CS Weekly Archive > The Big Picture > 8/21/09

Remembering John Hughes:
Five of His Unforgettable Films

by PETER CLINES

After the shock of his sudden death has faded, CS Weekly takes a moment to look at some of the films of John Hughes, and the reasons we won't forget about him.

If you grew up in the 1980s, it's hard not to have a soft spot for the films of John Hughes, who passed away this August 6th. The prolific screenwriter penned 16 films during that decade—almost half of his credited works—and directed seven of them. If imitation is flattery, then one needs only look at the number of sequels, spin-off series, or open imitations of his work there have been in the years since.

Some might think Hughes bowed out of the film industry years ago, and on one level they'd be right. Worried that his kids were going to grow up in the Hollywood spotlight, and without their workaholic dad, Hughes took two giant steps back and retired from directing. His writing could still be seen gracing the screen under the pen name of Edmond Dantes (the lead character of The Count of Monte Cristo) on the Beethoven films, Maid in Manhattan, and last year's Drillbit Taylor.

Here are five films that demonstrate why Hughes' classic stories and characters will live on with all of us who grew up at John Hughes High.

Vacation (1983)
Even if not by name, most of us are familiar with the image of control-freak Clark Griswold, a man determined to give his family the perfect summer vacation…no matter what. He loads up the station wagon and heads for Wally World, the world's greatest amusement park, but as it turns out getting there is not half the fun. Despite obstacles like a dead dog, a dead aunt (Imogene Coca), and a lively young woman in a Ferrari (Christie Brinkley), Clark pushes onward, sinking deeper into his obsession with making the perfect vacation to the point that he becomes the one who's ruining it.

Why It Sticks With Us
Vacation isn't what most people think of when they remember their first John Hughes movie, but for many it probably was. Coming out of the National Lampoon stable, Hughes based this script on a short story he'd written. Right from the start he established what would become his trademark—that kernel of truth beneath the most ridiculous gag. As bizarre as some of the moments of Vacation are, they're moments we can all relate to. The trip where nothing goes right, the relatives you really don't want to visit, and the awkwardness of trying to keep control in a situation that keeps getting away from you.

It's worth noting that Hughes' original ending had Clark kidnapping the owners of Wally World, but test audiences found it too dark. It was replaced by the quickly written amusement park scenes with John Candy, and Hughes saved the kidnapping for the end of Christmas Vacation six years later.

The Breakfast Club (1985)
All-day detention brings together Andy, Claire, Bender, Allison, and Brian (Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Anthony Michael Hall, respectively), five kids from five very different tiers of high school. But as the day wears on and they're forced to bond together against the common enemies of boredom and Principal Vernon (Paul Gleason), the teens begin to find they have more in common than they would've guessed.

Why It Sticks With Us
While several films had tossed out the story of the insecure jock, the quiet girl with a load of troubles, or the rough kid with the heart of gold, Hughes took the very simple step of acknowledging that all teenagers were like this. His story showed that every teen had more to them than what they were on the surface, and most of them were grappling with bigger issues than going out to the movies or getting a date for the prom. The Breakfast Club spoke to a generation that was dying to be heard and was thrilled to see someone understood.

Another fun fact: along with St. Elmo's Fire, this was one of the films that helped originate the term "Brat Pack," because of the stars' tendencies to frequently work together in the roles of spoiled, self-absorbed teenagers. Which made them completely unlike the teenagers of every other generation.

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is determined not to waste a glorious day on something as childish as high school, and so he enlists best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) to help spring his girlfriend, Sloane (Mia Sara), too. Armed with Ferris' quick wits and a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California (oh, yeah), the trio sets out to conquer Chicago. All they have to do is stay ahead of suspicious Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) and Ferris' vengeful older sister (Jennifer Grey).

