Who were the Brat Pack and how did they dominate 1980s movies?
The likes of Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, and Rob Lowe were linked together in a 1985 magazine article.
There's a new documentary available on Disney+, delving into a major part of movie history from the 1980s: the Brat Pack. Brats tells the story of the dynamic group of Hollywood rising stars referred to by that two-word moniker, in recognition of their roles in some of the decade's biggest teen films.
The term became famous when New York Magazine writer David Blum used it to describe a group of Hollywood buddies. He had initially been profiling Emilio Estevez, but the actor invited him to meet some friends he had met during the filming of 1985 coming-of-age movie St. Elmo's Fire. Observing these people partying gave Blum the idea for their new title — a play on the Rat Pack.
That label came to completely define the formative part of the careers of these young stars. Some of them are still famous names in Hollywood, but many of them flamed out under the heat of their notorious reputation for partying and carnage.
What are the most famous Brat Pack movies?
The two main Brat Pack films were both released in 1985. St Elmo's Fire, of course, is one of them, while the other is The Breakfast Club — one of the best and most perceptive teen movies ever made. When it comes to the Brat Pack, it's the stars of those films who are often cited as being the core members of the group.
Read more: ‘Brats’ reassembles the Brat Pack, mostly to vent about their ‘unjust’ nickname (CNN)
Estevez is, of course, a stalwart in any Brat Pack list. Other regulars include Anthony Michael Hall, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Rob Lowe, and Demi Moore. But there are also dozens of actors who have worked with the group who have been considered Brat Pack members by some people, including household names like Robert Downey Jr., Sean Penn, and Nicolas Cage.
While it's predominantly the two core Brat Pack movies that earn actors a membership to the group, there are plenty of other works tossed into the mix. Of course, the John Hughes oeuvre from the 80s is key, including beloved movies like Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink.
Read more: 32 Of The Funniest Quotes From John Hughes Movies (CinemaBlend)
But it also includes other films like the 1983 crime tale The Outsiders and movies starring Matthew Broderick, including Ferris Bueller's Day Off and even WarGames. The term has proven quite elastic over the years, pulling in many different stars and movies. If there was a big teen movie in the second half of the 1980s, there's a good chance that at least one of the Brat Pack was involved.
What happened to the Brat Pack?
One of the key themes of the Brats documentary is the effect that the Blum article and the Brat Pack term had on the young stars who were a part of it. Estevez, in particular, felt aggrieved at being portrayed as the leader of a group portrayed as being trouble-makers rather than professionals trying to make their way in the craft of acting.
It had a disastrous effect on the friendship between the stars, but also left some of them struggling to match their career potential with the roles that were available to them. Once they'd been tarred with the brush of the Brat Pack, things got much harder for them.
Read more: Who is the most successful member of the Hollywood Brat Pack? (Yahoo Entertainment)
The main Brat Pack members have had varied careers since. Demi Moore went on to make increasingly huge movies, while Rob Lowe suffered with scandals and later resurrected his career on the small screen. Estevez has chosen to focus more on directing than on his roles in front of the camera. Meanwhile, the likes of Sheedy and Ringwald have only surfaced occasionally over the years — shunning the idea of A-list Hollywood fame.
Read more: Emilio Estevez says Brat Pack members were ‘kryptonite’ to each other’s careers (The Independent)
The Brats documentary explores these complex legacies and shines a spotlight on a period of Hollywood that was built on excess. It gave the media a great excuse to point at some talented youngsters and accuse them of only being in it for the booze and the parties.
Now, the Brat Pack stars are fondly remembered, with their best movies firmly ensconced as cult classics for audiences of all generations. The label might be dead, but the work lives on. And that's probably the way it should be.
Brats is available to stream in the UK now via Disney+.
