1. The Breakfast Club (1985)
While the nature of this entry is no worse than that of the last, it’s place at the top of the list comes by way of its continued popularity and acclaim.
The Breakfast Club is the definitive ’80s teen movie, with all the biggest young stars of the ’80s sharing the same detention hall. While The Breakfast Club‘s general themes are mostly pretty standard teen movie stuff, there is one particular moment that makes for very uncomfortable viewing.
After a confrontation with disciplinary principal Mr. Vernon (Paul Gleeson), Bender (Judd Nelson) finds himself locked in a closet. He escapes through the ceiling to return to detention, hoping to retrieve the stash of drugs he hid in Brian’s (Anthony Michael Hall) trousers. Vernon comes in to check on the students, prompting Bender to hide under Claire’s (Molly Ringwald) desk.
While Vernon stands before the four teens at their desks, Bender takes a look up Claire’s skirt (the audience get a look too, for good measure), then buries his face between her thighs. She clenches her knees together, crushing his head, but the gang cover his screams with loud, obviously fake coughs to keep him from feeling Vernon’s wrath.
The strangest part about this misguided movie moment is that it’s played off as a harmless prank by a lovable troublemaker, instead of the sexual assault it clearly is, and The Breakfast Club remains a beloved ’80s classic regardless.
There we go, that’s our list. Feel like there’s a glaring omission? Drop a comment below and let us know!