane Curtis)
John Cusack	...	Bryce

Also Known As:

16 Candles (International: English title) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:15 (original rating) (1984-2005) | Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:PA (Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

Central Avenue, Highland Park, Illinois, USA

Company:

Channel Productions

Trivia:

Chicago radio legend Dick Biondi is heard on the radio (uncredited)in the opening bedroom scene where Molly Ringwald is looking in her mirror.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Caroline and Jake are slow dancing at the school dance, Caroline's hair changes between shots.

Quotes:

The Geek: [noticing the car Jake puts Caroline in] This, uh, this your car, Jake?
Jake: No, this is my dad's car. You said you couldn't drive a stick.
The Geek: This is a motherfu - ! This is a Rolls Royce, Jake.
Jake: So?
The Geek: SO? So? I hear the grill ALONE costs five grand on this. Five grand! You have five grand? I don't have five grand!
Jake: Then don't hit anything.
The Geek: [incredulous] Ha ha! Don't hit anything

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Maybe Tomorrow (2008/I)

Soundtrack:

Turning Japanese

Now we're both on the pill!

I had to write about this film after seeing the last 10 minutes of it on TV last night. I didn't miss much after all cause I had seen the film countless times when I was younger. Man I remember how much I enjoyed it. This has to be the most 80's character driven film about high school I have ever seen. It is just plain out stupid funny and heartwarming.

While Breakfast Club tries to handle the seriousness of social peers, and Ferris Beuller just solidifies the ultimate 80's experience with some great performances and total hip coolness, Sixteen Candles is just a crazy fun romp through the perils of being a teenager.

Ringwald is at her prime as the overburdened teenager, and Michael Hall is at his greatest as the ultimate schemer-geek. The party aftermath always cracks me up everytime I see it, plus so many more things.

Also, there's a scene where the geek gets unloaded out of the trunk of a car, and i SWEAR it's not a human person but a dummy cause the guy does not move but stands like a broomstick.. It's just one of those bizarre movie qwerks I wish someone could explain to me. And who can forget those alligator shirts.... I laugh now at the way everyone and the bands look in these 80's movies.

Alas it seems, Hall and Ringwald got stuck in stereotyped roles that they never seemed to shed or outgrew them as they became adults, which is to bad cause Ringwald, and particularly Hall's comedic sense of timing in this film is just amazing.

Rating 8 out of 10.