Soundtrack IssuesIn the first DVD release of Sixteen Candles, several of the songs from the original soundtrack were missing due to licensing rights. For anyone looking for a version of the movie with the original soundtrack, get the "High School Reunion Collection" (released in 2003). This is the version I own and it has all of the original songs in it. I believe the "Flashback Edition" (released in 2008) also has the original songs, but I cannot verify that. The original release (released in 1998) has no special heading/title and is the version with several missing songs.
MPAA Rating Controversy
As far as the "PG" rating, do not buy this movie thinking you are going to enjoy introducing your young kids to a great 80's throwback. Prior to buying this movie, I had only seen it on TV. I assumed that the edited TV version was similar to the unedited movie because of the "PG" rating. As it turns out, Sixteen Candles came out in May, 1984, 2 months before the "PG-13" rating was implemented. So at the time, movies were either rated "G", "PG", or "R". Sixteen Candles was originally going to be rated "R", but prior to release, just enough F-bombs were edited out to make the "PG" cut and reach the targeted teenage audience. This is NOT equivelant to a modern day "PG" film. There are still at least 2 F-bombs in the movie as well as several more S-words, A-words, slanders to sexual orientation, and other explicit language. There are also underage drinking, sexual innuendo, and a shower scene with blatant up close nudity.
Summary
In short, this is a great classic 80s movie worth owning with the understanding that it should be considered a "PG-13" movie that just missed being a rated "R" movie, as would have been the case if it were released just a few months later than it was. For purists, get the "High School Reunion Collection" to experience the movie with the original soundtrack as it was intended.
Buy Sixteen Candles (Universal 100th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (1984) Now
Sixteen Candles takes place basically over the course of one day when a family forgets the sweet sixteenth birthday of a girl amid the preparations for the oldest daughter's wedding. The sixteen year old is played by the 80's teen queen Molly Ringwald. It was the movie that helped her gain that title and is the best of her career. She plays the role of Samantha Baker with ease and charm. We feel all her range of emotions from the hurt of being forgotten to the longing she feels for a boy, Jake Ryan, who she has a major crush on but doesn't think he knows that she's alive. Little does Samantha know that Jake wants to meet her and the movie goes through a series of near misses between the two. Anthony Michael Hall plays "The Geek" who is constantly hitting on Samantha. He acts like he is a man of the world, but really is full of hot air. Mr. Hall is extremely funny and the scene where he gives Jake advice on women and eventually drives the prom queen home in Jake's father's Roll Royce are priceless. Both sets of Samantha's grandparents are funny, one set are the worriers and the other the carefree sort. Gedde Wannabe is funny as an exchange student who comes with one of the grandparents. He does take the Asian stereotypes to the max but he comes across with a nice degree of charm. John and Joan Cusack show up in bit parts and the movie has a great soundtrack. The Thompson Twins' "Wish You Were Here" perfectly frames the ending scene where Jake and Samantha finally hook up. Sixteen Candles was the directorial debut of John Hughes and set the stage for the Brat Pack movies that would be the dominant teen movies of the 80's. Unlike his other movies like The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink or Some Kind Of Wonderful, Sixteen Candles isn't full of teen angst, self-examination and skepticism that the others are. It is a charming look at the life of a teenager that seems to be the most real.Sixteen Candles takes place basically over the course of one day when a family forgets the sweet sixteenth birthday of one daughter amid the preparations for the oldest daughter's wedding. The sixteen year old is played by the 80's teen queen Molly Ringwald. It was the movie that helped her gain that title and is the best of her career. She plays the role of Samantha Baker with ease and charm. We feel all her range of emotions from the hurt of being forgotten to the longing she feels for a boy, Jake Ryan, who she has a major crush on but doesn't think he knows that she's alive. Little does Samantha know that Jake wants to meet her and the movie goes through a series of near misses between the two. Anthony Michael Hall plays "The Geek" who is constantly hitting on Samantha. He acts like he is a man of the world, but really is full of hot air. Mr. Hall is extremely funny and the scenes where he gives Jake advice on women and eventually drives the prom queen home in Jake's father's Roll Royce are priceless. Both sets of Samantha's grandparents are funny, one set are the worriers and the other the carefree sort. Gedde Wannabe is funny as an exchange student who comes with one of the grandparents. He does take the Asian stereotypes to the max but he comes across with a nice degree of charm. John and Joan Cusack show up in bit parts and the movie has a great soundtrack. The Thompson Twins' "Wish You Were Here" perfectly frames the ending scene where Jake and Samantha finally hook up. Sixteen Candles was the directorial debut of John Hughes and set the stage for the Brat Pack movies that would be the dominant teen movies of the 80's. Unlike his other movies like The Breakfast Club, Pretty In Pink or Some Kind Of Wonderful, Sixteen Candles isn't full of teen angst, self-examination and skepticism that the others are. It is a charming look at the life of a teenager that seems to actually be real. The new version restores the original soundtrack and improves the sound somewhat, but compared with most digitally remastered dvd's, this one isn't quite up to par. It is definately an improvement over the original dvd version and since the first one has long been out of print, it is worthwhile just to have it back in circulation.Want Sixteen Candles (Universal 100th Anniversary Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy) (1984) Discount?
During the 80s, many of us had seen this movie about a hundred times. Either on cable or renting it. So we KNOW the music, we know which songs come when.Unfortunately this DVD does not have the same music..some of it has even been removed entirely (like the scene where everyone is getting into their cars to get to the wedding).
Until a special edition comes out with all the original music, I'd definitely skip this one!
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