The Breakfast Club (1985)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

15 February 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

They only met once, but it changed their lives forever.

Plot:

Five high school students, all different stereotypes, meet in detention, where they pour their hearts out to each other, and discover how they have a lot more in common than they thought.

Plot Keywords:

Detention | Principal | Jock | High School | Marijuana

Cast

Emilio Estevez	...	Andrew Clark
Paul Gleason	...	Richard Vernon
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Brian Johnson
John Kapelos	...	Carl
Judd Nelson	...	John Bender
Molly Ringwald	...	Claire Standish
Ally Sheedy	...	Allison Reynolds
Perry Crawford	...	Allison's Father
Mary Christian	...	Brian's Sister
Ron Dean	...	Andy's Father
Tim Gamble	...	Claire's Father
Fran Gargano	...	Allison's Mom
Mercedes Hall	...	Brian's Mom
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Hughes	...	Brian's Father (uncredited)

Directed by
John Hughes

Writing credits
John Hughes		(written by)

Produced by
Gil Friesen	....	executive producer
John Hughes	....	producer
Michelle Manning	....	co-producer
Andrew Meyer	....	executive producer
Ned Tanen	....	producer

Original Music by
Keith Forsey		(music composed by)

Cinematography by
Thomas Del Ruth		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dede Allen

Casting by
Jackie Burch

Production Design by
John W. Corso

Set Decoration by
Jennifer Polito

Costume Design by
Marilyn Vance

Makeup Department
Ron Walters	....	makeup artist
Linle White	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John C. Chulay	....	unit production manager
Richard Hashimoto	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert P. Cohen	....	first assistant director
James Giovannetti Jr.	....	second assistant director (as James R. Giovannetti Jr.)

Art Department
Jack M. Marino	....	property master (as Jack Marino)
Paul Stanwyck	....	head painter: Chicago
Ted Wilson	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom man
James R. Alexander	....	sound mixer (as Jim Alexander)
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Richard C. Franklin	....	sound editor (as Rick Franklin)
Robert L. Hoyt	....	supervising re-recording mixer (as Bob Hoyt)
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	adr editor (as Nick Korda)
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chuck Neely	....	assistant sound editor
John Roesch	....	foley
Joan Rowe	....	foley
Jerry Stanford	....	sound editor (as Jerry R. Stanford)
John J. Stephens	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
William H. Schirmer	....	special effects (as Bill Schirmer)

Camera and Electrical Department
Art Bartels	....	key grip: Chicago
Ben Beaird	....	key grip
George Bouillet	....	director of photography: Chicago
Danny Buck	....	gaffer (as Dan Buck)
Henry M. Lebo	....	camera operator (as Henry Lebo)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	panaglide operator (as Greg Lundsgaard)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician
Mike Moyer	....	gaffer: Chicago
Mark Simon	....	assistant camera operator: Chicago
Kenneth D. Zunder	....	assistant camera operator (as Ken Zunder)

Casting Department
David Gonzales	....	casting assistant
Janice Papolos	....	casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Phyllis Corcoran-Woods	....	costume assistant
Eddie Marks	....	costumer
Christine Zamiara	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Jerrie Fowler	....	assistant film editor: Chicago
Nancy Frazen	....	assistant film editor
William Goldenberg	....	apprentice film editor
Aubrey Head	....	color timer
Jim Miller	....	associate film editor (as James W. Miller)
John Therieau	....	assistant film editor
Scott K. Wallace	....	assistant film editor (as Scott Wallace)

Music Department
David Anderle	....	music supervisor: A & M Films
Gary Chang	....	composer: additional music
Keith Forsey	....	music supervisor
Carlton Kaller	....	assistant music editor (as Carl Kaller)
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

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

Other crew
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	titles
Bob Forrest	....	script supervisor
Al Gomez	....	assistant: Michelle Manning
Dorain Grusman	....	choreographer
Ross L. Kulma	....	first aid
Sly Lovegren	....	production coordinator (as Sly Lovgren)
Marty Pessin	....	auditor
Fredell Pogodin	....	unit publicist
Sam Rath	....	production assistant
Kathleen Sacchi	....	coordinator: L.A.
Susan Vanderbeek	....	production secretary (as Sue Vanderbeck)
Jane Vickerilla	....	assistant: Mr. Hughes
Linnea Ebba Wicklund	....	production assistant (as Linnea Wicklund)

Thanks
Marlene Alexander	....	the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
Bobby Richter	....	the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
Don Stillwell	....	the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture

Production Companies

• A&M Films (producer)
• Channel Productions (producer)
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1985) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Video (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• A&M Records  soundtrack album available on (as A & M Records And Cassettes)
• Glenbrook North High School  the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
• Illinois Film Commision  the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.®)
• Main North High School  the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
• Modern Film Effects  titles
• Panavision  Panaflex camera and lenses by (as Panavision®)
• Town of Des Plaines  the producers wish to thank: for their generous cooperation in the making of this motion picture
• Universal Title  optical effects

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Brazil:Livre (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Finland:K-14 | Netherlands:12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (Certificate No. 27628) | West Germany:12 | Norway:16

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

A&M Films

Trivia:

The scene in which all characters sit in a circle on the floor in the library and tell stories about why they were in detention was not scripted. John Hughes told them all to ad-lib.

Goofs:

Continuity: Brian's shoes change often throughout the movie. This is especially notable when there is the shot of all five kids' feet when they are deciding where to go in the hallways and then changed later when he falls out of his chair.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Andrew Clark: So... what's your poison?
[no answer]
Andrew Clark: ...Ok, forget I asked.
Allison Reynolds: Vodka.
Andrew Clark: Vodka? When do you drink vodka.
Allison Reynolds: Whenever.
Andrew Clark: How much?
Allison Reynolds: Tons.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Gilmore Girls: The Fundamental Things Apply (#4.5)" (2003)

Soundtrack:

Don't You

Remember yourself

We all remember being a teenager. A crazy, intense time when your high were higher and your lows were lower, and every experience was that much more significant.

John Hughes movie brilliantly captures that environment, that era in our lives, and all the social rifts that we all helped to create for ourselves. I have heard it said that "The Breakfast Club" is melodramatic, overacted, and simplistic. If you subscribe to that flippant perspective you might as well join Vernon in his office because you are doing the same thing that he did. Seeing the movie as you want to see it, in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions.

If you really want to understand this film, think back to your own high school days. Think about your last year there. Dig out your old diary or book of angstful poems and reaquaint yourself with who you were then, when you felt things more deeply. "The Breakfast Club" does not exist not for highschool kids, as some suggest. Why would they need it? They live there. It exists for all of us who have already been through there, who feel that they are above it now. It exists so that we can remember what it was like and better understand ourselves, and the next generation. Because you can't dismiss something you understand.