Analysis of Filming Techniques in The Breakfast Club

A film about five students who have to spend a day together in detention. The Breakfast Club (1985) by John Hughes, is a film that asks one, “Who are you?” This is a question all high school students attempt to figure out by the time they enter college or join the work industry. However, an individual is often perceived by stereotypes. Such theory is visible in the film The Breakfast Club, where the five students, each perceived with a different stereotype: rebel John Bender (Judd Nelson), princess Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy), brainy Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall) and athlete Andrew Clarke (Emilio Estevez). Throughout their Saturday detention, the students realize that though they fit different ‘stereotypes’ they all each have some similar characteristics, though through different experiences and strengths/weaknesses they express themselves differently. Through each student’s experience and strength/weaknesses comes the necessity of understanding their learning differences and how it may be employed in the future.

As the story unfolds of the students of Shermer High School, the five students: Bender, Claire, Allison, Brian, and Andrew get to learn new things about themselves and others. The beginning of the film starts with numerous clips of different sceneries in the voice over of the students. Through the numerous clips, the audience is introduced to the five students in a narrative three-act structure way. The clips feature steorized clips that help “define” the flat characters in The Breakfast Club. There is a computer lab, a locker room, a prom queen poster, a guidance counselor’s desk, and a locker with a running-not on it and something that reads, “And you die” after. All five of those shots subconsciously introduced the personalities of the students. One needs to understand that when society creates stereotypes, they start to judge a book by its cover very quickly, whether it’s what they were wearing, how it/he or she looks, what they talk about life, or how they behave. Mise-en-scene of most part of the film is all about the composition and it’s setting, clothes, and props. For instance, as Brian’s mother drops him off to school, she says to him, that he shall make time for studying, even though it isn’t allowed in detention. This implies to the audience that for Brianєs family, education is the number one and most important. As Brian arrives to school, so does Claire. While for Brian, education is most important, it is the least to say it is for Claire. Claire’s father drops her off in an expensive close-up shot of a BMW. Making it known that Claire’s family is rich. Claire’s father tells her that she shouldn’t be upset about detention because her going shopping instead of class does not make her imperfect. Allowing the audience to understand the extent of Claire’s spoiledness. After the characters are introduced and the audience gets a дist of their family/social life, the mise-en-scene of the narration gets more influential which then gets more intriguing for viewers to watch.

The setting of the film is in the Shermer High School, detention on a Saturday, 7:00 AM - 3 PM, watched by the assistant principal, Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), he gives the five students an essay assignment to write about “who they think they are.” The inciting incident is seen, when Bender “the criminal/rebel” goes against Vernon’s rules and questions him. Thenonforth, the audience gets to see numerous debates happen between the characters and see their personalities, their experiences and differences clash. It is not until the transition from Act 1 to 2, that the group starts talking about their personal problems and start finding similarities between them. Brain is fed up of his grades, Claire is in the middle of her parents and their arguments, Allison is ignored by her parents, Andrew is felt always being criticized by his father, and Bender’s father is always abusing him. As the characters start to hear each other out, they start to find empathy in one another. It is seen when Bender gets locked up by Vernon, for not following his rules, the group helps Bender get out. Which shows the growth of their relationship. Towards the end of Act 2, the audience is revealed to know about the insecurities of Claire being a virgin, Allison being a habitual liar, Andrew not being able to listen and make decisions for himself, Brian trying to kill himself, and Bender coming from an abusive family. In Act 3, once again the characters sympathize with each other, but this time, the audience starts to see major changes in attitudes and outbreak of stereotypes - when Claire and Bender kiss, Andrew and Allison kiss. While Brian closes up his essay “But we found in each other one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basket, a princess, and a criminal.”

While the characters started out as very flat characters, individuals whom don’t seem to change, throughout the film and to the very end, the characters ended up being very round. Although The Breakfast Club came out in 1985, it still holds a very special place in Hollywood cinema today. Producers and filmmakers target young adults much more today knowing how much the film was approved by its audience. In the final scene of the film, the song “Don’t You (forget about me)” plays, as Bender jumps in the air throwing his fist and the camera freezing. This scene is filled with so much meaning through music, editing, and frame shot. The audience gets to feel the emotions of Bender and get to connect with him as he jumps in the air of excitement. The song reflects the experiences of the characters and remind them to never let these stereotypes define you and be able to not forget about each other.