By now, I am sure you have heard that the legendary director and writer John Hughes has passed away, aged fifty-nine. As a huge fan of the 'Brat Pack' era I can honestly say he will sorely missed. He successfuly documented the lives and loves of the teenage generation. He was, after all, a teenager himself, just in a grown up's body.
Most notable for 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Pretty In Pink' John Hughes was an expert in scouting out new talent and turning them into stars. Where would Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Matthew Broderick and Anthony Michael Hall be now without the tutelage of Hughes? His respect for the younger generation shone through in his films, standing out from others, for actually listening to what teenagers had to say, what they were feeling, what they were going through, showing the world what life as a teen was really like.
His films were a rollercoaster of laughs, tears and song. Many a day has gone by when I find myself singing under my breath 'don't you forget about me...' I assure you as an avid film fan, Hughes will never be forgotten.
As a screenwriter, Hughes, as well as under his pseudonym, Edmond Dantes, penned the brilliant Home Alone as well as Beethoven and 101 Dalmations and much more. He knew how to please the audience, focusing on the thrills of nostalgia and family values, reminding us that home is truly where the heart is.
From the early nineties Hughes became almost a recluse, relocating to Illinois and becoming a farmer. Under his pseudonym he did carry on writing screenplays up until a couple of years ago.
The depiction of 1980s America has never been more enthralling than in Hughes's work - when I was in my teens I sat watching his films shouting out 'thank you! finally somebody else is going through what I am going through!' Somebody actually was there to understand.
I often see teen flicks at the cinema or on the television and I sigh a little in despair. If only John Hughes could have breathed a little flair into those films, I think - if only he could be that saviour to the teen movie genre once again. I strongly believe that Hughes wasn't interested in whether his films grossed a lot or not, unlike most films in today's society - to him I think it was all about the moment, living in the 80s as a struggling teen, with no voice, no figure to stand up for you.
Thanks to Hughes we had a soundtrack to a generation. Rest in peace, yet you will always live forever to me.
"I am not going to sit on my ass as the events that affect me unfold to determine the course of my life. I'm going to take a stand. I'm going to defend it. Right or wrong, I'm going to defend it."
