Amazon.com: Sixteen Candles: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, John Hughes: Amazon Instant Video

Sixteen Candles

It's Samantha Baker's Sweet Sixteen and no one in her family remembers the important occasion. John Hughes, the writer of National Lampoon's Vacation, shows how coming-of-age can be full of surprises in this warm-hearted teenage comedy starring Molly Ringwald. She's your average teen, enduring creepy freshmen, spoiled siblings, confused parents ... and the Big Blonde on Campus who stands between her and the boy of her dreams. But wait...the day isn't over yet! This sparkling film features a dynamic score, and outstanding performances by Paul Dooley, Emmy winner Blanche Baker and Oscar nominee Justin Henry.

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall
Directed by: John Hughes
Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes
Release year: 1984
Studio: NBC Universal

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Synopsis: It's Samantha Baker's Sweet Sixteen and no one in her family remembers the important occasion. John Hughes, the writer of National Lampoon's Vacation, shows how coming-of-age can be full of surprises in this warm-hearted teenage comedy starring Molly Ringwald. She's your average teen, enduring creepy freshmen, spoiled siblings, confused parents and the Big Blonde on Campus who stands between her and the boy of her dreams. But wait...the day isn't over yet! This sparkling film features a dynamic score, and outstanding performances by Paul Dooley, Emmy winner Blanche Baker and Oscar nominee Justin Henry.

Starring: Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall

Directed by: John Hughes

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Runtime: 1 hour 34 minutes

Captions and Subtitles: Details

Release year: 1984

Studio: NBC Universal

ASIN: B001BR90R0 (Rental) and B001BR7CVG (Purchase)

Rights & Requirements

Rental rights: 24 hour viewing period Details

Purchase rights: Stream instantly and download to 2 locations. Details

Format: Amazon Instant Video (streaming online video and digital download)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

136 of 143 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars I wish they'd left the soundtrack alone... November 6, 1999

By A Customer

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I have to agree with the reviewer who complained about the "butchered" soundtrack. I grew up with "Sixteen Candles" -- I've seen it so many times I practically know it by heart -- and the songs are as much a part of the movie as the dialogue. I wonder if someone forgot to get permission to use some of the songs when the original movie was released -- but that wouldn't explain the cheezed-up "muzak" version of the opening credit music. And why substitute "Strangers in the Night" for "New York, New York" as background music for the post-party conversation between Jake and The Geek? The replacement music, as a whole, seems thrown together -- the songs are obviously meant to sound "almost like" the originals but for anyone who really knows the movie "almost like" just doesn't cut it. The most awkward moment is when the family is leaving the house the morning of Ginny's wedding. In the original version of the film, David Bowie's "Young American" is playing in the background as the family piles into two cars. In this version, there is NO music playing -- the family enters the cars in silence. What used to be a funny, quick scene now seems agonizingly drawn out.

"Sixteen Candles" is still a great movie, of course, and I'm glad that I have it in my DVD collection. But I found myself cringing every time a song was changed -- I could barely concentrate on the diaglogue at times. (I don't know what I would have done if the Thompson Twins' "If you were here" was replaced at the end of the movie; thankfully, it wasn't.)

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81 of 85 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Clarification on soundtrack and PG rating controversies. January 20, 2011

By RH

Format:DVD

Soundtrack Issues
In the first DVD release of Sixteen Candles, several of the songs from the original soundtrack were missing due to licensing rights. For anyone looking for a version of the movie with the original soundtrack, get the "High School Reunion Collection" (released in 2003). This is the version I own and it has all of the original songs in it. I believe the "Flashback Edition" (released in 2008) also has the original songs, but I cannot verify that. The original release (released in 1998) has no special heading/title and is the version with several missing songs.

MPAA Rating Controversy
As far as the "PG" rating, do not buy this movie thinking you are going to enjoy introducing your young kids to a great 80's throwback. Prior to buying this movie, I had only seen it on TV. I assumed that the edited TV version was similar to the unedited movie because of the "PG" rating. As it turns out, Sixteen Candles came out in May, 1984, 2 months before the "PG-13" rating was implemented. So at the time, movies were either rated "G", "PG", or "R". Sixteen Candles was originally going to be rated "R", but prior to release, just enough F-bombs were edited out to make the "PG" cut and reach the targeted teenage audience. This is NOT equivelant to a modern day "PG" film. There are still at least 2 F-bombs in the movie as well as several more S-words, A-words, slanders to sexual orientation, and other explicit language. There are also underage drinking, sexual innuendo, and a shower scene with blatant up close nudity.

Summary
In short, this is a great classic 80s movie worth owning with the understanding that it should be considered a "PG-13" movie that just missed being a rated "R" movie, as would have been the case if it were released just a few months later than it was. For purists, get the "High School Reunion Collection" to experience the movie with the original soundtrack as it was intended.

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72 of 82 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars What happened to the soundtrack?!! August 22, 1999

By serena-muse@email.msn.com

Format:VHS Tape

This is one of my all time favorite movies, and I bought this video because my old copy had worn out. After watching 10 minutes of the new copy, I felt physically ill. The entire soundtrack's been changed! No "Love of the Common People", no "Happy Birthday". I couldn't watch any further. Some moron has butchered this film, and I'd return this copy if I could. If you've never seen the original version of this film then go ahead and buy it because the actual film is great and you won't notice the difference in the music. But to anyone who has seen it before, find an original copy. Watching this version will make you sick.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Favorite Movie of all Times

Loved this movie when I was a kid and now sharing with my kids. Everyone got a good laugh. Love John Hughes

Published 4 days ago by Jazzman

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the highest rated movie but I certainly enjoyed it.

Especially if you are a teen or young adult, and perhaps even older or younger, you are going to love this movie.

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3.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe this is PG

I probably saw this movie five times in the 80s. I'm not sure what PG meant back then. But when I started to watch this with my teenage daughter and a naked girl was shown in the... Read more

Published 7 days ago by E. Russell

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!!!

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Published 14 days ago by Janet Ward

5.0 out of 5 stars Great 80's movie!

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Published 14 days ago by Juliad38

5.0 out of 5 stars BluRay has the original soundtrack!!

I just wanted to confirm that the Blu-Ray labled "Sixteen Candles (Universal 100th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (1984)" has the original soundtrack. Read more

Published 15 days ago by D. Thompson

5.0 out of 5 stars A Classic

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Published 15 days ago by JSB

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for sweet 16's

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Topic	From this Discussion
does this version restore bowie's 'young americans?'	yes, it's in there if you buy the flashback edition package with breakfast club and weird science Sep 21, 2009 by Sayray in MS \| See all 3 posts
Who Played The Promqueen???	That was Haviland Morris as the prom queen. I've not seen the commercial which you are referring to, so I don't know if that's her or not. Nov 14, 2007 by M. A. Casey \| See all 3 posts

Topic

From this Discussion

does this version restore bowie's 'young americans?'

yes, it's in there if you buy the flashback edition package with breakfast club and weird science

Sep 21, 2009 by Sayray in MS | See all 3 posts

Who Played The Promqueen???

That was Haviland Morris as the prom queen. I've not seen the commercial which you are referring to, so I don't know if that's her or not.

Nov 14, 2007 by M. A. Casey | See all 3 posts

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