The Film
The Breakfast Club is turning 30. Besides being a major milestone for one of John Hughes' most celebrated films (and he has quite a few), this anniversary also marks a personal milestone. It means that I'm officially old.
I bought into The Brat Pack when they were a thing. I had magazines. I probably had posters. I definitely had The Breakfast Club soundtrack on vinyl. That means I'm the exact audience for The Breakfast Club: 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray.
Whether or not you fall into the same category will really hinge on your current collection. If you own the 25th anniversary edition, which Universal released just a few short years ago, it's definitely not required material. (I was old then, too.) Also, and don't get all up in my face over this, but this is not my favorite when it comes to Hughes' films. It's not even my second favorite. However, it is a classic and should be treated as such.
Back in the 80s, The Breakfast Club had what you'd call a diverse cast. There was a brain (Anthony Michael Hall), a beauty (Molly Ringwald), a jock (Emilio Estevez), a rebel (Judd Nelson), and a recluse (Ally Sheedy). And despite the lack of racial diversity, they all represented something that most high schoolers were feeling at one time or another. Sure, I probably identified more with the girl in Sixteen Candles who got her hair caught in the door, but I digress... We all felt pressure, pain, love, friendship, the need for a little partying, and more. And it all felt so real and so permanent.
Which is why The Breakfast Club is such a good film. It's an emotional film -- often too much so. Because when you bring all of those personalities together, shit is going to hit the fan. Especially in detention. Sometimes it's fun and sometimes it's painful, but it's usually pretty entertaining. It also helps that this film had such a talented cast. It's a cast that I wish went on to do bigger and better things, but was such a standout for its time period. It still is.
The Picture
If you picked up the 25th anniversary Blu-ray, you'll be straining to see the difference in this 1.85:1 image. Universal says that the film has been "digitally remastered and fully restored from high resolution 35mm original film elements." (It's right on the back of the case!) However, it's going to be hard to call out many differences. It definitely looks good, but the film is 30 years old and this transfer reflects that. The colors are a little dim and there is a lot of soft imagery. It does offer a few sharp moments, mostly via textures on Claire's shirt, the pattern on Dick's jacket and pants, Bender's coat, Brian's sweatshirt, and more. It's nothing dazzling, but it's sort of impressive for the age of this film. It's also just the nature of the beast. That said, I've watched this movie more times than I care to admit; this is the best it's ever looked.
The Sound
Universal picks up the same DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and it's just fine, for the most part. The opening sample of Simple Minds' "Don't You (Forget About Me)" does sound quite awesome. However, Anthony Michael Hall's opening monologue is well... a teeny bit muffled. Sure, that's pretty much his tone through the entire film, but it should stand out a bit more on Blu-ray. Otherwise, this dialogue-driven movie sounds pretty great. All of the rest of the characters are clear throughout the film. Just don't expect any ambient noise -- like any. However, all of that silence does make the soundtrack stand out a lot more when it pops up throughout the film.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
The Breakfast Club isn't my favorite John Hughes film, but it's definitely a favorite and a classic. If you're a fan of the 80s, you most likely have fond memories of this film and will want it as part of your collection. That probably means you already have it in your collection. Sadly, this 30th Anniversary Blu-ray leaves very little reason to upgrade. The remastered video is barely noticeable, the audio is a dupe, and the lone new extra is a pop-up trivia track. Yes, it will have you singing, "Don't You (Forget About Me)" for days. However, you may want to forget about this Blu-ray if you have an earlier release.
Product Details
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