41 Responses for "John Hughes, 1950 – 2009"

1. Erik Beck August 6th, 2009 at 4:21 pm 1

   Here’s where we find out how old the posters on AD are. I’m 34. I’ve seen Breakfast Club at least 30 times. And I will always smile at the name Long Duck Dong or the phrases “elephantitis of the nuts” and “riding the hobby horse.” A bummer. Bigger bummer that he stopped directing and instead mentored Chris Columbus who never had half the talent Hughes did.

2. Noah R. August 6th, 2009 at 4:23 pm 2

   Sad news. Hughes was never one of my favorite filmmakers but anyone who could make something as funny as Planes Trains & Automobiles and as thoroughly enjoyable as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is okay in my book. RIP.

3. Joao Mattos August 6th, 2009 at 4:24 pm 3

   Between 1985 and 1987, I saw “Breakfast Club like a dozen time on VHS – never was released in movie screens in my country. I just spoke to a dear friend who saw it more than 70 times – and stop counting after that.

   What is most fascinanting about Hughes worsks is how he achieve adolescents from different parts of the world, social bakcgrounds, etc. I had several experiences proving that.

   These is not nostalgia. An age of great teens movies ends today. R.I.P.

4. Duderino August 6th, 2009 at 4:24 pm 4

   RRA, can you review his films?

5. Ed_Rooney August 6th, 2009 at 4:34 pm 5

   *covers phone* GRACEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!

6. srh1son August 6th, 2009 at 4:37 pm 6

   I’m almost 26, so I definitely came of age a little too late, but I always enjoyed all of his films. Still, the one that I think is underrated and my favorite, is “She’s Having a Baby”. Kevin Bacon and Elizabeth McGovern were wonderful in that film.

7. Erik Beck August 6th, 2009 at 4:38 pm 7

   He directed Weird Science, 16 Candles, Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Pretty in Pink, Planes Trains and Automobiles. Wrote Home Alone. Set most of his stuff in the fictional Chicago suburb of Shermer, Illinois. It is fictional, much to the dismay of Jay and Silent Bob.

   Breakfast Club is pretty much Sartre’s No Exit, but set in detention.

   He wrote the lines “I can’t believe I gave my panties to a geek,” and “I do have a test today. That wasn’t bullshit. It’s on European Socialism. I’m not European. I don’t plan on becoming European. So who gives a crap if they’re socialists. They could be fascists anarchists for all I care. It still wouldn’t change the fact that I don’t own a car.” said line followed by “Not that I condone fascism. Or any ism. As John Lennon once said, ‘I don’t believe in Beatles, I just believe in me.’ Easy for him to say. He was the walrus. I could be the walrus, I’d still have to bum rides off people.”

8. Irish70 August 6th, 2009 at 4:39 pm 8

   John Hughes…one of the “master of dialogue” of our generation. From “The Breakfast Club” to “Ferris Bueller”…from “Planes, Trains, & Autos” to “Home Alone”…from “Vacation” to “Sixteen Candles…from “Mr Mom” to “Pretty in Pink”…THAT MAN COULD WRITE! At one point in High School I could quote Breakfast Club from start to finish…probably an all-time top 5 script for me! RIP

9. Alison Flynn August 6th, 2009 at 4:39 pm 9

   RIP.

10. RRA is Wild Thing August 6th, 2009 at 4:40 pm 10

    Duderino – I should, and I might this weekend. Though I’m sure his titles will be jammed up at Netflix for the next little while.

    Of course, I don’t think kids who fest solely on contemporary teen junk (nothing wrong in itself I suppose) realize how the quality of that genre went to hell after John Hughes graduated from high school. Entertaining, and a basic message to tell without being shallow or pretentious.

    For kids to know how big Hughes was, he was the Judd Apatow of his day. If not arguably better.

    Also he gave Ben Stein one of the best roles, which gave him his visual career.

11. John Bender August 6th, 2009 at 4:42 pm 11

    Hughes a real NEOMAXIZOOMDWEEBIE!

12. RRA is the Sausage King of Chicago August 6th, 2009 at 4:46 pm 12

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUrOMB-iBLk

    Twist and shout!

13. Nick K. August 6th, 2009 at 4:51 pm 13

    This is tragic news. I’ll always reserve a spot in my heart for Ferris Bueller’s day off and Planes, Trains and Automobiles. By coincidence, I saw the latter for the first time earlier this winter and I loved it. If I had to choose one scene from one of his movies, it’s gotta be this one…

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5o8DFfYHS4

14. Yvette August 6th, 2009 at 5:05 pm 14

    The Donger!!!

    RIP John Hughes:(

15. harry August 6th, 2009 at 5:21 pm 15

    When I think of Hughes, I’ll probably always think of John Candy’s performance in Trains, Planes & Automobiles.

