August 28

Short Circuit, 1986

Welcome back to Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! J. Blake and Dion Baia this week head way down the alley, back to 1986 and highlight the forgotten gem, Short Circuit ! They unpack the novelization and the subtle differences that add a large amount of character depth, which also may explain the need for a now controversial stereotype in the comic relief. They also chat about the practical technology used to make Johnny Five, and the themes expressed in this warm, light-hearted story. It’s all going down in this dog-days-of-summer 2020 edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!   

February 26

The Breakfast Club, 1985

The fellas are back yet again for an all new edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers! Dion Baia and J. Blake are taking on a movie that, on the outset, looks to be your typical teen-angst drama, depicting the day-to-day trials and tribulations of young adults. But actually, it has layered within some pretty smart and frank commentary about adolescent ascension to adulthood and all the insecurities and pressure that accompany that transition. We are of course talking about the quintessential 1980’s teen film, The Breakfast Club, from 1985 written and directed by the great John Hughes.

breakfast club

After the boys settle in and reminisce about “the very serious episode” of some of their favorite childhood shows and about their mutual hobby of making some very serious home movies with their friends while growing up, they segue into all things Brat Pack and John Hughes. Playing the ‘what if’ game that Blake and Dion so enjoy doing on the podcast, who were originally slated to play the principles and who actually switched roles to accommodate Hughes? Was his first cut really over two and a half hours? And did Hughes also originally intend for this film to be the first in a series that would chronicle the lives of these characters every ten or so years? And did Dion actually sympathize with Paul Gleason‘s character, high school administrator and teenage nemesis Dick Vernon? All these tantalizing questions will be answered in this all new, radical and bodacious installment of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!
Extras:
Have a look at the original theatrical trailer, which shows an omitted scene.
Check out these deleted scenes from the film!
Here’s a great Q&A with the cast from the 25th Anniversary showing of The Breakfast Club.
Take a look at the Simple Minds‘ music video for Don’t You (Forget about Me)
Here’s a look at the 1999 music video for the A*Teens cover of Dancing Queen, which was made as a tribute to The
Breakfast Club, and has Paul Gleason reprising his role as Dick Vernon!