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Published on Thursday, August 6, 2009 - 9:45pm |
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Massawyrm eulogizes John Hughes
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I feel the way about John Hughes the way most of you feel about George Lucas. His work, especially his directorial work in the 80’s (the only period of time in which he wore that hat), was so perfectly dialed in to the times that his films are not only still relevant and entertaining, but nostalgic time capsules that perfectly capture that era like lightning bugs in a jar. Since he left the director’s chair behind, there has been a void in teen geared filmmaking that a number of filmmakers have tried to fill. Occasionally a filmmaker gets close with gems like CAN’T HARDLY WAIT, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, SUPERBAD or ADVENTURELAND (with Greg Motolla getting close to being worthy of his shoes) that evoke the aesthetic he seemed to be able to effortlessly conjure. But even then, we consider these reminiscent. Never superior.
Hughes was a very special kind of writer/director, one very much in touch with his childhood and teen years. As a result, he was able to capture what it was that really made us teenagers and distill it just right to fill his characters with a manner that made us identify with all of them – even the villains. Everyone of his characters - no matter how brazen, no matter how popular, and no matter how lucky with the opposite sex they were - was absolutely terrified of being found out, disliked or humiliated. Their fears were our fears. And in his opus THE BREAKFAST CLUB, he took what was on the surface a popcorn comedy about school kids stuck in detention and showcased a microcosm of the terror and detachment we all felt (or feel) and let us all know that it was all okay…because we were not alone. Not even close.
And that went for every single one of his characters save one: his super hero. His teenage James Bond. Ferris Bueller. Of course rather than the ability to fly or super strength or invulnerability to bullets, Ferris had a power that made him a god amongst high school students. Self confidence. He wasn’t afraid of anything. Everything he tried he was successful at. People loved him. Every girl wanted him and every boy wanted to be him. But even then Hughes was smart enough to make him best friends with one of Hughes most dysfunctional characters ever, Cameron. And through Ferris and Cameron’s adventures, he illustrated the secret of life – that with the right amount of self-confidence and bullshit, you can accomplish anything.
After all, if you can convince a snooty/snotty waiter that you are Abe Froman, Sausage King of Chicago, how hard can high school really be?
Hughes was a master with dialog. His characters always sounded age appropriate and managed to bear all, even when they didn’t realize it. Hell, he even managed to make us forget that the majority of THE BREAKFAST CLUB took place in the same room and was effectively a play, by setting it up and pacing it just right to feel like any other film. His films were snappy, fun and even the most frivolous among them carried an emotional punch. Even the one’s he didn’t direct, but instead wrote and produced like SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL and PRETTY IN PINK (which most consider part of his holy high school trilogy along with SIXTEEN CANDLES and THE BREAKFAST CLUB).
As his work began to evolve, he moved away from films that would be considered classics, but gave us one last immortal comedy in 1987 - PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES – a film that it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without. And after leaving directing behind, he would continue writing steadily through the 90’s, creating the kid geared HOME ALONE and BEETHOVEN series.
But Hughes greatest legacy will be his teen films. You can’t make one, a good one that is, in this day and age without garnering a comparison to Hughes. Being called on par with a Hughes film is no small compliment. It means you’ve captured the characters properly, made it fun and created something lasting. Because that was the soul of what Hughes did. His films are my comfort films. I know many of them by heart. And this is a sad, sad day for those grew up with his films as a beacon in the dismal, murky hopelessness of High School.
John Hughes, our friend Edmond Dantes, has passed away. He was 59.
