Customer Reviews

The Breakfast Club (25th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(164)
4 star:		(36)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

"The Breakfast Club" is the brat pack movie that I venture to guess will be long remembered as a watershed moment in American cinema - at least where teen comedy is concerned. The plot (for those not already familiar with it) revolves around 5 teenagers from various walks of life, forced to sit together through one Saturday afternoon detension session. A hilarious, well-crafted and often poignant film about the fundemental truths that make us all human, John Hughes "The Breakfast Club" is perhaps the single greatest exploration of the angst and confusion that plagued us all during the high school years.
UNIVERSAL's remastering efforts on this DVD provide some angst of their own. Despite being anamorphically enhanced for 16X9 displays, this newly minted DVD offers nothing in the way of video improvement over the previously issued DVD. Colors are dated, unrealistic, often unbalanced with some bleeding and smearing. Fine detail is minimal, even in well lit scenes. Contrast, shadow and black levels are all extremely weak. Age related artifacts, including chips, scratches and spice jump cuts are all evident. There is a considerable amount of film grain present throughout for a wholly unsatisfying visual presentation. The audio - remixed to 5.1 in both Dolby and DTS exhibits a dated characteristic with muffled dialogue and practically no spacial separation, except in the music tracks.
EXTRAS: A Theatrical trailer that is badly worn.
BOTTOM LINE: "The Breakfast Club" is a brilliant movie. However, the lack of extras (a documentary would have been nice)and the really low brow treatment of the transfer lead me to say this disc really isn't worth the money.

This movie was great to watch with my family. They could share in a movie that had an impact on me when i was younger. Everything promised was delivered. Thanks.

j'ai recu tout a date le film fonctionne bien rien a dire je vais pouvoir revivre de bon moment en l'écoutant....

My teenage daughter loved this movie, even though it's a different generation completely. The issues the teens face are the same issues teens face today. An oldie, but a goodie.

I would always see this movie on TV when I was younger but never watched it. I definitely should have. Every youth should see this at one point! A great 80's movie!

The quintessential John Hughes film. I remember in my English class my junior year (1987) we had to analyze this movie. Only 2 years after it's release it was had all the qualities needed for a class analysis. I will spare you the report that I did back then.

Since then I have watched this movie at least once a year (and contrary to popular believe it is not for the panty shot). The characters are very well done. There is something that anyone who went through high school can relate to, even if we fit more than just one character. The interactions between the teens towards each other and then towards the principal as a group is classic. It's got love, teen angst, popular kids, geeks, dweebs, outcasts and the ever popular kid that doesn't fit in but always tries to get the attention. Nothing like dumping out your bag for people to go through to get attention.

Of course you can't forget the star cast of strong 80's actors, Emilio Estevez (Andrew 'Andy') Anthony Michael Hall (Brian) Judd Nelson (John Bender) Molly Ringwald (Claire) Ally Sheedy (Allison) and Paul Gleason (Principal). Great acting, John's look at teenagers and a great script all make for a very enjoyable look at the interactions and 'attitude' typical of the high school years.

I truly could go on about this movie but I won't. I'll just say that this is a much have for any movie buff and if you haven't seen it you must.

Here is the teen classic 'The Breakfast Club', where a group of young people sit around and complain during detention. If I remember correctly from high school, one is not supposed to talk during detention. Nevertheless, did I mention these characters sit around and complain? There is scene where loud rock music plays while the kids get high on pot. I hope the director wasn't sending some message like that's supposed to be cool. At least one good thing came out of this talk-fest; it was the song by Simple Minds. Thank God that song doesn't have any complaining in it.

Some question the durability of "The Breakfast Club," saying that the themes and plotlines do not hold up in today's teen society. As a 15-year-old, I would like to say that that is thoroughly untrue. 19 years after its release, "The Breakfast Club" is still a truthful, relateable account of teenagers and their personalities, and the ways in which they interact with each other. Sure, the stereotypes of the characters may be a bit exaggerated -- but that's necessary in order to get the point across. Watching this movie, I feel as if I know these people, or at least I've run across them at one point in my high school career.

The plot, as most people know, involves five different kids being assigned Saturday detention together. Each kid represents a typical high school stereotype -- a princess (Molly Ringwald), a jock (Emilio Estevez), a brain (Anthony Michael Hall), a basket case (the excellent Ally Sheedy), and a criminal (Judd Nelson). At the beginning of the day, none of them know each other, except for the princess and the jock. Throughout the day, they learn more about each other and work at tearing down the stereotypes that pit them against each other. As for the reviewer who said this isn't realistic that they would open up so much to each other -- it absolutely is. Put five kids into a room without an adult for nine hours, and they will talk about anything.

The beauty of this movie is the depth of the characters beyond the stereotypes -- particularly the nerd, Brian, who as we find out in the movie has problems well beyond what people think of him. He is the one that I most relate to in the movie. Watch "The Breakfast Club," and see who you most relate to. It's a great experience. Beyond the social commentary aspect, it's also just a funny movie. The jokes come at breakneck speed, especially for the first half of the movie (before it gets somewhat serious). The actors are also very enjoyable in their roles, particularly Ally Sheedy and Anthony Michael Hall. Highly recommended.

Ah... the eighties - a simpler time. A time when James Cameron was the greatest Sci-fi director out there (he had not even begun his obsession with the Titanic). A time when bright, almost neon, colours and big hair were in. A time when Ferris Bueller had made cutting school into an art form and Judd Nelson was the coolest guy on the planet!

The Breakfast Club is not just another teenage movie, it is the teenage movie! (Even though the average age of the actors in the movie would have been about 25). I think you have to see it when you're a teenager to really appreciate it. Anyone who sees it when they are in their thirties or later, like Richard Vernon, (the teacher in charge of the unruly group of teenagers) has already forgotten what it was like to have raging hormones and bad hair.

You could argue that it is a movie by numbers, giving you all the elements and characters that teenagers can relate to. You have in the simplest terms and most convenient definitions a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal. Everyone one of us can relate to one of these characters (personally, I was the basket case). You have snappy dialogue, a very uncool and intolerant authority figure, in the guise of Paul Gleason, demonstrating the generation gap perfectly. Lots of pretty people to satisfy those raging hormones. You also have all the major topics that teenagers are most concerned about discussing, losing your virginity, parental oppression, and school status to name but a few.

The Breakfast Club is a film that I will make sure that my children watch when they are teenagers, and hopefully they will appreciate it as much as I did. (My kids are going to hate me!)

this is one of THE best teen movies, ever! granted, it's an 80's flick, but one of the most worth seeing. My favourite character would have to be Bender (Judd Nelson), i love his sarcasm, his anger, and his all-out obvious perversions on love interest Claire (Molly Ringwald). Watch his eyes; it's all in the eyes.

All in all, it was a really good ensemble of characters and makes profound points about high school hierarchies and how teens relate to their parents (many of those points still applicable today, 2005!). even though the ending was a little predictable, i personally loved this movie and thank Hughes for producing one of the best teen movies i've ever seen.