Pretty In Pink (1986)

Not all cinematic Proms end up with all participants massacred.What better balance to Carrie but the ultimate Brat Pack movie, "Pretty In Pink".

If "Carrie" was the mother of teen horror, then "Pretty In Pink" is the founding royal of Rom-Com.

There has been decades of Rom-Com's before this movie,don't get me wrong. To establish a high school time of a Rom-Com is all "Pretty In Pink". If I'm correct the timeline goes as follows:

1. Establishment of hottie, nerd, and bully
2. provokation for the climax: bet, secrets, lies
3. Courtship of nerd and hottie
4. self revelations galore!
5. showdown of emotions
6. Prom= declaration of love

Before I go one, I have to wonder if Proms are held in such high regards in reality. I know for my own high school, it was just a more expensive homecoming dance. None of us were too crazy for the events. The only exciting component of it was the date choosing which led some pretty hilarious and/or dramatic outcomes. Get this shocker: I went to my prom stag! I mildy cared when the couple photos were going on. I still stood solo for own picture but I was proud. Just like Andie in "Pretty In Pink" my dress was homemade. I designed the dress ( based off of Belles ballgown in "Beauty and the Beast") and my mom made the dress. It was the most elegant and beautiful gown in my eyes compared to the overpriced copies of Dior and other fancy brands. I ended dancing with my friends to Offspring on the dance floor. Prom drama must be prominent outside of California, I guess.

As with most John Hughes movies, the main character is full of angst-ridden drama. In this case, it's Molly Ringwold in her most iconic role as Andie. Andie is a poor girl who has a major crush on the popular boy, Blane. Never mind that she has a perfectly adorable dork as her friend who is in love with her, (I love Duckie!) she only has eyes for Blane.

You know they're going to end up to prom together. I'm not going to deprive you oh devoted reader to it's progression to that point.

What was freaking wrong with Duckie?!?!?? He was sweet, kind, in love, and he did the most awesome lipsynching in the record store. That scene is where Andie becomes a stuck up snob and I hate her. So I don't feel too bad when she's upset. Other times I'm siding with her.

Similar to "Carrie's" simplicity in the horror of teen angnst, "Pretty In Pink" is simple in it's depictions of teen love and anxiety. The unknown of the answer is the driving force for any outpouring of sweat down the forehead.


I have to also add that I really don't like Andies prom dress. Was that really fashionable in the eighties? Really? No matter how many times I watch it, she looks like a pink cactus. Ignoring fashion, the soundtrack is timeless and just adds that wonderful shine to the movie.


All I can leave you with is the question I wished my high school crush would have asked me;
"Will you go to prom with me?"