16. Yvette August 6th, 2009 at 5:33 pm 16

    #6
    Still, the one that I think is underrated and my favorite, is “She’s Having a Baby”.

    Me too. I really loved that movie.

17. dan August 6th, 2009 at 5:39 pm 17

    Truly an oustanding director that will be really missed. One of the all time great American Comedy directors.

18. Alan of Montreal August 6th, 2009 at 6:00 pm 18

    While I found Sixteen Candles hard to sit through because of the over-the-top Asian stereotypes, The Breakfast Club pretty much defined and reflected my experience as a suburban teenager in many ways. I never had the chance to see it in the theatre when it came out because I was only 13 and it was rated 14 and over and I couldn’t find an adult to take me, but as soon as I was able to I rented it at the video store and it’s been close to my heart ever since. Half of me identified with Ally Sheedy’s character, the other half with Anthony Michael Hall’s. I have that image of Molly Ringwald dancing on the ledge permanently etched in to my brain. She must be heartbroken right now–he made and defined her career.

19. Anthony August 6th, 2009 at 6:02 pm 19

    I’m the only one at work who knew who John Hughes was… and I’m the youngest one there.

    The death of an icon. Terrible.

20. Seankgallagher August 6th, 2009 at 6:12 pm 20

    Another part of my childhood has died.

    Intellectually, I can point out all the faults in things like 16 CANDLES, BREAKFAST CLUB, PRETTY IN PINK, SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL, and even my favorite of Hughes’ films, FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF (PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES lost me when it got sentimental in the last third) – they were a little racist (particularly the Long Duk Dong character in 16 CANDLES), the parents and authority figures are all one-dimensional (though Harry Dean Stanton in PRETTY IN PINK and John Ashton in SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL add some depth), some scenes, like Ally Sheedy’s makeover in BREAKFAST CLUB, just make me cringe now, and the characters were often too self-absorbed (to say nothing of most of the actors at the time who played them).

    However, to those of us who were teens at the time, he took us seriously instead of talking down to us, he understood the cliques we had to go through (as well as seeing past those cliques, in the best parts of BREAKFAST CLUB and PRETTY IN PINK), and he took our emotions about love and happiness seriously. Also, looking back, they compare favorably to today’s teen comedies in one major aspect, and that’s class. Except for Ferris Bueller (who I’d say was middle-class for the time – he owned a computer, anyway), all of his heroes were lower class, and had to struggle because of it. Oh, and I think the music still holds up – I still own the soundtracks to PRETTY IN PINK and SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL.

    While I hate the formulaic screenplays he wrote in the 1990’s, I will still miss the movies that helped me get through the 80’s. R.I.P, Mr. Hughes.

21. Katie August 6th, 2009 at 6:12 pm 21

    I am in absolute shock! Hughes helped me survive highschool. I’m now 36 and it’s amazing how in touch he was with how we (at that age) really felt about school & life in general. Such a sad loss. My heart truly goes out to his family. Breakfast Club (#1), Sixteen Candles & Some Kind of Wonderful rank as my favorites of his.

    Bender- “Screws fall out all the time. The world is an imperfect place”.

22. dela August 6th, 2009 at 6:41 pm 22

    RIP. Sad news.

23. Kay August 6th, 2009 at 6:43 pm 23

    R.i.p.

24. RRA is the Sausage King of Chicago August 6th, 2009 at 6:44 pm 24

    “it’s not cynicism. I just don’t get caring about the death of someone I don’t know who hasn’t produced anything good in yrs” – Devin Faraci, CHUD writer

    And movie bloggers wonder why they don’t get any respect.

25. Ryan Adams August 6th, 2009 at 7:05 pm 25

    ATTN: Hollywood Legends
    If you expect any respect from Devin Faraci, be sure to die at the peak of your career.

    “it’s not cynicism…” it’s impudence.

26. Jon August 6th, 2009 at 7:10 pm 26

    RIP to a true icon for our generation. The films are still incredibly watchable and “The Breakfast Club” is really an amazing film. I wonder now with his death if we are finally going to see the 2 1/2 hour versions of THE BREAKFAST CLUB and PLANES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES that are rumored to exist.

    I have actually been fascinated by Hughes for years and have always wondered what happened to him after 1994. The man became one of the most famous recluses in pop culture. He hadn’t given an interview since 1994, hadn’t been photographed since 2001, he even went so far as to have his EXCELLENT audio commentary on the FERRIS BUELLER dvd removed. He just disappeared (or removed himself from the public). Apparantly there was a documentary – or is a documentary being made called DON’T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME about Hughes and essentially his disappearance. Nonetheless I would love to know the whole story of what happened. He is a fascinating man when you read about him.

