Thursday, August 6, 2009
R.I.P. John Hughes
When I think of seminal 80s films the first name that comes to mind is John Hughes. His films defined comedy over the decade when pop culture exploded. It's an impressive list: National Lampoon's Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Pretty In Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Planes, Trains & Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, Uncle Buck, Home Alone (1990 sure, but c'mon). The man knew how to connect with his audience, crafting fun stories than never skimped on heart. And his characters, while often silly, also had vulnerabilities that made them relatable, and human. When you come across a John Hughes movie when you're channel surfing on the weekend it's always an easy choice to stop and watch it. It's sad to hear that he died of a heart attack today at 59. He hadn't made films in a along while but I bet he didn't regret focusing on his family these last ten years or so. Sounds like a life well lived.
