The Breakfast Club (1985)

This review is about the DVD. I will tell you up front that this DVD looks like a direct copy off VHS. I have seen the VHS version about 2 times this year and when the title song comes on, the audio fades in and out. Not bad, but you can definitely see some age in it. The DVD is EXACTLY the same. The sound is of no higher quality.

There is no widescreen, just a full screen with the same picture quality as VHS. It's not horrible, but if you are the type of person who buys DVDs for the superior picture quality, you are definitely going to be unhappy with this.

The movie itself is EXCELLENT, I love it, but the DVD transfer from VHS isn't the best.

As for bonus features, you get bios for all of the actors. The trouble is, the information included is the same as you can find on the internet movie database (imdb) as well as fan sites. If you have read a fair amount on any of the actors and know their biography fairly well, this DVD offers nothing new.

There are also some brief production notes about where and how this movie was done, and some quotes from the cast and crew.

Again, if you have done any research online and gone to any fan sites or even a site dedicated to John Hughes, you will find nothing new here. No interviews, a little behind the scenes, some background detail, but in the big picture, not much else.

Just a forewarning.

I bought the DVD because unlike VHS tapes, a DVD CD doesn't wear out. But if you watch the VHS version, then the DVD, the quality is the same. DVD is not any better.

So overall, EXCELLENT movie, but not a great transfer. Still, if you are a fan, definitely add it to your collection, but if you buy DVDs for the extras, you will be very disappointed with this.

John Hughes delivers the definitive nostalgic teen movie of the Generation X crowd. The cast made up the '80s "brat pack" with Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall. It's hard to believe while seeing this film that Ringwald and Hall were the only real high school aged performers... the others were in their mid to late 20s during filming.

While modern teens may not find this as "sophisticated" as over-sexed comedies like "American Pie," anyone can appreciate true feelings, teen angst, self doubt and relationships with parents portrayed in this film.

A group of kids sitting for 8 hours in detention on a Saturday none of them will ever forget. While there is foul language, it's about the same speed as what you can hear on "NYPD Blue" on TV. There is no nudity or sex, just raw, in your face teen angst.

You see this group of "losers," warts and all, and become friends with all of them before the film is over. The DVD doesn't offer anything other than cast bios and subtitles... which is a disappointment. It would have been great to have had some interviews with the cast and behind the scenes footage. Nonetheless, DVD is much better than tape and definitely worth the extra $ for a non volitile format.

Not only is this a classic film, it's one of my personal favorites. I loved it when I was little and I love it now as I am in my twenties. It's so refreshing to have a brutally honest film that plays on all of your emotions as this movie does. And even though this was shot in the eighties, people can still relate to it now in 2000. This is why it is so effective and powerful.

The movie is so memorable that you will most likely repeat every single line during each viewing. The actors do a terrific job of portraying their roles flawlessly. The script is funny and touching at the same time. Everything that is shown in the movie is crucial and significant; being that there isn't a single minute in the movie that goes wasted.

This new DVD edition, while it may not be the most spectacular of DVDs, is a lot better than the previous version. They did an excellent job of producing a successful remastered version of the movie that looks and sounds excellent. You can even watch it in DTS; that is, if your system carries it. I'm afraid there's not much to offer in the special features department. It really is a shame, being that this is such a classic movie. Still, the way the film looks and sounds is worth the price alone.

"The Breakfast Club" is a terrific movie that still has the same effect on us as it did years and years ago. It's funny, tragic, touching and honest. If you haven't seen this movie yet, please, make sure that the next time you are at a video store that you pick this up and check it out. You have no idea what you're missing if you don't. Still a favorite after so many years, this film surpasses so many movies that we see today. An excellent achievement on all fronts.