The Breakfast Club
| The Breakfast Club | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Hughes |
| Written by | John Hughes |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Thomas Del Ruth |
| Edited by | Dede Allen |
| Music by | Keith Forsey |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $1 million[2] |
| Box office | $51.9 million[3] |
The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American independent teen coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes. The ensemble cast includes Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, and Ally Sheedy.[4] The narrative follows five high school students from different social cliques who spend a Saturday in detention under the supervision of a strict vice principal, gradually revealing their inner struggles and forming unexpected bonds.[5]
Hughes completed the screenplay in 1982 and moved forward with casting following the success of Sixteen Candles (1984). Principal photography took place from March to May 1984 at the shuttered Maine North High School in Des Plaines, Illinois, which served as the film's primary location.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on February 7, 1985, and was released theatrically by Universal Pictures on February 15. It emerged as a commercial success, originally grossing $51.5 million against a $1 million budget. Critics widely praised the film's script, performances, and emotional resonance, and it is often cited as one of Hughes's most defining works. The prominence of the main cast contributed to their collective designation as members of the "Brat Pack", a term popularized in the media.[6]
In 2015, The Breakfast Club was digitally remastered and re-released in 430 theaters to mark its 30th anniversary. The following year, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The film is widely regarded as one of the greatest teen films ever made and a quintessential work of 1980s American cinema.[7][8][9][10]
- ^ "The Breakfast Club". Bbfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
- ^ "The 80's: 'The Breakfast Club'". Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
- ^ "The Breakfast Club". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on May 31, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
- ^ "Undercover Indies: How 'The Breakfast Club' Went Small-Scale and Created a Cult Classic". Film Independent. October 14, 2021. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "10 Indie Movies That Became Pop Culture Hits". Collider. March 6, 2023. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- ^ "Breakfast Club 30". BreakfastClub30.com. Archived from the original on March 11, 2015. Retrieved May 3, 2021.
- ^ Daniel Kreps (December 14, 2016). "'Breakfast Club,' 'Rushmore' Among Films Added to National Film Registry". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
- ^ Michael O'Sullivan (December 14, 2016). "National Film Registry honors 'Breakfast Club,' 'Rushmore' and other teen angst movies". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
- ^ "2012 National Film Registry Picks in A League of Their Own". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2020.