What will be the take home from another releases of THE BREAKFAST CLUB. Yes, it is Criterion. Yes it is 4K but let us talk about the releases that already precede this. Often these were pumped out by the studio (the 3oth Anniversary edition that had a trivia track I loved) and then the additional, targeted at teens, release. This was to mop up the 80s obsessions of people, in all its empty vain glory. Now we have the Criterion collection version (one that had been released in the US on other formats). A serious, cineaste look at a film that made its way as a coming of age drama with subversion. All about generations and aspirations. They conflict against each other and often nothing changes there at all. A lot changes in style, hair and clothing, decor, thought and fears but still many generations come and go and thier aspirations are always there for us to hope for, reach for and fail at grasping because they are out of reach.

Jock Andrew (Emilio Estevez), nerd Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), tough John (Judd Nelson), prom queen Claire (Molly Ringwald), and loner Allison (Ally Sheedy) are all in the ‘breakfast club’. This is not some nice place for kids. This is hard ass detention for those who crossed the line. To make it worse, its on Saturday. In high school. For 7 hours. The long day will see them all join together, talk about feelings, challenge opinions and make them see they have more in common than any of them ever thought possible. John Hughes established himself as the bard of American youth, vividly and empathetically capturing how teenagers hang out, act up, and goof off.

Ok, The 4K is the main question here for you and me. It might have to be suggested that it does very little to the overall experience of enjoyment with the film. Adding little difference to the 30th Anniversay release I compared it to. There is some improved richness in colour. The grain issue in the later half is still present but it has less of a distraction quality. The real benefit here is sound though. This now is cleaned up and plays great loud. To the disc and its a tale of two deities. John Hughes. A name that conjures up generation-defining films like PRETTY IN PINK, FERRIS BUELLERS DAY OFF and then broader fair like HOME ALONE and its sequal, made this teen drama as a statement of intent after the success of SIXTEEN CANDLES. John Hughes’s production notes, read by Nelson expose some of this for those interested. Much else here has been done and seen before. This lead the pack in best feature. The other Deity, Molly Ringwald, is interviewed with her daughter on the name famous, THIS AMERICAN LIFE podcast. It asks some questions of how young and old relate and react to film, but it is not to be taken to seriously.

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