I re-watched Pitch Perfect again a couple of weeks ago as it has been recently added to Amazon Japan PRIME. A fun movie. I was curious as to why a movie I had never seen, The Breakfast Club, was such a key thing in it. They actually show the movie DVD (with some characters removed, as at the time of filming, they hadn't received the actors permissions to use their likeness). The movie soundtrack uses the Simple Minds song Don't You (Forget About Me), which was their biggest hit and written for the movie, to great effect in both films.
So we tracked down the 1985 The Breakfast Club.
The first half is the kids talking and some being unpleasant, but it reveals character for the high impact later part of the film. It brought back all kinds of my own memories, as I think it does for everyone who watches it, and now understand why it was such a hit, and a great thing to reference in Pitch Perfect. The lyrics of Don't You (Forget About Me) have lasting meaning after seeing it too.
From my own experience, the stereo types of people live on, and as I learnt at my 30th Anniversary High School Reunion, the only one I attended, you aren't still friends when Monday comes around. I think I was still seen as an unpopular Nerd (or was that Basket Case?) .
The writer /director was John Hughes. I hadn't noticed that name before, but if you look at the films he made, you will find greats, and not just teen movies. Planes, Trains and Automobiles, is such a great move. So funny, yet has heart.
So after listening to his interviews and talks on YouTube, I found John Hughes to be this quiet observer in High School, that found reassurance in his paintings. Always loved music. I can relate to that. He remembered all he saw and heard and has put that into his writing. Started in Advertising, moved to write for National Lampoon before breaking into the world of film. Funny and heartfelt. Filled with a lot of his own, personnel experiences. It is said he could write a script overnight while listening to The Clash, The Psychedelic Furs or such British band. He ended up leaving Hollywood as they wanted to change his words without any understanding of the work. A common complaint.
He died aged 59 from a heart attack in 2009.
I suggest if you haven't see The Breakfast Club and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, go watch them immediately.
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