80s Movie Sunday
FilmGiven my recent past-time of remembering the 1980s, I thought I’d actually watch a few 80s movies. So, today I went out and bought the Brat Pack Collection (The Breakfast Club/ Sixteen Candles/ Weird Science)
All of these films were made by director John Hughes who took 80s teen movies to a high art. His movies (esp. the Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, and 16 Candles) define 80s teen life for many of us who grew up in those days. Not only that, but they’re "fun" movies that also have pretty decent plots.
Today I watched "16 Candles" and "Weird Science" and I must say they certainly took me back to not only the 80s, but my teen years (which were actually in the 90s; go figure). Hughes has an uncanny ability to capture teenage awkwardness in hilarious and depressing ways. I felt embarrassed for his lovable losers, not only because of their obvious geekiness, but also because I could see some of my friends and even a bit of myself in them! It seems to be a hallmark of many Hughes teen films that the lovable losers come out on top when it’s all said and done. It may be predictable, but such an outcome is certainly uplifting.
"16 Candles" follows this typical pattern where the shy, underdeveloped Samantha (played by Molly Ringwald) has a huge crush on popular guy Jake, who also just happens to be dating the prom queen, not her. The Geek (as he’s known in the credits), played perfectly by Anthony Michael Hall is an archetypal 80s nerd who is after Samantha and also wants to impress his guy friends. He is completely annoying in a brilliantly funny manner. All of the movie’s jokes don’t always "work" for me, but when they do they are downright hilarious. The 80s culture portrayed in this movie is simply too perfect and I suspect that Hughes was gently parodying the 80s before it became popular years later.
Weird Science is a good, but in my opinion, not great example of the work of Hughes. Sure it has a lot of high points, but some of it doesn’t seem to endure too well. But I still enjoyed it, if anything because of Wyatt’s (one of the main geeky characters) hilariously sadistic big brother "Chet" (played perfectly by Bill Paxton). The character was so enduring that my parents constantly referred to Paxton as "Chet" in whatever vehicle he later appeared in (which would be much to his chagrin I’m sure). This movie is a good coming of age movie interwoven with an outlandish sci-fi plot.
Ah, there’s nothing like going back down memory lane.
