John Hughes
I have to admit that the news about john Hughes’ death yesterday hit me like a swift punch in the gut. We can talk about the “greatest” films, the “best” filmmakers, and it’s likely that John Hughes and the films he made may never come up in those conversations. However, I can think of few filmmakers that had as big an impact on me personally as Hughes did. I know I’m not alone in this. I was in Junior high when he was making the work that would define his career. His Shermer, Illinois didn’t seem much different than the suburbs I grew up in. He had an incredible knack for putting these teenage characters on the screen with all of their anxieties, issues, and flaws without being condescending, superficial, or pandering — this is no small task. He gave kids like me characters we could identify with, characters that could make us feel normal even when we were feeling weird and alone like every teenager does. Unlike most any other filmmaker, he was able to capture and present what felt like the true essence of what it really felt like to be a kid growing up in the 80s. John Hughes may not be considered a great or important artist, per se, but I can think of few filmmakers that did so much to define a generation. In many ways, he made my generation’s Rebel Without a Cause. and for that I will always be grateful.
A lasting John Hughes memory for me is this scene in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, after Ferris’ sister Jeannie is arrested and is brought in to the station:
Boy in Police Station (Charlie Sheen): Drugs?
Jeannie (Jennifer Grey): Thank you, no. I’m straight.
Boy in Police Station: I meant, are you in here for drugs?
Jeannie: Why are you here?
Boy in Police Station: Drugs.
Then they make out later. So COOL.
Comment by Joseph Rizzo — August 7, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
There are so many hughes moments that I love it’s hard to choose just one…a few faves:
Breakfast Club: Ally Sheedy shaking her head to use her dandruff to create snow on her landscape drawing
Sixteen Candles: “the donger need food!”
Ferris Bueller: when Sloane & Cameron are holding hands having a heart to heart while Ferris somehow manages to star in the largest parade scene ever in a movie. I just love the dynamic of those 3!
Weird Science: every outfit that Lisa wears…oh and when she turns Chet into a sh*t monster.
Uncle Buck: Uncle Buck strolling through the party in search of his niece with Bust a Move blaring throughout the entire scene (this movie was very supportive of both Tone Loc and Young MC, you gotta love that)
I could go on for days! So John Hughes filmfest anyone?!
Comment by natalie b — August 8, 2009 @ 6:54 pm