27. SaltireFlower August 6th, 2009 at 7:22 pm 27

    This is very shocking. I feel like I say that every few weeks now, but I really am shocked by this terrible news. Just collapsing like that at a relatively young age. And while visiting his family. I feel so sorry for them.

    I’m not nearly old enough to have grown up in the 1980s, but I did watch his films as a teenager. My sister and I watch The Breakfast Club every time it’s on TV. We can quote every single line from that film and we introduced our mother to it a few weeks ago.

    What an awful summer it has been.

28. Kerchee August 6th, 2009 at 7:31 pm 28

    JAKE!!!!!!!

    Another person, part of my teens and early adulthood is gone. On my walk in the morning, MUST listen to the Pretty in Pink soundtrack.

    RIP John Hughes

29. Antoinette August 6th, 2009 at 9:03 pm 29

    I was hoping he’d have a comeback too.

    This is terribly sad news. He meant so much to our generation. The Breakfast Club is so huge. Bigger than we probably all realize.

    RIP John Hughes. Thanks for everything you gave us.

30. Joao Mattos August 6th, 2009 at 9:46 pm 30

    Jesus. And Bud Schulberg died yesterday. Did he finished that Joe Louis project with Spike Lee?

31. N8 August 6th, 2009 at 9:51 pm 31

    

    I get the feeling that the next time I watch “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” will be a mixture of joy and sadness instead of just pure joy.

32. katkat August 6th, 2009 at 10:11 pm 32

    What awful news! Thanks for the montages. I think I’ll head over to youtube to watch some more! So many iconic movies to celebrate….

33. Debt Relief August 6th, 2009 at 11:19 pm 33

    I loved his work. R.I.P.

34. srh1son August 7th, 2009 at 2:16 am 34

    I’ll admit it. I saw “Curly Sue” and “Home Alone 1 and 2″ in the theater. Looking back, those films were childhood regression to the nth degree. I was just a kid when I saw them, and only found the good stuff later, but still, those films were a part of my childhood, for better or worse. I think we have to also give props for his shaping of the “Vacation” series. The original is a classic, but I LOVE “Christmas Vacation”. Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid make me laugh out loud in every scene of that film. I will give Hughes mad props. So, my homework assignment: watch the “Vacation” movies and watch “She’s Having a Baby”, because that was him growing up in a meaningful way; too bad it didn’t find an audience.

35. Dominik August 7th, 2009 at 4:19 am 35

    I feel a bit ashamed – as a huge fan of The Smiths – that I don´t even know the song “Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want”…have to check that out.

36. Ryan Adams August 7th, 2009 at 4:49 am 36

    Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want – The Smiths (Live)

37. RRA is the Sausage King of Chicago August 7th, 2009 at 8:45 am 37

    a nice essay by the one and only Roger Ebert

    http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090806/PEOPLE/908069969

    EDIT – I didn’t know Hughes scripted DRILLBIT TAYLOR

38. Dominik August 7th, 2009 at 10:18 am 38

    Thanks, Ryan!
    The Smiths are pure genius – love them!

39. Miranda Wilding August 7th, 2009 at 10:58 am 39

    I was born in the 80s so I came a little late to the party.

    But I grew up with these films and they had a significant impact nonetheless.

    The news of his passing yesterday hit me like a ton of bricks. I imagine it was a rather large shock to everyone.

    He was the voice of a generation. People loved those characters decades ago. They still do today…and I’m sure that they will many years from now.

    Some things are timeless.

    RIP, Mr. Hughes.

40. Alan of Montreal August 7th, 2009 at 6:40 pm 40

    You know, I can’t think of one writer/director who spoke to or represented an entire generation so consistently through so many films for such a prolonged period other than John Hughes. Sure, there are specific films that have–Rebel Without a Cause being the one that comes immediately to mind–but who else has this kind of body of work that is so beloved by a specific age group? I can’t think of anyone.

41. Zeta Phi 708 August 7th, 2009 at 7:07 pm 41

    I had the opportunity to see ALL of Mr. Hughes films in their original theatrical run and last year, I got to see a 35mm print on the big screen again of “Ferris…” and it brought back great memories how wonderful of a screenwriter and director he was; I feel as though he was deserving of an Oscar nom several times but alas he never got a single one. Here’s to one of the greatest filmmakers of the 20th Century; RIP Mr. Hughes…you will be missed. Thanks for taking us down that “holiday road”….

    BTW, here’s a very moving blog about one young person’s account of Mr. Hughes and his influence on her life:

    http://wellknowwhenwegetthere.blogspot.com/2009/08/sincerely-john-hughes.html