MOVIE OF THE MONTH
AUG ‘25
MOVIE OF THE MONTH
AUG ‘25
ST. ELMO’S FIRE
Directed by Joel Schumacher | 1985 | 108 min
“QUICK, WHAT’S THE MEANING OF LIFE?”
Everyone is familiar with the high school coming-of-age genre, best epitomized by John Hughes films centering around prom, detention, geeks, and jocks. Less salient in culture is the early-20s post-university coming-of-age film. But one shining example of the latter category is the Joel Schumacher 1985 film St. Elmo’s Fire. This movie follows a clique of recent Georgetown University graduates as they navigate jobs, romance, friendship, and family, in between group hangouts at their beloved local St. Elmo’s Bar.
St. Elmo’s Fire was critically panned in its time, and today is seen by many as a corny relic of the 1980s. These reactions fail to appreciate the hopeful, almost mystical mood of the film, which is evinced by its beautiful David Foster score and its passionate acting performances. Amidst the mundanity and drudgery of adult life, the characters beam with faith that there is meaning to their lives and to their shared friendship, and they try to make it all work.
We aimed to channel similar feelings through our upcoming short film Pizza Box. In Pizza Box, a longtime group of friends grapple with changing relationships and an unglamorous, sudden confrontation with the “real world” — albeit with a Jersey Shore backdrop instead of historic Georgetown.
ST. ELMO’S FIRE
Directed by Joel Schumacher
1985 | 108 min
“QUICK, WHAT’S THE MEANING OF LIFE?”
Everyone is familiar with the high school coming-of-age genre, best epitomized by John Hughes films centering around prom, detention, geeks, and jocks. Less salient in culture is the early-20s post-university coming-of-age film. But one shining example of the latter category is the Joel Schumacher 1985 film St. Elmo’s Fire. This movie follows a clique of recent Georgetown University graduates as they navigate jobs, romance, friendship, and family, in between group hangouts at their beloved local St. Elmo’s Bar.
St. Elmo’s Fire was critically panned in its time, and today is seen by many as a corny relic of the 1980s. These reactions fail to appreciate the hopeful, almost mystical mood of the film, which is evinced by its beautiful David Foster score and its passionate acting performances. Amidst the mundanity and drudgery of adult life, the characters beam with faith that there is meaning to their lives and to their shared friendship, and they try to make it all work.
We aimed to channel similar feelings through our upcoming short film Pizza Box. In Pizza Box, a longtime group of friends grapple with changing relationships and an unglamorous, sudden confrontation with the “real world” — albeit with a Jersey Shore backdrop instead of historic Georgetown.
