[Melis]

John Hughes Appreciation Thread



Biography from Leonard Maltin's Movie Encyclopedia:
A former writer for "National Lampoon" magazine, this fabulously successful filmmaker, arguably the most facile chronicler of the baby boom zeitgeist, has tapped into middle-class suburban life and sensibilities with considerable skill. He made his name in Hollywood as screenwriter of National Lampoon's Class Reunion (1982), National Lampoon's Vacation and Mr. Mom (both 1983), the success of which earned him a chance to direct, from his own script, Sixteen Candles (1984), starring Molly Ringwald. This breakthrough film tapped into a teenage audience as few others ever managed to do, articulating adolescent angst with insight and humor. His next, more serious effort, The Breakfast Club (1985), also dealt with teenagers' feelings of self-doubt, and served as a springboard for a whole generation of Brat Pack stars. Weird Science (1985) went way off-course, but Pretty in Pink (1986, again with Ringwald) and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (also 1986) reaffirmed Hughes' uncanny knack for communicating with 1980s adolescents.

Hughes then moved into adult territory with Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) and the twenty-something comedy-drama She's Having a Baby (1988), before reverting to kid stuff in Uncle Buck (1989) and Curly Sue (1991). These later films veer between cogent observation, puerile jokes, and heavy-handed sentimentality, but audiences seem to respond even if critics don't. (John Candy, the star of Planes and Uncle Buck became Hughes' good-luck charm, appearing, sometimes without billing, in many of the producer's films, often in hilarious cameo roles.)

Beginning with Pretty in Pink the prolific Hughes started assigning some of his scripts to other directors, retaining control as executive producer. Since then, most of his scripts have been directed by others, including Howard Deutch (Pretty in Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, The Great Outdoors), Jeremiah S. Chechik (National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation), Brian Gordon (Career Opportunities), Peter Faiman (Dutch), and Chris Columbus, who with Hughes turned Home Alone (1990) and Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) into a virtual cottage industry. Hughes then patterned Dennis the Menace (1993) after his winning Home Alone formula, letting Nick Castle direct the slapstick comedy. In 1994 Hughes wrote and coproduced Baby's Day Out

[black widow]

like i said ... the man is god. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] spokesperson for an entire generation. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

great idea for a thread, melis!

if you had to pick just ONE favourite john hughes movie, what would it be? i don't think i could do it, but if i had to ... the breakfast club. just all-around fantastic for a bunch of reasons!

[Melis]

Thanks. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Oh, that's tough. I'd also say The Breakfast Club is one of the best. I liked the idea of a bunch of kids sitting in detention, and I liked how he touched on every kind of high-school kid. i.e. the jock, the nerd, etc.

[Melis]

I love the quotes. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Thanks for the link. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I'd love it if they included some of the cut scenes on the up-coming DVD re-release. The first DVD didn't have any extras, and that's disappointing considering the popularity of the movie.

[*Stacy*]

I agree Mel. I hope the new DVD will have exciting stuff. I love John Hughes! He is the GOD of the 80's movies. It is hard to pick a fave, but I have to go with Pretty in Pink. That is just one of my all time fave movies and a close 2nd would be Weird Science.

[Melis]

Yeah, it's really hard to pick a favorite. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Stacy, did you get the PIP DVD yet? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[*Stacy*]

No, not yet. Waiting for my income tax to come in and then i'm going shopping. I told Danny i'm spending at least 200 on DVD's that i've been wanting and that includes all the 80's movies I want. There are so many, it will be hard to choose!! [img]smilies/lol.gif[/img]

[Melis]

Oh, that will be fun! Have fun, and if you need help choosing, we can help you! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[Neon x Stars]

Pimp! I just watched Breakfast Club (for the 2390409234 time) last night. The chemistry between those 5 actors, whew. Staggering. Blows me away every time. (Especially Emilio Estevez and Ally Sheedy. Athlete/Basketcase4lyfe!)

Oh, and to answer the question; Breakfast Club is the movie I'd pick, if you hadn't already guessed. Heh.

Anyway, I'd really, really like to get Sixteen Candles and Pretty in Pink on DVD...need money, though. Still John Hughes, woo!

[ 01-25-2003: Message edited Neon x Stars ]

[*Maxi*]

Hard to choose, since I love practically all his movies. Great idea for a thread! I'd have to say The Breakfast Club though. I see some of you mention a rerelease on DVD, is there a date set for it yet?

[*Stacy*]

I think both of them are coming out in March/April. I'll have to go back and check the DVD thread. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

edited to show this:

April 1st, 2003: Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club.

That's gonna be a great dvd buying day! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

[ 01-25-2003: Message edited Josh'sTexasGal ]

[capesidefan]

a movie genius, great movies he has made [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] I'll be back in a sec to post more

[Melis]

Originally posted by *Maxi*: <STRONG>Hard to choose, since I love practically all his movies. Great idea for a thread! I'd have to say The Breakfast Club though. I see some of you mention a rerelease on DVD, is there a date set for it yet?</STRONG>

Whoops. Nevermind.

[ 01-25-2003: Message edited Melis ]

[*Maxi*]

Originally posted by Josh'sTexasGal: April 1st, 2003: Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club.

Ohhh, that's soon, yay. I must have Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. Perhaps Weird Science as well.

[capesidefan]

yeah sixteen candles, wierd science and the breakfast club, i heard are part of the john hughes collection, from what I heard they might be special edition dvds