It’s hard to imagine what my teen years would have been like without John Hughes’ films. His movies were THE movies for my generation. He was a writer, director and producer of some of the most popular films of the eighties, and many of them had a huge impact on our pop culture. Some of the more well-known movies of the eighties in which John Hughes has writer’s credit:
- Home Alone (1990)
- Christmas Vacation (1989). Still one of my favorite holiday movies.
- Uncle Buck (1989). I wasn’t a big fan of this one; I thought John Candy’s behavior as a weird uncle was verging on creepy and inappropriate.
- The Great Outdoors (1988). I haven’t seen this movie as much as some of the others, but I remember it being funny.
- She's Having a Baby (1988). I LOVED this movie—I was still a big Kevin Bacon fan at the time, love the idea of (other people’s) babies… love the song “This Woman’s Work” (Kate Bush) played during her emergency surgery, love the name suggestions that run during the credits. Hate Alec Baldwin in this movie—what a dick.
- Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987). Oh. My. God. There are few funnier movie moments than what you can find in this buddy comedy.
- Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). I remember seeing this movie with Sherilee, and soon after I went with her as she got her hair cut and highlighted EXACTLY like Mary Stuart Masterson’s. I’m not making fun—Sher totally pulled it off.
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986). One of the best, and brings back the happiest of memories. LOVE LOVE LOVE this flick.
- Pretty in Pink (1986). I was only slightly disappointed in this one, just because it wasn’t quite as cute as Sixteen Candles had been. I didn’t like seeing Andrew McCarthy acting like such a tool either. Good music, though. And Duckie!
- Weird Science (1985). Such fun. Great music, and awesome revenge on Chet at the end!
- European Vacation (1985). Ugh. Definitely the least funny of the Vacation series.
- The Breakfast Club (1985). Another one of the best. How many of us tried Molly Ringwald’s lipstick application trick after seeing this movie? Confession: I failed miserably.
- Sixteen Candles (1984). One of my favorite movies EVER. Sheer perfection.
- Vacation (1983)
- Mr. Mom (1983). “Yeah. 220... 221, whatever it takes.”
What are some of your favorite John Hughes film moments? Quotes? Feel free to share them in a comment.
UPDATE: The Daily Beast published trailers and clips from some of the more popular John Hughes movies.
Jen,
ReplyDeleteI LOVE that song, too from "She's Having A Baby." That movie is so funny. I love it when Kevin Bacon has bbq'd for his in-laws and parents and he dropped his father-in-law's steak in the grass. When he's trying to cut into the charred, grassy steak he says "Oh, yeah, you're quite the bbq chef, Jake!"
And, of course, on Ferris when Ed and Grace are talking about Ferris' attendance record and Ed says "I don't trust him as far as I can throw him!" And Grace says, "And with your bad back you shouldn't be throwing anybody, Ed."
Just a few of MANY classic moments of John Hughes movies. Great talent that is gone way too soon.
Thinking about how long ago these movies were made makes me feel old... I am cracking up that you remember that hair! I loved that haircut almost as much as the movie itself. And my memories of that rainy July 4th Ferris viewing are also quite fond...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I really gave much thought to how many movies John Hughes gave to our generation until I started looking at lists yesterday in the news aftermath of his death. It's quite amazing. I don't think I can name a favorite... but the Molly Ringwald ones are pretty high up there... more good hair influences mixed in with those angsty story lines...
When I saw that John Hughes been married to the same woman for 39 years, he rose even higher in my estimation!