SIXTEEN CANDLES: Blu-ray reissue (Universal, 1984) Arrow Academy
It remains a rarity to find any movie that so completely and
intelligently speaks to the American teenager; rarer still, to discover a
director in his thirties, capable of reconnecting with those anxieties from youth, circa the 1980's, astutely wired into the next younger generation's DNA and, since, to have carried over in perpetuity. But
John Hughes’ Sixteen Candles (1984) did just that - and more. Indeed, in
reviewing Sixteen Candles today one is immediately struck by two
diametrically opposed observations. First; that the clothes, hairstyles, etc.
have aged – badly – in a quaint sort of ‘Oh gosh, I can’t believe we used to
look like that’ jejune social commentary that never fails to breed a quaint
sort of nostalgia for the way things used to be. But also, and much more to the
point - that despite its superficial retro-feel, Hughes’ clairvoyant observations on
teenage angst and infatuation remain as poignant, endearing and socially
relevant as ever. Indeed, the picture’s tagline – “It’s the time of your
life that may last a lifetime” seems apropos now – the fundamental concerns
of our protagonist, Samantha Baker – driven to tear-stained distraction by her
parents’ forgetting her sweet sixteen, worried about her absence of ‘allure’ (no boobies),
and desperately in love with a guy who ostensibly does not even know she is
alive, make for some charming fallibility along the way. Our Sam is on
the cusp of a crying gag – or rather, reveling in the joyful suffrage of having to grow up.
Reportedly, John Hughes was inspired by a head shot of
15-year-old Molly Ringwald and, after briefly interviewing Ringwald, fashioned
the entire screenplay for Sixteen Candles in one weekend to suit her
strengths. There are really two standout performances in the picture: the
first, owed Ringwald, who does the beloved wallflower proud, and, whose lack of
conventional prettiness, coupled with the actress’ built-in sincerity, melds into a
seamless reflection of life imitating art and vice versa. The other brilliant
spark of imagination goes to Anthony Michael Hall as Ted – a.k.a. ‘Farmer Ted’ –
a.k.a. – The Geek. Hall’s incredible on-point comedic timing reveals a sort of
inspired, youthful genius that makes his scenes with Ringwald crackle with a
spark of genuine empathy. In the thankless part of ‘the hunk’ – Jake Ryan, the
impossibly chiseled Michael Schoeffling (then 23, but presently rounding out 59-yrs.
– where has the time gone?) manages to distinguish himself as the strong
and sensitive archetype, easily to melt the heart of any teenage girl of
any generation. Interesting too, Schoeffling should have walked
away from this – his defining moment as a heartthrob – still rated in movie
polls among the top teen hunks ever to appear on the screen – and instead pursue
a quiet life, completely removed from the picture-making biz: interesting and
sad, actually, that Hughes never again considered Schoeffling for any part in any of his
other iconic eighties' film fare.
Both Ringwald and Hall would go on to have lucrative
careers. In fact, Ringwald became an overnight sensation with the debut of Sixteen Candles;
the poster child for all girls of a certain ‘gawky’ age in which their
burgeoning sexuality was suddenly being tested for the first time. And Ringwald
also became Hughes’ creative muse. The Breakfast Club (1985),
first planned, but made and released after Sixteen Candles, firmly
cemented Ringwald’s appeal as the 'every girl' stand-in for teenage girls, to be lionized for a third and last time in
Hughes’ Pretty in Pink (1986). Essentially, all three movies represent
the American teenager inside the conventions of the fairy tale – the damsel, who is
smart, if not altogether sexy, nevertheless, revealing aspects about her
character that make her the ideal representative for every new generation of
young people going through the same in their developmental transitioning
away from childhood. The joy to be had in virtually all of these pictures is ingrained in Hughes’ mastery of his own awkward ‘wonder years’; his ability to
re-channel all of its clumsy frustration into archetypes of the American teen that continue to resonate with a truthful sincerity to their audience, made truer still
because Hughes’ has Tiffany-set them in nuggets, not only of reality, but wisdom of a sage since moved on from that awkward epoch, and, further still, placed within a faux
fantasy derived of his total wish fulfillment, recognizing our collective need to
cling to the promises of that ‘happily ever after’ readily denied us in life, but manageable
within the confines of a good story, expertly told by this cultural mandarin of
the MTV-generation.
Shot mostly in and around Chicago’s North Shore, Sixteen
Candles effectively matured and morphed the 70’s teen sex comedy from bawdy farce into a more introspective and heartfelt exploration of youth in
perpetual flux-crisis. The screenplay by Hughes wastes no time setting up the
premise for this tenderly sensitive, occasionally raucous and downright
hilarious rom/com. High school sophomore, Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald)
awakens with renewed hope to have ‘become a woman’ overnight, only to discover
that the rest of her family has entirely forgotten about her sweet sixteen. Understandable
perhaps, considering mom, Brenda (Carlin Glynn) and dad, Jim (Paul Dooley) are
in frenzied preparation for their elder daughter, Ginny’s (Blanche Baker)
pending nuptials. Amidst the pre-wedding jitters and chaos of putting up both
sets of grandparents; Howard (Edward Andrews) and Dorothy (Billie Bird) and
Fred (Max Schowalter) and Helen (Carole Cook), the Bakers must also contend
with Howard and Dorothy’s cultural exchange student, Long Duk Dong (Gedde
Watanabe), predisposed to over indulgences when soaking up the American way of
life.
