29 Things You Didn't Know About 'The Breakfast Club'
We all know the story of a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. "The Breakfast Club," directed by John Hughes, is perhaps the ultimate high school movie, bringing together an all-star cast to make an iconic, endlessly quotable film. The 30th anniversary special edition Blu-ray edition of the film, originally released February 15, 1985, hits shelves today (March 10) with new special features and a remastered print of the film.
Not only that, it's also coming back to theaters on March 26 and 31, so you'll have another chance to hang with the detention gang!
In honor of the re-release, here are 29 things you probably didn't know about "The Breakfast Club."
Ally Sheedy first suggested the David Bowie quote that opens the film.
In the special features of the new DVD edition, Sheedy says she mentioned the David Bowie quote to director John Hughes, and heard nothing more about it until she saw the finished cut of the film.
Judd Nelson ad-libbed that "elephantitis of the nuts" line.
"Claire, you wanna see a picture of a guy with elephantitis of the nuts?" Uh, no thanks.
Ally Sheedy had a nickname for Anthony Michael Hall that he really wasn't a fan of.
She called him "Milk and Cookies." If the new DVD special features are any indication, he still isn't crazy about it.
Ally Sheedy says her own high school personality inspired Allison.
"Allison is a part of me. She didn't have to come from anywhere, I didn't have to find her," Sheedy says on the new DVD.
John Kapelos helped shape the character of Janitor Carl.
He came up with the idea that he'd been a former student and Man of the Year, Kapelos said on the DVD.
Location, location.
Hughes used the same high school to film "The Breakfast Club" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."
Judd Nelson's job was reportedly in danger at one point.
He and co-star Molly Ringwald did not have a good off-screen relationship, and Nelson's attitude reportedly nearly cost him his job.
The film was shot entirely in sequence.
It begins at the beginning.
Molly Ringwald was originally cast as Allison.
She wanted Claire and fought for the role until she was cast.
Allison's "dandruff" was actually parmesan cheese.
Tasty.
John Hughes only took two days to write a draft of the screenplay for "The Breakfast Club."
Impressive.
Dad?
John Hughes cameos as Brian's father.
The knife that Judd Nelson has in the movie was his own.
He claimed to carry it for protection.
It wasn't always called "The Breakfast Club."
Working titles include "The Lunch Bunch" and "Library Revolution."
It's all in the family.
Seriously: Anthony Michael Hall's mom and sister played Brian's mom and sister in the movie.
Judd Nelson practiced with a high school football team during down-time on set.
Catch.
Lunch at "The Breakfast Club."
Director John Hughes asked that the cast and crew all eat their lunches in the school cafeteria.
Ally Sheedy doesn't speak for the first 33 minutes of the movie.
Shh.
Bender's dirty joke has no punch-line.
The ending of the joke was never written.
The clothes make the Claire.
Claire's entire outfit was purchased from Ralph Lauren.
Lunch club?
At one point, Hughes wanted to film a "Breakfast Club" sequel every 10 years.
Plant life.
The pot smoked in the film is actually oregano.
Parting gifts
Each actor took home a piece of the library's banister as a souvenir from filming.
Cathy?
The character of Claire was originally named Cathy in early drafts.
Come as you are.
Judd Nelson says he came to audition for the role of Bender in character, and that he was called in to read just as he was getting "a little rambunctious in the waiting room," causing a receptionist to call security.
One-hit wonderful
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds was written specifically for the movie -- and was the band's only number one hit.
Queen for a day.
Michelle Manning, a co-producer on the movie, made a cameo as a name on a prom queen election poster in the hall.
Who's that girl?
Laura Dern, Jodie Foster and Robin Wright all auditioned to play Claire and lost the part to Molly Ringwald.
Judd Nelson also ad-libbed the most iconic frame of the movie.
That closing fist-pump? Totally of-the-moment.