John Hughes Defined the 80s
Ranked #24,720 in Entertainment, #303,223 overall | Donates to A Day of Hope
Growing up 80s
A few years ago I was at the mall and pulled a shirt off the rack, a shirt that was identical to one I would have worn in my youth. I was marveling at the pink and black athletic inspired top when a young girl next to me said "I just love the 80's, don't you?"
When I told the girl I grew up in the 80's she looked at me in wide eyed wonder. It is a strange feeling to discover that your childhood has suddenly become retro. While you aren't quite ready to concede to being "old" yet, this is one of your first indications that other people might just see you as such.
Now, the same fascination I once held with my mothers hip huggers, bell bottoms, and platform shoes has been transferred to another generation. Leg warmers, mall bangs, and the smell of aqua net in the air. The music I listened to has now been classified as classic rock, and we somehow became a generation defined by hair.
Yes, we are the people responsible for the mullet, and possibly the destruction of the ozone layer by way of hair spray and mousse abuse, but we are also the generation responsible for Hands Across America, Farm Aid, and We are the World.
If anything defined my generation it would have to be the movies we watched, especially those made by John Hughes.
When I learned of his death (August 6, 2009 at the age of 59) I was deeply saddened but it was a sweet sadness filled with warm memories of the man who gave me many of my favorite movies of all time. The man who defined the teen years of a nation.
Contents at a Glance
Growing Up 80s
John Hughes wrote, produced, and even directed some of the most popular movies of the 1980's. His most popular movies by far were his coming of age teen movies including:
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Weird Science (1985)
Pretty in Pink (1986)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
He is gone now, but will never be forgotten... he's left behind so many wonderful movies that I can share with my children, and hopefully they will share with theirs.The clothes may change, the hair is different, but being a teenager will never really change.
Sixteen Candles
What do you do when everyone forgets your sixteenth birthday, the boy you love doesn't know you exist, and anything that can go wrong does. Sam (played by Molly Ringwald) is an especially loveable character, and this movie launched her into stardom.
Movie Triva:
The movie was released just prior to the addition of the new PG-13 rating, it was originally rated R which was later changed to PG on appeal.
Anthony Michael-Hall's character is not named in the credits. In some credits he is listed as The Geek, in others as Farmer Ted.
Jim Carey also auditioned as the character of The Geek
Jake's Porsche license plate is the date of John Hughes birth 2/18/50
Sixteen Candles (Flashback Edition)
Amazon Price: $4.93 (as of 06/01/2012)
The Breakfast Club
One of my favorite movies of all time, I have always loved the idea of a group of people who normally wouldn't socialize ending up as friends. There is a strong message contained in this breakout classic, mainly that people can get along no matter how different they seem to be.
Movie Trivia:
The High School used in the filming of this movie was billed as Shermer High, which does not exist. The school was actually Glenbrook North High School was located at 2300 Shermer Road. It was also used in Ferris Bueller, and is now a police station.
The screenplay was written in just two days.
The film was shot entirely in sequence.
The Breakfast Club (Flashback Edition)
Amazon Price: $5.98 (as of 06/01/2012)
Weird Science
What happens when two computer geeks with bras on their heads set out to create the perfect woman and succeed?
The answer: Weird Science.
A truly strange movie with lovable characters and insane plot twists, Weird Science was an instant success with teen geeks everywhere.
Movie Trivia:
In this movie Anthony Michael Hall talks about a fictitious girlfriend from Canada, which his character also did in "The Breakfast Club."
Kelly LeBrock's character Lisa was named after Apple's first GUI computer, the Apple Lisa.
This movie also takes place in the fictitious town of Shermer.
Weird Science (Flashback Edition)
Amazon Price: $4.93 (as of 06/01/2012)
Pretty in Pink
The unpopular girl, the geeky boy who loves her, and the popular boy she loves. It became the basis for many teen movies to follow, but Pretty in Pink did it best.
Movie Trivia:
Anthony Michael Hall turned down the role of Duckie.
Filmed in the same L.A. high school where Grease was filmed.
Originally Duckie was supposed to end up with the girl but pressure from the studio and audiences left her with hunky Blane.
Pretty in Pink
Amazon Price: $10.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller is the teen trouble maker that everybody loved. He ditched school, took a Ferrari for a joyride, sang in a parade.
Movie Trivia:
Once again Anthony Michael Hall turned down a role in this movie. He did not want to play Cameron because he wanted to avoid being typecast.
Charlie Sheen stayed awake for more than 48 hours to make his role as the drug addict in the police station more realistic.
Jim Carrey was also considered for the role of Ferris Bueller.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Bueller...Bueller... Edition)
Amazon Price: $6.00 (as of 06/01/2012)
Tribute to John Hughes
John Hughes is responsible for some of the most memorable movies from my teen years, including the National Lampoon's Vacation series. He offered laughter, emotion, and proof that some adults still understand teenagers.
He understood the confusing emotions, the longing to be one of the popular kids, the plight of geeks everywhere, what it's like to love someone who does not know you exist. He understood what it really meant to be coming of age in the 80's.
He brought us our own version of teen royalty in the well known brat-pack. Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy and Demi Moore. Many of whom still remain Hollywood royalty more than 20 years later.
While we may not have known who the man was, we knew his name. We knew that he understood us, and in a way he spoke for us. I've seen his movies referenced in many more recent movies including Dogma and Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.
Gone, but never forgotten... Thank you John Hughes
Show your support!
Subscribe to
Boshemia's Squidoo
feed by Email
Don't forget to rate this lens if you liked it, you can also tweet this lens using the twitter button below!
Remember...
A loss that will certainly be missed!
-
-
clouda9
Oct 12, 2009 @ 11:27 pm | delete
- Some of my fave movies here. Nice job on highlighting and the layout is beautiful!
-
-
-
luvmyludwig
Aug 13, 2009 @ 11:17 am | delete
- I love all of those movies :) Great job on this :)
-
-
-
rms Aug 11, 2009 @ 4:27 pm | delete
- Loved his work! Nice job on this lens.
-
Boshemia
by boshemia
I am a writer of fiction and of fact, a free-thinker, and true Bohemian. Author of Sister, Survivor, and a certified victim's advocate and abuse survivor... more »
- 69 featured lenses
- Winner of 11 trophies!
- Top lens » * Strange Parenting Tales: Fact or Fiction?
Explore related pages
- My Top 10 80s Movies My Top 10 80s Movies
- Best Movies Set In Chicago Best Movies Set In Chicago
- Top 80s Movies Top 80s Movies
- Chicago's North Shore: A John Hughes Tour Chicago's North Shore: A John Hughes Tour
- Pretty in Pink Dresses : Dusty Pale Pink to Hot Fuchsia Pretty in Pink Dresses : Dusty Pale Pink to Hot Fuchsia
- Top 80's Teen Movies Top 80's Teen Movies