Samantha pretends not to be unnerved by her family’s
forgetfulness. But her day at school does not get any better, especially when,
in responding to a homemade ‘sex quiz’, she inadvertently confesses a secret
fantasy crush on Jake Ryan (Michael Schoeffling); easily the handsomest and
most popular boy at school. Indeed, Sam is a virgin, saving herself for Jake,
who, much to her chagrin, finds this revelation quite charming. Jake’s current
girlfriend is Caroline Mulford (Havilland Morris); a superficial, flaxen-haired
airhead who prefers to party and mess around than take Jake, or life in general,
seriously. Howard and Dorothy encourage Samantha to take Dong to her high
school dance. Reluctantly, Sam agrees, then is amazed when ‘the Donger’
quickly becomes involved with Marlene (Deborah Pollack), a mannish social
outcast whose nickname is ‘Lumberjack’. Aside: as Pollack and Watanabe were
roughly the same height, Hughes had the actress stand on an apple crate or walk
on her tip-toes when playing their scenes to infer she was much taller and
thus, the dominant in their relationship. In the meantime, resident geek, Ted
(Anthony Michael Hall) has bet his as geeky friends, Bryce (John Cusack) and
Cliff (Darren Harris) he can bed Samantha, or at the very least, get her
panties. With his reputation on the line, Ted intercepts Samantha before she
can make a play for Jake, then sincerely comforts her inside the high school’s
car repair shop after it looks as though she hasn’t a hope in hell of landing
Jake. Ted’s empathy is genuine. So, to help him save face, Samantha briefly
loans her panties to him to show off to his friends.
Ted, Bryce and Cliff crash a house party gone
laughably awry. Jake barricades himself in his bedroom and finally gets up the
nerve to call Samantha’s house. Unfortunately, Helen answers the phone too
late, hearing a deflated Jake say ‘Eat me’ before hanging up. Meanwhile
Dong and Marlene partake of the wild party, trashing an upstairs workout room
while making out on a stationary bike. After the deluge, Jake decides he has
had quite enough of Caroline and her fair-weather friends. He discovers Ted
trapped under a glass top coffee table covered in empty beer cans, cigarette
butts and other party paraphernalia. What follows is a genuine heart-to-heart
in which the most popular guy at school and the social misfit come to an
understanding – each, in their own way, aspiring to be ‘men of the world.’ Jake
generously offers Ted the opportunity to take a very drunken Caroline home in
his father’s Rolls Royce. Jake’s plan is to use the moment of ‘finding’
Caroline and Ted together to break up with her and pursue Samantha. Instead, he
discovers Caroline has fallen for Ted and does not mind splitting up. True to
Hughes’ generosity with these characters, even Caroline is given her moment of
redemption; contrite and apologizing for her superficially wicked ways. On the
day of Ginny’s wedding, the bride-to-be has taken too many muscle relaxants to
calm her period. Now, she becomes a stuttering buffoon at her own ceremony, whacked
out and behaving badly, generally to embarrass the family and the groom,
Rudy
Ryszczyk (John Kapelos) as they drive off together in their
limousine. In the aftermath of their departure, Samantha discovers Jake waiting
for her across the street from the church. He tells her he would like to see
her when she has time and Samantha forgoes the bridal reception to go with Jake
who, having since cleaned up the natural disaster of his parent’s house, has
bought Samantha a cake for her sixteenth birthday. Asking her to make a wish
before blowing out the candles, Samantha insists all of her dreams have already
come true.
Sixteen Candles is an unforgettable teen comedy;
disarmingly silly and, at times, affecting and joyful. Hughes was heavily
criticized for the character of Long Duk Dong, perceived by some as an incendiary
racist take on Asian culture. Get over it! Gedde Watanabe’s take on his own
culture is amusingly on point, and a real hoot besides. Hence, the indictment
is moot, mostly because Watanabe manages to find something genuinely
sympathetic in this over-the-top comedic lampoon. He is obviously having a
rousing good time and his effervescence proves infectious, taking the rest of
us along on his Mr. Toad-inspired ‘wild ride.’ While Hughes' movie is
undeniably female-centric, as Hughes always believed young girls represented a greater, and
as yet untapped in American movies, need to explore emotional sensitivity, Sixteen
Candles is as immensely blessed in its depictions of the teenage male: Michael
Schoeffling’s Jake - part James Dean/part Luke Perry, but with a flicker of
understated class, all his own, and, Anthony Michael Hall’s startling turn as ‘the
geek’, which endures as the more emotionally complex case study. On the surface, Hall is playing
this one strictly for laughs, going all out to exude an exceptional, if
turbo-charged ‘tween’ awkwardness. Yet, Hall offers up a kernel of truth,
perhaps transparent of his own social angst, the veneer critically thin, his posturing - just an act of desperation from a very lonely
guy. And apart from these characterizations, Hughes has kept the pace of his movie very taut. He makes his points about teens
in turmoil, buffeted by raging hormones, conflicts of romantic interest, and
other life-altering calamities, like pimples, dating, playing the part of the jock
or ‘the joke’ in this heady milieu of high school ‘high’, etc. et al. But Sixteen
Candles remains a primarily thought-provoking and character-driven story, expertly
set against the backdrop of atypical farce and fantasy. Still, it is the
misshapen-ness of each character’s inner design Hughes finds most interesting,
the frank moments of usually carefully hidden dreams and fears suddenly
exposed, that have continued to resonate with audiences ever since.
