MysterionMuffles Posted December 8, 2014 Posted December 8, 2014 I'm surprised this hasn't been brought up yet: The Breakfast Club is a monumental teen movie from the 80's about a group of 5 unlikely who go to detention together on a hilarious and heartbreaking weekend. There's the Princess, the Jock, Nerd, Basket Case, and everyone's favourite Rebel--and together they try to cope with the oppressive supervision of their principal. Each person has their own reason for being in detention, and what I think is so fundamental about this movie is that it explores each character's issues at home as a way to substantiate why they exhibit certain behaviours. Here's a very touching scene that I often reference at work when somebody buys a Breakfast Club t-shirt, I act it all out in jest, and the customers love it--but when you see it in the context of the overall movie, it's quite...moving. It has a tiny setting with a very tiny amount of characters, but I think that's what makes this movie so great. It's all about the dialogue and how the characters connect with eachother individually, as well as a whole. The limited space and cast gives great focus to them so up close that you'll find yourself identifying with each stereotype even if you are far removed from it in real life. Enjoy! 3
RyanT Posted December 8, 2014 Posted December 8, 2014 Ah remember seeing The Breakfast Club on TV a few years, ago really good film, that certainly touched on something deep for it's audience. Think what really speaks to that is the massive popularity it enjoys to this day...can you imagine them selling 'American Pie' t-shirts now, Let alone in 2028? 2
Magnus Posted December 8, 2014 Posted December 8, 2014 It's amazing to look back at what life was like for young people back then. It wasn't all that long ago, but without cell phones, the Internet, or campus police, it looks like a different world. Saturday detention was a real thing. I went to a semi-large suburban public school through 8th grade, but by the time The Breakfast Club came out, I was in 9th grade and had transferred to a small private school, where the culture was completely different. So, I didn't get the Big School experience after that, but I was close to it. I don't know if it's the same for young people nowadays, but the artificial, forced environment of government schooling caused everyone to fall into the kind of neat categories that you see in this movie -- jocks, preps, geeks, etc. There were a few others, like the heads, the Heathers, the kickers (cowboys), the Iron Maideners. It wasn't so much a personality as an identity, a uniform. The strange part, from the perspective of my 45 year-old self, is that back then, no one had any idea that there was an outside world, that any of this was abnormal. It was the way things were for our parents, but with slightly different technology. The advent of the Sony Walkman seemed revolutionary at the time. Our media and social contacts, outside the tiny bubble of school and some limited amount of television, were virtually non-existent. Another movie that encapsulates the experience of post-war American schooling is Teachers. It's more of a blue-collar environment. Rust Belt America, I guess, less suburban. A lot more violent. 1
RyanT Posted December 8, 2014 Posted December 8, 2014 The strange part, from the perspective of my 45 year-old self, is that back then, no one had any idea that there was an outside world, that any of this was abnormal. It was the way things were for our parents, but with slightly different technology. The advent of the Sony Walkman seemed revolutionary at the time. Our media and social contacts, outside the tiny bubble of school and some limited amount of television, were virtually non-existent. I don't know, I think in a lot of ways that's still is 'how it is'. We've this wonderful resource at our fingertips these days its, that allows new ideas to be decontaminated at light speed, and yet most people I've met seem to totally oblivious to what's going on. All the potential that's literally millimeters outside their comfort-zone if they'd just reach out and grab it, yet so many seem to feel like they can 'look but they can't touch'? Can't help thinking about Matt Stones interview in "Bowling for Columbine" 1
PatrickC Posted February 17, 2015 Posted February 17, 2015 I never spotted this thread before, but the Philosophy Film Club will be discussing this movie in our April show. We also hope to have a special guest join us in that discussion too. Yet to be confirmed. For those interested I'll keep this thread updated, as we get nearer the time. https://board.freedomainradio.com/topic/41977-fdr-film-club/page-2
MysterionMuffles Posted February 18, 2015 Author Posted February 18, 2015 Thanks Pat I might wanna join this installment of the film club if you've got room.
PatrickC Posted February 19, 2015 Posted February 19, 2015 Thanks Pat I might wanna join this installment of the film club if you've got room. Be great to have you RJ and anyone else from this thread that was interested too. I've also been considering doing a regular school series in general and so Magnus suggestion about the movie Teachers is another likely candidate of choice sometime. I normally make the Google Hangout event available two weeks ahead of the scheduled show and normally ask callers (as opposed to listeners) to submit a list of points they want to raise during that show. This show is currently scheduled for 14th April (TBC). https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/117472908323246912161/117472908323246912161/posts
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