John Hughes Wikipedia (Producer of Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Breakfast Club, Vacation, Home Alone, etc)
John Hughes really spoke to me in my youth. He was a teenage poet of America in the 80’s. He seemed to understand what we were interested in and how our minds worked. He reached out to us without blowing things up and making E.T. type movies and space cowboys and sexy Porky's type movies which seemed rather prevalent before him. His movies seemed real. He talked about the kids that were middle class who seemingly should have everything they needed, but he showed they had problems and had real suffering and he did it in a believable manner.
Do you remember Ben Stein?
A lawyer, game show host, economics expert,... but he will always be remembered for saying these lines - "Bueller......Bueller...." That Ben Stein is funny - but I digress, this is about John Hughes. Anyway, Ben Stein said about JH that he made a connection with young people better than anyone had before, and better than anyone will since. He is probably right.
I don't know how you all feel about his movies but for me I think they are some of the better shows I saw in my youth. I remember seeing these things over and over and quoting them over and over. They were not just funny, but they really had some greatness to them. I know movie critics hated a lot of what he did, and many think it is cheesy. But for me, they have some wonder to them. He was a great writer and director, and from the sounds of it, he was a great person as well.
Ben Stein points out these quotes from Ferris Bueller, showing how John's insight was brilliant.
“Life goes by pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
"I do have a test today, that wasn't @#%. It's on European socialism. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not European. I don't plan on being European. So who gives a crap if they're socialists?”
Two of my favorites of his were probably some of his least popular. I loved Some Kind of Wonderful. First of all, I fell in love with Mary Stuart Masterson. Her hair was so cool, she played the drums, she was feisty and witty, and so dang cute. She played that part in the show so well. Do you remember the part where she was teaching the guy she was totally in love with how to kiss?
After the kiss (audio clip)
What a great show.
I also thought Uncle Buck was wonderful. I love John Candy and he was fun to watch and the show had some real touching moments.
Anyway, there are a lot of John Hughes tributes and stuff on youtube, but I liked this one. I want you to pay attention to Mary Stuart Masterson at around 3:18. You can really see the pain she experiences as she looks upon the guy she loves as he is with another girl. This, by the way, is exactly how I felt every day of high school as I looked upon all the girls I loved and saw my friends all kiss them. I was Michael Anthony Hall, Duckie, Mary Stuart Masterson, Cameron, - all rolled into one character. See....high school was tough and John Hughes captured it.
R.I.P. Johnny.
-PagerStalker