Arrow Academy’s Blu-ray reissue, reportedly derived
from a 4K remaster of an original camera negative, is considerably darker than
the Blu Universal released as part of its 100th Anniversary line-up
back in 2012. Universal’s transfer suffered from some very odd strobe effects
in the opening credits, but on the whole, yielded a brighter image that, in
hindsight, was likely tweaked with some subtle sharpening. The 1080p remaster
provided by Arrow sports colors that are deeper and more saturated. But are
they more accurate? Flesh tones never look natural, either too pink or too
orange. This was an issue on the Uni disc too, but somehow is more exaggerated
on the Arrow. Yes – you can marginally correct this by toning down the color on
your TV. But then, the entire image gets desaturated. Arrow’s release is also
grain-rich. By comparison, Uni’s suggests some DNR was liberally applied to
homogenize the naturally occurring grain structure. Even so, Arrow’s disc seems
to overly amplify the grain, especially during darkly lit scenes, like the school
dance or the half-darkened hallway where Samantha has her good cry. But even
the party scenes at Jake’s house suffer from a sort of soft-ish, unrefined
quality, with contrast levels that cause a lot of the fine details to otherwise
evaporate into the murky darkness. My recollection of having seen Sixteen
Candles in the theater is too dim to compare to what I am seeing here. But
suffice it to say, the image here, while rectifying the aforementioned shortcomings
on the Uni disc, still leaves much to be desired. It just lags in overall image
clarity.
Arrow has included 3 audio options – 2 previously available
on Uni’s release. Apparently, when Sixteen Candles first found its way
to home video on VHS, virtually all of its pop-tune fueled soundtrack had to be
replaced, due to unresolved rights issue. So, Arrow has included, not only the
original theatrical soundtrack – remastered in both 2.0 and 5.1 DTS, but also
the aforementioned ‘altered’ home video mix. This disc also includes 2 cuts of
the movie – the theatrical version, and, something billed as an ‘extended
cut’. Actually, the ‘extended cut’ includes barely a minute-and-a-half
of a cafeteria scene Hughes cut out and for good reason, as it, in no way,
advances the story or adds to our understanding of these characters. The scene
can also be viewed independently as an extra feature. In addition to the 38-min.
retrospective, divided into 10-parts that Universal included on their Blu in
2012, basically, a puff piece in which some contemporary film-makers like
Diablo Cody wax, inarticulately, about how much they enjoyed the movie, Arrow’s
Blu packs on some other extras that are not altogether satisfying. For starters,
Soraya Roberts’ miserable attempt at a post-modern feminist deconstruction of
the movie as ‘A Very Eighties Fairytale’ is fundamentally flawed. While
one may inevitably ascribe a modernist perspective on any cultural artifact
from another time, criticizing it as somehow inferior because it does not live
up to contemporary mores is just plain silly – not to mention, wrong! There are
other featurettes here, including a boring fluff piece reuniting Gedde Watanabe
and Deborah Pollack, who basically spend 9 min. discussing how they first met
on the set. Another interview is with John Kapelos, and, still another
featuring camera operator, Gary Kibbe, and, yet another, with casting director,
Jackie Burch. Rounding out the goodies are pieces with filmmaker, Adam Rifkin,
and a new interview with composer, Ira Newborn. Cumulatively, these extras add
up to little more than scant reflections and a misguided attempt to contextualize
Sixteen Candles using the rubrics of today’s film critique. For those
interested in such trivial flubs, as a matter of record, Arrow’s newly
commissioned cover art incorrectly places the characters Jake and Samantha in a
reverse shot of the famous final scene depicted in the movie. Ringwald ought to
have been on the left, Schoeffling on the right: minor quibble. Deal with it. Arrow
also provides reverse packaging, with the movie’s original poster art image of
the 3 principles. But again, it is the transfer here that counts, and, despite the
new 4K scan off an original camera negative, the results here are not altogether
satisfying. Yes – marginally better than the old Uni disc. But enough to
double-dip for a movie most of us already own? Hmmmm. Judge and buy
accordingly.
FILM RATING (out of 5 – 5 being the best)
4
VIDEO/AUDIO
3
EXTRAS
5
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