Until next time friends,
Massawyrm
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Reader Talkback
Well said, Massawyrm. by Heckles | Aug 6th, 2009 09:48:06 PM | second! by Dijjot | Aug 6th, 2009 09:49:15 PM | He actually does deserve a
second eulogy. by Gwai Lo | Aug 6th, 2009 09:49:22 PM | characters matter, Hollywood by Sir Loin | Aug 6th, 2009 09:54:07 PM | FOR ONCE... by johnnyrandom | Aug 6th, 2009 09:54:23 PM | Sad news by jimmy rabbitte | Aug 6th, 2009 09:56:17 PM | A Sad Day Indeed by rodnunley | Aug 6th, 2009 09:56:53 PM | a beacon of light amongst
shitty 80's comedies by mojination | Aug 6th, 2009 09:59:12 PM | I think the impact he had on
us by CherryValance | Aug 6th, 2009 10:01:19 PM | He will be missed by D.Vader | Aug 6th, 2009 10:01:31 PM | Kudos Mass by Sithtastic | Aug 6th, 2009 10:04:01 PM | And I do consider The Great
Outdoors to be a classic by D.Vader | Aug 6th, 2009 10:04:44 PM | Awesome piece, Mass.
Excellent. by The Real McClane | Aug 6th, 2009 10:06:55 PM | The lunatic OCD millionaire? by Anything But Tangerines | Aug 6th, 2009 10:10:10 PM | Mottola does not even approach
the genius of Hughes by ackack | Aug 6th, 2009 10:20:38 PM | In memory of his work by The Dum Guy | Aug 6th, 2009 10:23:57 PM | Beethoven by The Dum Guy | Aug 6th, 2009 10:28:36 PM | Shermer, IL is in mourning by Alice Cooper Stalker | Aug 6th, 2009 10:33:46 PM | Well said Massawyrm by KCViking | Aug 6th, 2009 10:35:56 PM | Hey, let's not mention the
Hughes TB to David
Carradine... by FlickaPoo | Aug 6th, 2009 10:39:36 PM | John Hughes Raped Your
Childhood? by The Funketeer | Aug 6th, 2009 10:40:58 PM | Documentary about John Hughes
- Trailer by Orionsangels | Aug 6th, 2009 10:42:59 PM | "gems like Cant Hardly Wait" by kjmad25 | Aug 6th, 2009 10:47:38 PM | Man, we were spoiled in the
80s by MetalMickey | Aug 6th, 2009 10:50:52 PM | He wrote NL's VACATION! by lgpimedia | Aug 6th, 2009 11:08:38 PM | Still can't believe he's gone. by Proman1984 | Aug 6th, 2009 11:27:54 PM | Made them like no other by EastcoastAvenger | Aug 6th, 2009 11:29:04 PM | @kjmad25 by nj13guy | Aug 6th, 2009 11:35:58 PM | All I wanted was one more
Hughes classic.... by Gabba-UK | Aug 6th, 2009 11:41:38 PM | Brilliant eulogy! by onefatman | Aug 6th, 2009 11:43:10 PM | I don't get the Edmond Dantes
reference... by greyspecter | Aug 6th, 2009 11:44:40 PM | Vacation & P,T&A are
contenders for greatest
comedy... by RandySavage | Aug 7th, 2009 12:00:06 AM | Edmon Dantes was his pen name. by RandySavage | Aug 7th, 2009 12:01:00 AM | UNCLE BUCK! by Kaiser Soze | Aug 7th, 2009 12:02:59 AM | greyspecter by Mr. Lahey | Aug 7th, 2009 12:03:34 AM | Massa, great words by Roketopunch | Aug 7th, 2009 12:11:05 AM | I've said that the great
writers/directors/artists
have... by RandySavage | Aug 7th, 2009 12:15:06 AM | RE: "a beacon of light amongst
shitty 80's comedies. by HollywoodHellraiser | Aug 7th, 2009 12:18:53 AM | The original "Vacation" short
story by cgh123 | Aug 7th, 2009 12:35:56 AM | Where's the eulogy for Budd
Schulberg? by verdoux | Aug 7th, 2009 12:40:10 AM | Nice one, Verdoux. by HollywoodHellraiser | Aug 7th, 2009 01:57:16 AM | I don't care for his teenager
