Without John Hughes, would there have been a 1980s? The filmmaker and screenwriter died of a heart attack while walking Thursday in Manhattan. For the uninitiated, he wrote National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off--directing several of those films as well. Memories of Hughes's Chicagoland pics are as likely to be audio as visual: The Psychedelic Furs, General Public, and Simple Minds were among the acts introduced to a wider audience through Hughes's sonically-savvy films. No John Hughes, no Molly Ringwald; no Molly Ringwald, no 1980s--it's pretty simple. But when the 1980s ended, so did John Hughes. He hadn't directed a movie since 1991, and his work as a screenwriter since his golden age had been spotty. Proof that John Hughes will be missed in death comes from the fact that John Hughes was so missed for the last several decades of his life. The void in high-school movies that transcend a high-school audience is substantial in part because John Hughes stopped making movies. From Justin to Kelly? She's All That? Dude, Where's My Car? They don't make teen movies like they used to--at least the way John Hughes used to.
It's not quite fair to compare the likes of From Justin to Kelly to John Hughes films as an example of how teen movies have gotten worse. The 80s had more than its fair share of forgettable teen movies. But I will grant you that even the best teen movies of the post-Hughes era (many of which I love: Clueless, Mean Girls) fail to quite capture Hughes's heart and magic.
Also -- Though he didn't direct it (and it shows), Mr. Mom was one of his best and most underappreciated movies.
Not to be picky but did he write National Lampoon's Vacation or did he just adapt it for the screen? I remember reading the original story in National Lampoon long before the movie was ever made.
Opus: The story you remember reading was actually written by John Hughes. The spam filter wont allow me to copy the link, but if you Google "Vacation '58" you'll be able to find it easy enough.
Please do not bag on Dude, Where's My Car?.
Christmas Vacation. More than a seasonal howl.
I don't think the slight was against Dude, where's my Car? exactly, but at the apparent lack of room for more thoughtful teen comedies.
Though, Aston Kutcher IS a tool....
I think that makes sense as the 80's had mostly thoughtful teen comedies and teen comedies since have projected the subjects as goofy stoners or horny a-holes without purpose or direction other than getting high, drunk or laid. Sort of in the American Pie mode.
As a side note, watched "Pineapple Express" a couple of weeks ago. Not the same genre of the movies mentioned here but it just floored me as an example of a piece of crap that passes for film entertainment these days.
The 80s had plenty of silly teen movies (Joysticks...) and I wouldn't call Teen Wolf thoughtful -- though I have a soft spot for it. Wierd Science isn't exactly a thoughtful movie either, but it was nice when there was room for alternatives to this stuff. I don't think The Breakfast Club could get made in the current Hollywood environment, but I'll stop there since the reasons why are more than I really want to type out on a Saturday morning.
Dan, you left out one of my favorites by Hughes, "Some Kind OF Wonderful" with Eric Stoltz, Mary Stuart Masterson and a few others. This was a teen romantic comedy many of us could relate to--having a crush on someone that seemed out of our reach but we were going for broke anyway, only to realize true love was staring us in the face. It was a really sweet flick.
Be well,
Sponge
