Here’s how influential John Hughes was: I’m writing a blog post about the late writer-director (he died on Thursday of a heart attack at age 59) and I wasn’t even a huge fan. But he played an indirect — though easily traced — role in shaping my movie and TV tastes.
If I had been born 10 years earlier, I would’ve been all about Hughes’ 1980s films “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “The Breakfast Club,” “Weird Science” and “Sixteen Candles.” As it was, my decade was the ’90s, and I really latched onto “Dawson’s Creek” (when it was good, naturally — the first three seasons and Season 4 up until Andie departs).
“Creek” creator Kevin Williamson channeled Hughes like no one else. The episode titles in the first season were titles of Hughes movies until someone — probably a lawyer — made him rename them. “Detention” borrows the premise and themes of “Breakfast Club.” Another episode finds Dawson skipping class like Ferris Bueller.
One thing I wish Williamson wouldn’t have copied was the geek not getting the girl. With a movie, you can say, “That’s just life,” and appreciate how Hughes captured it on film. With a TV show, you say, “That was six years of my life — and then Pacey gets the girl!?” Nothing against Pacey, but “Dawson and Joey” had an iconic ring to it.
“Breakfast Club” actually exerted a second degree of influence — a not-so-great episode of “Degrassi: The Next Generation” later ripped off the “Breakfast Club” homage from “Dawson’s Creek.”
It’s hard for a teen-based series to not copy Hughes to some degree, because the writer-director’s exploration of cliques and crushes and classroom clashes was timeless. If Hughes hadn’t done it, it seems someone else certainly would’ve — but we can’t know that for sure, so we shouldn’t take his work for granted.
I saw Hughes’ high school films after my “Dawson’s Creek” phase, so I took more of a scholarly approach; I respect and like those films, but don’t quite love them. Loving Hughes’ high school catalogue is for folks who came of age in the ’80s, and I’ll respectfully leave that to them.
Of course, even casual moviegoers have seen — and most likely laughed at — Hughes’ broader comedies. I find it hard to turn the channel when I come upon “National Lampoon’s Vacation” or “The Great Outdoors” (especially if it’s the Ol’ 96er scene). Other films leave me a little cold: I know it’s a celebrated classic, but I don’t remember much about “Uncle Buck.” Sorry.
Probably the first Hughes film I saw was “Home Alone.” I can’t say I like this dark comedy from Christmas of 1990 — it’s way too violent to be funny, and it’s disturbing to think kids would laugh at the violence Macaulay Culkin unleashes on adults. But I do remember that the scariness of being left home alone was communicated to me when I sat in that movie theater. Hughes knew how to communicate, even to a 12-year-old.
I wouldn’t have had “Dawson’s Creek” without Hughes. And “Degrassi: The Next Generation” fans wouldn’t have their show without “Dawson’s Creek.” I bet the team behind this summer’s best show, “10 Things I Hate About You,” are Hughes disciples — they have fun with a Long Duk Dong reference in the pilot episode.
Hughes didn’t invent teen angst, but he made teen angst marketable and inspired young writer-directors who will inspire another wave of writer-directors, and so on. Hughes is no longer with us, but his influence hasn’t gone away.
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Comments
It’s sad really because until he died, I had no idea who this was. Of course writers and directors normally get little praise but you are right, he shape much of TV today.
Unlike you, I was never a fan of ‘Creek’. Basically because I thought it was a girl’s show. No excuse I know, but during the days of high school I was easy to pass judgement. I enjoyed ‘Day Off’ very much and overall it is probably my favorite of his films. ‘Breakfast’ club was good but I didn’t catch it until I was older so like you said, I didn’t look at it as a film but more as “why was this supposed to be so good?’.
I did however like home alone, but not because it was a great movie. I like it because of the nostalgia of the movie. I remember seeing the movie on Christmas day. I think everyone in the country saw that movie. The setting is christmas, it has touching moments (when he helps his neighbor by encouraging him to talk to his son), and I think the vilonce is handled in a non realistic manner and meant to be funny. I know I had no urge to run home and do any harm to anyone.
It just brings us back “things were better back in our day”, cause they just don’t make em’ like they used to.# Posted By Shaune | 8/10/09 1:49 PM
I knew who John Hughes was only because Kevin Williamson always referred to him as a major influence. I didn’t know what Hughes looked like until I saw his obit photos, though.
Hughes was the kind of guy where you didn’t know who he was, but you knew his work. Like you say, who hasn’t seen “Home Alone?” Same thing with “Vacation.” Even if you never intended to see it, you’ve seen it just because it’s on TV all the time and you’ve caught bits and pieces. Chevy Chase is great in that movie.
I’ll have to go with “The Great Outdoors” as my favorite Hughes movie, though. You’ve got John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, and a bunch of great comic premises like Candy waterskiing and eating a 96-ounce steak and, of course, the bat that’s loose in the cabin. I quote that movie a lot, especially “There’s nothing left on that plate but fat and gristle.”# Posted By John Hansen | 8/10/09 3:03 PM
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off! Was one of the best, I think# Posted By Trevor F. