St. Elmo’s Fire is a terrible movie with terrible characters

[Anonymous]

Even back then it was hilarious that Rob Lowe's edgy-cool-guy character was a rock saxophonist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even back then it was hilarious that Rob Lowe's edgy-cool-guy character was a rock saxophonist.

It’s how Bill Clinton later won the election.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Even back then it was hilarious that Rob Lowe's edgy-cool-guy character was a rock saxophonist.

That was a legitimate career option in the 80’s lol

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not very productive to judge a 1985 film with 2024 eyes.

The guy who made the film was hamstrung by the studio.

He wanted to make a movie about super privileged kids after graduating from a fancy college (Georgetown) whose primary goal was to get rich…and marry rich.

It was intentionally white.

The characters were intentionally jerky a-holes.

In fact, he wanted them to be even more jerky and screwed up.

It was a very 80s film in terms of capturing the self-centeredness and materialism.

Why did he want to make a movie about such a boring demographic?

Why is that a boring demographic?

Rich white people—their stories simply haven’t been told enough.

[Anonymous]

Some movies don’t age well. I remember loving that movie when it came out.

I went down a rabbit hole. Mare Winningham has been married four times and her most recent (current) husband is Anthony Edwards. I kind of love that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not very productive to judge a 1985 film with 2024 eyes.

The guy who made the film was hamstrung by the studio.

He wanted to make a movie about super privileged kids after graduating from a fancy college (Georgetown) whose primary goal was to get rich…and marry rich.

It was intentionally white.

The characters were intentionally jerky a-holes.

In fact, he wanted them to be even more jerky and screwed up.

It was a very 80s film in terms of capturing the self-centeredness and materialism.

Why did he want to make a movie about such a boring demographic?

Yeah who cares about wealthy young white people messing up and messing around, there's barely any content at all about them because no one's interested

[Anonymous]

Whoever started this thread. Thanks for the blast to the past. I can remember a lot of the movie, but not the character that Mare played. Obviously, her character did not resonate with me at all. And people who are saying that Allie Sheedy dressed like a 30-year-old woman...that is how preppy girls dressed. When I first got out of college, I worked at a firm in old town Alexandria and one of my coworkers dressing almost exactly like that. She had just graduated from UVA and she wore her pearls. She had the scalloped, Lacey collared shirts, the long skirts, etc.. this is in the mid 80s

[Anonymous]

I was an old lady dresser before my time, so I understand the wardrobe choices made for certain characters.

I haven't re-watched this one but I can see how it might not hold up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whoever started this thread. Thanks for the blast to the past. I can remember a lot of the movie, but not the character that Mare played. Obviously, her character did not resonate with me at all. And people who are saying that Allie Sheedy dressed like a 30-year-old woman...that is how preppy girls dressed. When I first got out of college, I worked at a firm in old town Alexandria and one of my coworkers dressing almost exactly like that. She had just graduated from UVA and she wore her pearls. She had the scalloped, Lacey collared shirts, the long skirts, etc.. this is in the mid 80s

100%

My older sister wore pearls and DVF wrap dresses to public HS in Ffx co. I had the monograms and headbands and boxy blazers . etc. Prep in the 80s in DC area

[Anonymous]

I watched it on a plane a couple of years ago and actually still loved it.

They ARE all very flawed. But lots of 20somethings are like that. I think the writers' treatment of the Mare Winningham character is just awful. But I do think her clothes were on point for that time and that demographic. (And let's be honest -- for the girl who thinks she's not attractive. She's covering up.)

They were all so beautiful, especially Rob Lowe and Demi Moore!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was an old lady dresser before my time, so I understand the wardrobe choices made for certain characters.

I haven't re-watched this one but I can see how it might not hold up.

Same here. I still wonder about many of the old-lady outfit choices I made. And I was young, thin and an athlete.

[Anonymous]

I saw it aged 16 and loved it.
I found it strange at the time, that RL and Mare slept together at the end of the film though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not very productive to judge a 1985 film with 2024 eyes.

The guy who made the film was hamstrung by the studio.

He wanted to make a movie about super privileged kids after graduating from a fancy college (Georgetown) whose primary goal was to get rich…and marry rich.

It was intentionally white.

The characters were intentionally jerky a-holes.

In fact, he wanted them to be even more jerky and screwed up.

It was a very 80s film in terms of capturing the self-centeredness and materialism.

Why did he want to make a movie about such a boring demographic?

Why is that a boring demographic?

Rich white people—their stories simply haven’t been told enough.

It's not a documentary.

[Anonymous]

I loved Ally Sheedy's clothes when I watched it as a senior in HS - this was the epitome. Went to a SLAC and wore Laura Ashley or similar throughout college - it was the preppy thing then. The fabrics and workman ship was beautiful in those clothes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Even back then it was hilarious that Rob Lowe's edgy-cool-guy character was a rock saxophonist.

That was a legitimate career option in the 80’s lol

There is a hilarious bit in 30Rock where Tina fry’s character is worried that scripted television is dying and that TV comedy writers will be the next career to disappear. She’s wandering through the streets of Ny and finds this group of people with jobs that used to be a thing, which included a travel agent and the guy who played the saxophone solo in rock songs.