Hot on the heels of the recent documentary Brats, directed by Brat Pack actor, Andrew McCarthy, we will be giving audiences the rare treat of Friday nights in October spent with the ‘Brat Pack’ – or at least the three definitive films from the oeuvre.
As unflattering as the nickname was and was intended to be, the young generation of American actors in the collective would appear in films that were generation defining.
Pick the character that teen you most identified with from The Breakfast Club, the first in our trilogy, followed by St Elmo’s Fire, as the nights draw in, and then come back for Pretty in Pink wearing your finest second-hand finds. John Hughes never gave it so good! Gen Xers: start your weekends here, and to everyone come and watch these 80s classics on the big screen in a rare outing.
All screenings will be introduced by Ilona Cheshire, Film & Culture Communications Consultant and Music Supervisor, whose experience in the film world includes working with director Joanna Hogg, plus consulting on films including The Wolf of Wall Street, and as part of the BFI Press department.
The Breakfast Club: Friday 4 October, 7.30pm
The ultimate Brat Pack film: while five students spend a Saturday detention together, personalities and truths unfold.
Written, produced and directed by John Hughes, this indie coming-of-age comedy drama is now considered to be one of the best films of the 1980s and one of the best teen films of all time, having been chosen for preservation by the Library of Congress. Few films scream ‘alienated youth’ and truly give voice to the fears and insecurities of youth as much
as The Breakfast Club succeeds in doing.
Here is a rare chance to see this classic on a big screen and punch the air along with Judd Nelson to the closing track ‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’, synonymous with the film.
Book now for The Breakfast Club >>
St Elmo's Fire: Friday 11 October, 7.30pm
A tight-knit group of post-graduate friends – played by Estevez, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Demi Moore and a sax-playing Rob Lowe – in Georgetown, Washington DC, are trying to find their foothold in adult life and the inevitable changes that affect the dynamics of all their relationships.
Love, sex, career, drugs, politics and debt all come under focus as the twentysomethings deal with shifts in their responsibilities. While critics at the time were cynical, St Elmo’s… was a hit at the box office, and this poignant coming-of-age story still resonates.
Book now for St Elmo's Fire >>
Pretty in Pink: Friday 18 October, 7.30pm
After working together on Sixteen Candles, Molly Ringwald introduced John Hughes to the Psychedelic Furs song Pretty in Pink, and so the film was written. Another mid-80s teen classic, but with a focus on young love between teens from different classes and the ensuing heartbreak, confusion and criticism from friends with their own agendas.
Until recently very few films captured the emotions of female teens as Pretty in Pink and here Ringwald plays the high school outsider convincingly and to a New Wave soundtrack boasting The Smiths, OMD and New Order. All round swoonsome.
Book now for Pretty in Pink >>
Let's Talk Film: '80s Brat Pack films, Wednesday 16 October, 7.30pm
This month, as part of our Brat Pack Season and hot on the heels of the recent documentary Brats, directed by Andrew McCarthy, we are delighted to celebrate these '80s icons!
Love them or loathe them, John Hughes and the Brat Pack films made an impact on '80s teen culture and have die-hard fans to this day! Join us for an entertaining romp through the history of these films from the early examples such as The Outsiders and Sixteen Candles through to classics from The Breakfast Club, St Elmos Fire, Pretty in Pink alongside lesser known titles like About Last Night, She's Having a Baby and Some Kind of Wonderful.
With special guest Ilona Cheshire, season curator and ex-BFi programmer.
Book for Let's Talk Film now >>
About Let's Talk Film
'Let's Talk Film' is a social film night at The Electric Palace, a regular space for film fans to meet up in Hastings and discuss all things film!
Whether you’re a budding cinephile or a seasoned filmgoer then this an inviting opportunity to share your love for cinema through informal discussion in an open space and take a closer look at the life and work of the auteurs of the big screen - the individuals behind the camera who have called the shots and crafted cinema experiences that have enthralled generations of moviegoers.
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