Pretty in Pink (1986)
Figures
Form & technique
- The contrast between Andie's vintage style and the rich girls' preppy fashion.
- The diegetic and non-diegetic use of New Wave music (e.g., The Smiths, OMD). → Cultural Capital
- The film's thematic and aesthetic consistency with other John Hughes-penned films. → Auteur Theory
Tropes
- The final kiss between Andie and Blane at the prom.
- Andie's DIY fashion and homemade prom dress.
- The theatrical ending (Andie chooses Blane) vs. the original ending (Andie chooses Duckie).
- The triangulation of masculinity between Duckie, Blane, and Steff. → The Fragile Alpha
- The high school prom as a social space. → The Counter-Space
- Duckie's character performance, fashion, and mannerisms. → Camp Sensibility
- The emotional conflict between Andie, her father, and her social world. → The Melodramatic Mode
Films most connected to Pretty in Pink
- The Intouchables (2011) — via The Fragile Alpha, The Counter-Space, Cultural Capital
- Brokeback Mountain (2005) — via The Fragile Alpha, The Counter-Space, The Melodramatic Mode
- Sideways (2004) — via The Fragile Alpha, Cultural Capital
- Juno (2007) — via The Fragile Alpha, Cultural Capital
- Ratatouille (2007) — via The Fragile Alpha, Cultural Capital
- Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) — via The Fragile Alpha, The Counter-Space
- The Zone of Interest (2023) — via The Fragile Alpha, The Counter-Space
- Amores Perros (2000) — via The Fragile Alpha, The Counter-Space