Why It Sticks With Us
There's that theme again: teenagers smarter than people give them credit for. Plus, Ferris listens to cool music, drives a cool car, and has a gorgeous girlfriend. The script could almost count as a heist or con story, where Ferris is constantly on the verge of being caught before revealing he's been two or three steps ahead all along. More importantly, the story never forgets that the heart of the film is Cameron, the regular kid who cheerfully stands in the shadow of his more popular friend, a situation the majority of people found themselves in during high school (we couldn't all be the popular ones, after all). It pushes this relationship even more when Ferris breaks the fourth wall again and again, making us his best friends and confidantes as well, and making the story all the more personal.

It's also worth noting that Ferris Bueller takes place at the same school as Breakfast Club. Not just the same set, but the same fictional school of the same name and location. Hughes would never comment on if this was just a convention of simplicity (as the films were shot almost back to back) or if Ferris was walking the same halls as Allison, Bender, and the rest.

Uncle Buck (1989)
Lifelong bachelor Buck (John Candy) is the black sheep who gets called in when a crisis with his sister-in-law's family makes him the only choice for babysitting her three kids. While the two little ones (Macauly Culkin and Gaby Hoffman) are immediately taken with their larger-than-life uncle, teenage Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly) sees him as the new focus for her angst and refuses to acknowledge he has any authority over her whatsoever. Buck's determined to be a good uncle, though, whether Tia wants it or not, and no matter how much he has to clean up his own act to do it.

Why It Sticks With Us
As with the best of Hughes' scripts, there are some wonderful dramatic moments amidst the comedy, as Buck comes to realize just how much he's been cut out of his brother's family, and the audience realizes how much it stings the usually cheerful slob. It's the crossover film where we finally get to see the outcast kid as an outcast adult, still desperately wanting to be part of the group, and a reminder that things don't instantly become easier at the age of 18. Still, it's hard not to love Buck while he's tormenting Tia's would-be suitor, Bug (Jay Underwood).

As it turns out, Hughes was so completely enthralled with one scene where young Culkin interrogates Buck's girlfriend (Amy Madigan) through the mail slot of their front door, the filmmaker tried to come up with an idea that would let him keep that voice going for a whole movie. Which brings us to…

Home Alone (1990)
The sprawling MacAllister family is preparing for Christmas in France, but when a blackout and some reset alarm clocks force them to rush out the door, they forget one little thing—their youngest son, Kevin (Macauly Culkin). At first, Kevin is thrilled to have free reign, but he eventually comes to realize spending Christmas alone isn't that much fun, after all. While his mother (Catherine O'Hara) is dealing with multiple travel problems trying to get home to him (much like another great Hughes movie not on this list), Kevin discovers the holiday-deserted houses on his street are being robbed each night, and he must defend his home against "The Wet Bandits" (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern).

Why It Sticks With Us
Everyone remembers the face-slap scream. Moving past that, just as his teen movies reminded us of what it was like at that age, Hughes also remembered that being a kid wasn't all fun and innocence. Kevin is a fairly accurate little kid—smart and clever about some things, hopelessly naïve about others. Sometimes he's incredibly brave, and other times he's scared by the neighbor across the way. In other words…he's a real person and not just a pile of clichés. Hughes knew what Hollywood keeps forgetting, that kids aren't stupid (on or off screen).

Believe it or not, Home Alone is the number-one comedy film of all time, with a worldwide gross of over $775 million dollars if you adjust for inflation. That beats close contenders Ghostbusters and Beverly Hills Cop by over $200 million, proving that John Hughes didn't just know how to write, he knew how to write stuff people wanted to see.

Peter Clines grew up in the Stephen King fallout zone of Maine and made his first writing sale at age 17 to a local newspaper. He currently lives somewhere in southern California, and can often be found ranting on his cleverly named blog, Writer on Writing. His first novel, Ex-Heroes, will be released in fall 2009.

The Breakfast Club courtesy Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Ferris Bueller's Day Off courtesy Paramount Home Entertainment

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