American New Wave cinema is described as spanning between the 1960’s to the early 1980’s. Critics and scholars heavily debate this period of film, primarily because the movement itself contains so many other movements happening simultaneously. Among other points, most Hollywood individuals can agree that the basis of New Wave cinema was, ironically, stemming from norms within cinema. Better said – they didn’t change up much regarding their narrative outside of a few key differences; the most prominent of those differences being that directors maintained at least partial autonomy over the film, as opposed to the studio. These points can all be witnessed within both The Breakfast Club and Dirty Dancing.

The underlying theme for my film choices is “coming of age” 80’s classics. Within The Breakfast Club, the dynamics between young adults (teenagers) and their authoritative superiors is scrutinized. Each teen represents various difficulties experienced by the masses within Western culture and places emphasis on the negative presence of Mr. Vernon, who is meant to represent adults in general and the way that they sometimes choose to communicate with those they feel should be subordinate to their wishes and demands.

One could easily argue that a central theme to the movie is simply “stereotypes” as the bulk of the plot is spent whittling characters down to reveal their true colors and emotions. This is meant to display how similar people are to one another even if they convince themselves that they are polar opposites, and in many ways was as much a coming of age film for teenagers in the 1980’s as it was a wake-up call to parents and academic staff regarding the trials and tribulations suffered by their younger halves. The director of The Breakfast Club, John Hughes, has been repeatedly commended for his ability to direct young actors, and his chemistry with the teenagers resonates onto the big screen. The legacy left by this film is clear in the simple fact that it is well-known, and still well-received by its target audience – those under the age of 25. Not to mention the fact that a majority of us probably cannot help but associate the song “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” with the film. In 2016, the Library of Congress made the decision to induct this film into the National Film Registry for its cultural significance.

Though released in 1987, towards the end of the decade and just on the cusp of the time period covered by American New Wave cinema, Dirty Dancing still satisfies for the core requirement for this  film period. A young woman, off with her family vacationing for the summer, falls in love with the local “bad boy” (so to speak) and against her parents’ wishes entertains a romantic relationship with him. The director of the film, Emile Ardolino, certainly brings his own strengths to the big screen and we witness the autonomy he was given over the film’s shooting. Prior to filming this project, he was best known for work done on Broadway and the wonderful song and dance portions of Dirty Dancing inarguably are enhanced by his prior intimate knowledge of how to integrate music and movement into a mainstream film meant to resonate with audiences who may not be theatrically inclined.

Within reviews left on the popular critic platform Rotten Tomatoes, the lead actors for the film are commended for their impressive choreography and the discographer is commended on their ability to utilize music to overcome various obstacles. Roger Ebert is known for being a particular critic of this film, calling it an ”idiot plot” and incredibly predictable, as love stories go. The irony of Ebert’s critique is that multiple other critics disassemble his complaints and shed light on how the neatness and predictability of the plot was saved by a successful colligation using the film’s exciting discography. Though this piece is traditionally associated with teenagers and young adults, it draws audiences far older than that and still achieved wild success. Among other things that the e cast and crew was commended on, one success still draws attention through the ages; Dirty Dancing was and still is one of the few movies to successfully depict an abortion without entirely vilifying the woman making the decision. Though controversial , this is something that affects many women throughout the world and was not a topic of open discussion. Cinema adaptations that encourage a healthy conversation deserve critical recognition.

American New Wave cinema encompasses a plethora of differentiating historical film works, and regardless as to where you prefer to draw the line in the sane regarding the film’s release date, both Dirty Dancing and The Breakfast Club qualify to live amongst another fantastic coming-of-age cinema such as The Graduate. It all boils down to social significance and the ability to resonate throughout generations with your target audience – the kids who are still figuring life out

Critical Resources

Roger Ebert: The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club Academic Article

Roger Ebert: Dirty Dancing

Academic Book: Dirty Dancing

Historical Resources