Revisiting the '80s

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I was 14 and 16 when these two movies came out, so I was totally part of the target audience.

Sixteen Candles (1984)

The only thing I could have remembered off the top of my head from this movie was the foreign exchange student named Long Duk Dong, but it was all familiar when I watched it again on TV at my in-laws' house. Unfortunately, someone let me have the remote, and this is what I settled on. I forgot that it was so stupid, although Jake is still dreamy as the seemingly unreachable object of the girl's desire. My mother-in-law's brother (is that my uncle-in-law?) got a kick out of the stumbling bride high on muscle relaxers at the end.

Pretty in Pink (1986)

This movie aged pretty well, I thought. Duckie still looks goofy but edgy, the dialog is still funny but not retarded, and the romance is classic. (Although I am a jaded adult who wonders just how long the teen romance is going to last, I still like a good teen flick. Like Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You.) The music's still good, too. I don't think Molly Ringwald looks very good in pink, though, I'm sorry to say.

I kind of wish Andie had ended up with Duckie, though. He's so funny and cool and cuter than the rich guy. Oh! Since I assume that their teenage romance was doomed, I'll just imagine the sequel where Andie and Duckie get together in college! That makes me happy.

Comments

  1. ivyFriday, September 05, 2008 1:48:00 PM

    I always thought the title should have been "Ugly in Pink" cuz well, any other color would have been better on her. Liked that one. Hated Sixteen Candles. It's too raunchy. Remember "Say Anything" and "Some Kind of Wonderful?" Those were good too.

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  2. ErinSunday, September 07, 2008 8:25:00 PM

    I'd like to see those again, too. I liked all of the John Cusack movies: Better Off Dead, One Crazy Summer, and The Sure Thing, as well as Say Anything. They all have raunchy elements, though. I wonder if Pretty in Pink was named after the song by The Psychedelic Furs or vice versa? Because if they named the movie after the song, they had to just pretend that Molly Ringwald looked good in pink. Her hair clashed with that pink.

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  3. Jessica Reyleen Miskin ChristensenTuesday, September 23, 2008 2:29:00 PM

    I so relate to what you were saying. Definitely an '80s kid myself, and I feel your cynicism about doomed teen romances, but still, I like the idea of it -- not that I really dated in high school. I'm with you on "Say Anything" and "Some Kind of Wonderful." I liked "Can't Buy Me Love" as well, but as with all the '80s movies, I'm not sure I want my kids to watch them. They were kind of raunchy. Still, there's a certain nostalgia that makes you feel young and silly again.

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  4. ErinThursday, September 25, 2008 1:00:00 PM

    Well, maybe not dating in high school is part of what makes these movies so appealing. Because really, how many kids date successfully in high school? I know there are some, but even if you're popular, there's so much anxiety about all relationships at that age. Also, teen movies (and teens in general) are all about the beginnings of relationships. Okay, so adult romantic comedies are all about the beginnings, too. I don't remember Can't Buy Me Love that well. I'll have to watch it again. I'm not very excited to let my kids watch this kind of thing, either, but they're still pretty young, and I can still shelter them to some degree. I know they'll be watching stuff I wouldn't approve of someday, though, just like I did. :)

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