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Sixteen Candles [DVD] [Canadian; Universal 100th Anniversary]

1 disc
Region 1 USA/CA (info)

Teen angst abounds in this classic comedy written and directed by John Hughes. Samantha Baker's (Molly Ringwald) 16th birthday should be perfect and memorable. Unfortunately, her whole family is preoccupied with her sister's impending wedding and completely forgets Samantha's big day. To add insult to injury, the school geek (Anthony Michael Hall) won't stop hitting on her, she has to bring a foreign exchange student (Gedde Watanabe) with her to the school dance, her visiting grandparents have taken over her bedroom, and she's sure that the boy of her dreams (Michael Schoeffling) doesn't know that she exists. Hughes's script captures the range of teenage emotions, from embarrassment to peer pressure to the pangs of puppy love, with humor and honesty. Hall is memorable as the Geek, and Schoeffling is perfect as the boy of Sam's dreams. A young John Cusack makes his second feature-film appearance as the geek's friend, Bryce, while sister Joan Cusack appears as Geek Girl #1. Ringwald's reign as the queen of 1980s teen flicks began with this film, which was Hughes's directorial debut and the first in his stream of successful teen films (THE BREAKFAST CLUB, FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF).
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Credits

Molly Ringwald, Paul Dooley, Justin Henry, Carlin Glynn, Anthony Michael Hall, John Cusack, Michael Schoeffling, Gedde Watanabe, Haviland Morris, Blanche Baker, Edward Andrews, Billie Bird, Carole Cook, Max Showalter, Casey Adams, Liane Curtis, Darren Harris, Deborah Pollack, Jonathan Chapin, Joan Cusack, Brian Doyle Murray, Brian Doyle-Murray, Jami Gertz, Zelda Rubinstein, Tony Longo, Elaine Wilkes
Critic Reviews

"...With a wit and emotional range that seemed brand-new..."
Entertainment Weekly
"...Cheerful and light, showcasing [Hughes's] knack for remembering all those aspects of middle-class American adolescent behavior..."
New York Times
"...Ringwald is engaging and credible....A bright, funny performance by Anthony Michael Hall..."
Variety