Sixteen Candles (1984)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

4 May 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

This is Samantha Baker and today is her 16th birthday. The problem is, nobody remembers.

Plot:

A young girl's "sweet sixteenth" birthday becomes anything but special as she suffers from every embarrassment possible.

Plot Keywords:

Boy | Crush | Birthday | Exchange Student | Girl

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Molly Ringwald	...	Samantha Baker
Justin Henry	...	Mike Baker
Michael Schoeffling	...	Jake Ryan
Haviland Morris	...	Caroline Mulford
Gedde Watanabe	...	Long Duk Dong
Anthony Michael Hall	...	The Geek
Paul Dooley	...	Jim Baker
Carlin Glynn	...	Brenda Baker
Blanche Baker	...	Ginny Baker
Edward Andrews	...	Howard Baker
Billie Bird	...	Dorothy Baker
Carole Cook	...	Grandma Helen
Max Showalter	...	Grandpa Fred
Liane Alexandra Curtis	...	Randy (as Liane Curtis)
John Cusack	...	Bryce

Also Known As:

16 Candles (International: English title) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (2005) | UK:15 (original rating) (1984-2005) | Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Finland:K-12 | Norway:11 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG (re-rating on appeal) | USA:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:PA (Manitoba)

Filming Locations:

Central Avenue, Highland Park, Illinois, USA

Company:

Channel Productions

Trivia:

In the VHS version, Anthony Michael Hall is credited as "The Geek". In the TV movie and film versions, he is credited as "Farmer Ted."

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Farmer Ted is driving Caroline around she says, "Looks like rain! Time to put the top up!" her mouth is just laughing, not speaking.

Quotes:

The Geek: How's it going?
Samantha: How's what going?
The Geek: You know - things, life, whatnot.
Samantha: Life is not whatnot, and it's none of your business.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Cook (2008/I)

Soundtrack:

New York, New York

"They F##king forgot my birthday!!!"...

These are the immortal words spoken by SIXTEEN CANDLES heroine Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) in the ultimate 80's teen comedy. This movie has become a classic to those born in the 70's, like myself, and I now consider it a "guilty pleasure". Its a movie we all grew up with. Didn't we all know a person like 'Farmer Ted', or a hot queenie like the blonde he hilariously gets. It was every young freshman's fantasy. This funny flick is also a relic of the 80's that is not all that dated.

The jokes still work (as long as you see it uncut) and it is neat seeing things of the not so distant past be on display. Floppy disks, headgears, leotards, etc... Time has not been so good to the featured stars. Ringwald and Anthony-Michael Hall, who was born to play this role, and this one only, have all but disappeared. The biggest stars now are blips on the screen here: Joan (in a headgear) and John (a geek) Cusack. The film is like a toy you can't put away.

Some situations are beat, but at least Paul Dooley adds an extra dimension to the father. Too many of John Hughes' teen-angst comedies of the era feature tissue-thin parental figures. This was the first and best of the so-called "brat pack" movies, and will always hold a place in 1980's filmmaking history. Girls learned never to lend their underwear to a geek and we all learned that high school is just a phase, easily forgotten as time goes on.