Why The Breakfast Club is a significant film

It's time to take a look at a film where five high school students are trapped at school on a Saturday. Here is everything you need to know about The Breakfast Club, which came out, believe it or not, 35 years ago.
Produced and written by Matt Beat. All images and video used under fair use guidelines.
Sources/further reading:
www.imdb.com/title/tt0088847/
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bre...
www.newyorker.com/culture/per...
ultimateclassicrock.com/the-b...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teen_film
www.rottentomatoes.com/m/brea...
webcache.googleusercontent.co...
Few films before The Breakfast Club so earnestly showed what it truly meant to feel the angst of a teenager. First of all, the acting was quite good, despite some cheesy moments that show up from time to time. Previous teen films often felt more like 40-year olds writing about the teenage perspective, but this film felt like actual teenagers wrote it. It probably helped that both Ringwald and Hall were 16-year olds themselves. The other three were actually in their early twenties.
Still, just like he did with his film Sixteen Candles, it’s like Hughes opened up a window to a whole new world viewers didn’t know about. Teenagers were finally being heard. It was raw. It was relatable. And sure, it seems cliche today, but people forget it was the FIRST to do all this.
The Breakfast Club is mostly about the struggle of the suburban American teenager to truly be understood, both by adults (clip turned on me) and also by themselves (another clip). Boundaries are broken. These five students are forced to break out of their normal environments, and in the process learn quite a bit about themselves. This, during a time in their lives where they actually don’t know nearly enough about themselves.
The film is also about status...about how all of us, not just suburban American teenagers, often form hierarchies and then proceed to pretend that these hierarchies don’t exist. And finally, The Breakfast Club brilliantly shows us what can happen when we are forced to hit the pause button in our life or when we are forced to go into quarantine with people we barely know, even though I think we thought we knew those people.
The Breakfast Club basically was the quintessential coming of age film for Generation Xers everywhere. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best teen films of all time, and the best movie ever made by John Hughes. Teen films? Heck, John Hughes practically invented the modern definition of “teen film” with The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and these other films.
Its soundtrack even became iconic, representing being a teen in the 1980s. In 2005, on the 20th anniversary of its release, the film received the Silver Bucket of Excellence Award at the MTV Movie Awards, and most of the cast was even there to reunite for it. In 2015, on the 30th anniversary of its release, Universal digitally remastered it and re-screened it across the country. The next year, the Library of Congress selected to preserve it in the National Film Registry due to it being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Today, The Breakfast Club is practically synonymous with all of the 1980s. Virtually all teen movies afterward can credit The Breakfast Club as at least a partial influence.
It is currently certified 89% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and what’s remarkable is that it continues to resonate more with teenagers of today, 35 years after things that used to be in style clearly went out of style. In other words, The Breakfast Club is timeless. We are nostalgic for it, but we are also amazed at how, despite the technology dramatically changing, the teenagers themselves haven’t changed much over the years. They still feel like freaks. They still want to rebel. They still want to fight. They still want to be respected. They still want to be understood.
#thebreakfastclub #johnhughes #genx

[@mattbeatgoeson]

So which film should I cover next? Also, thanks to Raid: Shadow Legends for sponsoring this video. Install Raid for Free ✅ IOS: clcr.me/jy0ktu ✅ ANDROID: clcr.me/jUR5Jd ✅ PC: clcr.me/dDwBKW and get a special starter pack 💥Available only for the next 30 days

[@jerrythegnome7688]

cover the back to the future trilogy

[@mattbeatgoeson]

@@jerrythegnome7688 I had already planned it. I've seen that trilogy so many times.

[@stalkinghorse883]

Rebel without a cause Fast times at Ridgemont hoigh

[@jerrythegnome7688]

@@mattbeatgoeson thats great

[@devingiles6597]

Hey, Mr. Beat. You should do a video on Mean Girls.

[@conorwinston6205]

My step-brother also hated high school, but later went on to earn a PhD in education and become a middle school principal.

[@mars3676]

Sound like me

[@pixalmated4853]

I've always heard of the breakfast club but never watched it until I told my best friend this, so he let me borrow the dvd and I have yet to return it. Definitely one of my favorite movies

[@mattbeatgoeson]

It's also back on Netflix!

[@jerrythegnome7688]

good job on going into the history of these things. you keep showing how little i know about my favorite movies

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Thanks Jerry :)

[@christiandevey3898]

Well, I guess I have to listen to Don’t You Forget About Me by Simple Minds now

[@mattbeatgoeson]

I listen to it at least once a month.

[@JebusMatoi]

I was born in 1991 and didn't start getting into 80s culture until my late 20s (present time) but now that I am, I definitely wish I was born in 1981 instead. The Breakfast Club solidifies everything that was going on in the 80s imo. Teenagers misunderstood, parents controlling their lives, the fashion, the lingo, everything about it is refreshing for me after living my teen years in the 2000s. Not to mention John Hughes was simply a master of his craft. RIP legend.

[@fhwolthuis]

I went to highschool in 1984 and this film and the music is forever connected to that moment

[@enjoythepig]

I went to Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, and it bore a strange resemblance to the school in the Breakfast Club. I was a Freshman when it came out, and fanaticized about all the deep, soulful conversations I would be having with upper classman (it was all boys). Sadly, the only real experience shared by me and the film was being randomly tackled by a wrestler. I would love to see your treatment (I can say that now that you have elevated your film commentary to art), of the 1993 Robert Altman masterpiece, Shortcuts. I think it's especially relevant because it was set in Los Angles during the med-fly quarantine. There was a palpable feeling in the film, and I think in general that the Med Fly was a harbinger of things to come, old Los Angeles with its economic and cultural diversity, still heavily influenced by Dust Bowl immigrants, was about to die. References to this were all over the film, as people like bakers, and Jazz lounge singers were beginning to struggle, but didn't really know why. Could this give us a clue as to what our post covid lives will be like?