pictures that much by caruso_stalker217 | Aug 7th, 2009 02:10:21 AM | YOU GOTTA GIVE PROPS TO SO
MANY OTHER FILMS HE WROTE... by CopOnTheEdge | Aug 7th, 2009 02:39:56 AM | It's a testament to John
Hughes... by jsarnold513 | Aug 7th, 2009 03:26:21 AM | One of only two times that the
death of a celebrity... by benito | Aug 7th, 2009 03:28:00 AM | Call it nostalgiac favoritism
if you like... by ZombieHeathLedger | Aug 7th, 2009 03:43:33 AM | He helped get me through
adolescence... by DC Films | Aug 7th, 2009 03:43:46 AM | He was who we think he was... by section33 | Aug 7th, 2009 05:05:09 AM | He Repped Chicagoland like no
other by DookieMercury | Aug 7th, 2009 05:21:08 AM | So awesome he invented a
genre... by spud mcspud | Aug 7th, 2009 05:44:06 AM | Massa... by BiggusDickus | Aug 7th, 2009 05:47:09 AM | REAL Ketchup, Ed? by Alientoast | Aug 7th, 2009 05:49:53 AM | "I'd give her Wamdigious
Mamery-Glands" by pokadoo | Aug 7th, 2009 06:36:08 AM | He wrote the first three
vacation movies by holidill | Aug 7th, 2009 06:56:39 AM | Another Good Man Dead and Gone by WillyFisterbottum | Aug 7th, 2009 07:04:33 AM | To this day you still see SAVE
FERRIS written on high schools by ricarleite2 | Aug 7th, 2009 07:05:36 AM | He wrote one of the GREAT by gooseud | Aug 7th, 2009 07:17:46 AM | Oh, and I still use by gooseud | Aug 7th, 2009 07:21:35 AM | Two last things by gooseud | Aug 7th, 2009 07:44:00 AM | I've said it once, and I'll
say it again... by Shut the Fuck up Donny | Aug 7th, 2009 07:52:21 AM | not enough could be said for
this man by h8tersbeware | Aug 7th, 2009 08:55:21 AM | Thank you, Massawyrm. by Mennen | Aug 7th, 2009 08:57:28 AM | Weird Science - One of many
greats. by Mennen | Aug 7th, 2009 09:00:06 AM | The simple fact... by kbass | Aug 7th, 2009 09:05:15 AM | ba lun dun dun dun by The Amazing G | Aug 7th, 2009 09:10:14 AM | gooseud - The original ending
of FBDO as written... by ZombieHeathLedger | Aug 7th, 2009 09:17:52 AM | I don't think he liked the
Negroes. by Simpsonian | Aug 7th, 2009 10:39:46 AM | Few people who didn't grow up
in the 80s by rsanta74 | Aug 7th, 2009 10:43:54 AM | @Simpsonian by rsanta74 | Aug 7th, 2009 10:57:08 AM | For the record, by rsanta74 | Aug 7th, 2009 10:59:07 AM | @rstanta... by Simpsonian | Aug 7th, 2009 11:53:32 AM | Christmas Vacation by Nizzuts | Aug 7th, 2009 01:59:46 PM | Ok, Harry by Le Vicious Fishus | Aug 7th, 2009 02:49:49 PM | Her First Baby Came Out
Sideways... by Buzz Maverik | Aug 7th, 2009 02:58:26 PM | R.I.P John Hughes by SisterSpooky | Aug 7th, 2009 06:59:53 PM | 'Wyatt .... i'm sorry for
being such a shit to you all
these yea by Kennyhyperk | Aug 8th, 2009 03:21:26 AM | Very sad news by Col. Tigh-Fighter | Aug 8th, 2009 06:26:44 AM | Buck Melanoma, Maisy Russell's
Wart... by Buzz Maverik | Aug 8th, 2009 08:08:24 AM | Hughes/Dantes by Mel Garga | Aug 8th, 2009 09:05:02 AM | This is a good article about
Hughes by someone you know. by Sal_Bando | Aug 8th, 2009 07:20:06 PM |
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