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:

Crush | Birthday | Exchange Student | Convertible | Photograph

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
Darren Harris	...	Cliff
Deborah Pollack	...	Lumberjack
Ross Berkson	...	Ray Gun Geek #1
Jonathan Chapin	...	Jimmy Montrose
Joan Cusack	...	Geek Girl #1
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Reverend
Bekka Eaton	...	Female D.J.
Pamela Elser	...	Caroline's Shower Double (as Paula Elser)
Steven Farber	...	Ray Gun Geek #2
Jami Gertz	...	Robin
Frank Howard	...	Freshman
Cinnamon Idles	...	Sara Baker
John Kapelos	...	Rudy
Marge Kotlisky	...	Irene
Tony Longo	...	Rock
Steve Monarque	...	Jock
Bill Orsi	...	Bruno
Beth Ringwald	...	Patty
Zelda Rubinstein	...	Organist
Dennis Vero	...	Bus Driver
Elaine Wilkes	...	Tracy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Elizabeth Cox	...	High School Student (uncredited)
Andy Hirsch	...	Boy with Coronet (uncredited)
Stephan Meyers	...	Geek at Dance (uncredited)
Jennifer Scott	...	Wall Flower (uncredited)
James Vallo	...	Bandie (uncredited)

Directed by
John Hughes

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Hughes		written by

Produced by
Hilton A. Green	....	producer
Michelle Manning	....	associate producer
Ned Tanen	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ira Newborn

Cinematography by
Bobby Byrne

Film Editing by
Edward Warschilka

Casting by
Jackie Burch

Production Design by
John W. Corso

Set Decoration by
Jennifer Polito

Makeup Department
Edouard F. Henriques	....	makeup artist (as Edouard Henriques)
Rodger Jacobs	....	makeup artist: Chicago (as Roger Jacobs)
Kathe Swanson	....	hair stylist: Chicago
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist (as Yolanda Toussien)

Production Management
Daniel Franklin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	first assistant director (as Newton D. Arnold)
James Giovannetti Jr.	....	second assistant director (as James R. Giovannetti Jr.)

Art Department
Paul Stanwyck	....	head painter: Chicago
Robert R. Volpe	....	property master

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound mixer (as Jim Alexander)
Bruce Bell	....	sound editor
Walter A. Gest	....	sound re-recordist
Jack Gosden	....	adr editor
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound editor
Bob Johnston	....	sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gary Priest	....	assistant sound editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
John Stacy	....	supervising sound editor
Bruce Stambler	....	sound editor
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	sound editor (as Mike Wilhoit)
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Stunts
Paula-Marie Eiser	....	stunt coordinator (as Paula Eiser)
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Shannon Madill	....	stunts
Cheryl Ivy Sweendy	....	stunts
Kay Whipple	....	stunts
Mike Yuan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Art Bartels	....	key grip: Chicago
James Blanford	....	camera operator: Chicago (as Jim Blanford)
Rick Borchardt	....	key grip
John W. Brumshagen	....	gaffer (as John Brumshagen)
Donald Carlson	....	assistant camera: Chicago crew (as Don Carlson)
Tom Cox	....	best boy (as Tommy Cox)
Eric Engler	....	assistant camera
Gary B. Kibbe	....	camera operator (as Gary Kibbe)
Michael Orefice	....	best boy
James Zenk	....	still photographer: Chicago (as Jim Zenk)

Casting Department
David Gonzales	....	casting assistant
Dee Dee Wehle	....	casting assistant (as DeeDee Wehle)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark Peterson	....	costumer: men
Marla Denise Schlom	....	costumer: women (as Marla Schlom)

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Jerrie Fowler	....	assistant film editor: Chicago
Aubrey Head	....	color timer
Scott K. Wallace	....	assistant editor (as Scott Wallace)

Music Department
David Buell	....	music recording engineer
Jimmy Iovine	....	music supervisor
Carlton Kaller	....	assistant music editor
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Patrick Nallon	....	transportation captain: Chicago (as Pat Nallon)

Other crew
Tracy Cutts	....	assistant: John Hughes
Drew Elisius	....	special consultant
Pamela Elser	....	shower double: Haviland Morris
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titler
Pam Green	....	production assistant
Mike Henry	....	intern
Bill Higgins	....	location manager
Charles Hirschhorn	....	production assistant
Sandy King	....	script supervisor
Al Shenfeld	....	auditor
Linnea Ebba Wicklund	....	production secretary (as Linnea Wicklund)

Production Companies

• Channel Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• United Pictures Finland (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Universal Title  opticals

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 | Australia:M (TV rating) | 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:

The cake at the end of the movie is actually made of cardboard.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jake Ryan goes to Sam's house looking for her, and Long Duck Dong answers the door, the hot water bottle Long is holding moves from the top of his head to the side of his neck, and back.

Quotes:

Long Duk Dong: What's happenin' hot stuff?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Chuck: Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover (#1.12)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Turning Japanese

"They F##king forgot my birthday!!!"...

These are the immortal words spoken by SIXTEEN CANDLES heroine Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) in the ultimate 80's teen comedy. This movie has become a classic to those born in the 70's, like myself, and I now consider it a "guilty pleasure". Its a movie we all grew up with. Didn't we all know a person like 'Farmer Ted', or a hot queenie like the blonde he hilariously gets. It was every young freshman's fantasy. This funny flick is also a relic of the 80's that is not all that dated.

The jokes still work (as long as you see it uncut) and it is neat seeing things of the not so distant past be on display. Floppy disks, headgears, leotards, etc... Time has not been so good to the featured stars. Ringwald and Anthony-Michael Hall, who was born to play this role, and this one only, have all but disappeared. The biggest stars now are blips on the screen here: Joan (in a headgear) and John (a geek) Cusack. The film is like a toy you can't put away.

Some situations are beat, but at least Paul Dooley adds an extra dimension to the father. Too many of John Hughes' teen-angst comedies of the era feature tissue-thin parental figures. This was the first and best of the so-called "brat pack" movies, and will always hold a place in 1980's filmmaking history. Girls learned never to lend their underwear to a geek and we all learned that high school is just a phase, easily forgotten as time goes on.