[@mattbeatgoeson]

I need to revisit that film. Thanks for the suggestion and for sharing all that. :)

[@nostalgiclife1075]

You’re videos are so good bro, worth the wait

[@MissSuesSkills4Success]

One of the best movies ever!! Nice job explaining it, I can tell you did your research. I learned some interesting tidbits about the movie that I never knew before! I own Pretty in Pink and 16 Candles on DVD...I think I need to add this one to my collection. That is ironic that you became a high school history teacher...High school was my least favorite phase in life...I esp. hated history class in High school I think bc of the teachers being so boring... But I really enjoyed it in college and still love history today! I'm a teacher of tiny humans. 😊Thanks for the video!

[@mattslupek7988]

One of the greatest movies ever!! Saw it in the theater when I was 19, just a couple years after I was out of high school, so it was still pretty relatable-and I had a major crush from afar on Ally Sheedy!!

[@Bottle_O_Glue]

the writing in this film is simply impeccable. You really can't find much better than brilliant

[@sofia-wn2xv]

amazing film

[@alanmurray5963]

A very special film❤❤❤Great video🔥🔥🔥

[@canadaisthebest4802]

That was me in High school in the late 80s

[@SteveBryanFL]

One of my favorite movies. Always fun to watch.

[@chill5978]

This is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels. You should think about doing A Brief History of David Bowie or Clapton.

[@vincenzovalentino5005]

Bowie would be nice.

[@Hoosier_man01]

Love this movie, I was born in the 2000s but my mom grew up with this and she references this movie a lot and we end up hearing the song on the radio a lot. She always jokes that’s she wouldn’t let me forget about this movie (in reference to the song)

[@hrinionuwut8637]

I love this movie! Even tho I already knew most of these things, the video was still really enjoyable to watch!

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Well thank you, and glad you already knew about the film's brilliance. :)

[@TheAlexSchmidt]

Ned Tanen is apparently who Biff Tannen from Back to the Future was named after.

[@daniellowther4863]

do u think u could do another brief history video and do it on elton john

[@Riz2336]

It's my personal favorite hughes film, just a classic

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Mine too!

[@chan986]

fav movie

[@donalds980]

I live near the former Maine West High School in Glenview, IL near Des Plaines and went to Maine East High School

[@callumedwards275]

Hello I was wondering if you could do a brief history on the band arctic Monkeys

[@MagiczzLilGoose]

Yesss you should do dazed and confused! It was intended as a sort of anti-John Hughes movie in a realist sense

[@seththomas9105]

I remember going to this movie when I was in high school. It was/is a good movie but I didn't feel any "connection" to anything in the movie as it was set in a large city (Chicago) and a large school. I grew up in a small town in Iowa with 52 kids in my class so it was a disconnect in that regard. Classic movie though and now I want to watch it again.

[@katemaloney4296]

I was a loner who hated (and still hates) high school. Maybe it's because I didn't fit into any of the five categories, so I didn't relate to any of the characters--in fact, they were the people I stayed away from. I was never in trouble or had detention--partly because it never appealed to me to rebel, and mostly because my dad would've whipped the skin off of my backside if I had. That said, I watched it, but I don't care for it. It is what it is. Now do 'TEACHERS'.

[@quadeca5617]

Brief history of Oasis please!!!!!

[@nate-orito7990]

I feel called out when he described Ryan as the Geeky, Dungeons and Dragons type... anyways I gotta get back to preparing for my game

[@xavierhbcrd5190]

Pump up the volume (1990)

[@holiday197]

Love this movie. In a deleted scene, Allison breaks into a teacher's locker and steals the Prince record that she is reading when she catches the Coca Cola can during lunch. The break in occurs when her and Andrew are told to go and get the drinks by Principal Vernon. Eventually Vernon will find out that Allison and/or Andrew broke into the teacher's locker and they may join Bender for detention the next Saturday. From here, it's wishful thinking that Brian and Claire would get themselves in trouble again to join the rest of the gang again (but on a pessimistic note, Vernon would most likely catch on and either sit in the room with the group the whole time or put Claire and Brian in a separate detention after classes on a school day.

[@devingiles6597]

Hey, Mr. Beat. Can you please do a video on the brief history of Paramore?

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Solid band.

[@luispol5286]

make a brief history of U2

[@spinalfag998]

Do history of Iron Maiden plz

[@curtismichael4703]

What about the movies Breakin', Flashdance or Streets of Fire?

[@mattslupek7988]

Do you mean “Breakdancing”?

[@jacobrector2023]

This is not a movie but you should do another video on a band. Which I think you should do a video on The Police!

[@mattbeatgoeson]

That'd be a fun one to make. :)

[@rrisdfootage3344]

I'd love to see Office Space!

[@christianvelazquezKingz]

Do one on the Rolling Stones

[@mattbeatgoeson]

Eventually absolutely!

[@miguelrosa6246]

Can you make a video about The Beach Boys?????

[@iammrbeat]

I would love to

[@lukelichtenthal5407]

It was released February 15th not 14th

[@kvernon1]

Really liked the film in general, but thought it ended with a thud. No way it would ever wind up like that. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the film, but in spite of a hiccup here and there, it's recommended viewing.

[@FLUFFMANDUFF]

[@rino09876]

Are you ok Mr. Beat?

[@mattbeatgoeson]

lol yeah I'm cool

[@rino09876]

@@mattbeatgoeson good cos we need you.

[@_gusowen]

i really don’t know how these video get more views

[@coreyabell6332]

Tori= Claire Andre= Andrew Robbie= Brian Beck= John Jade= Allison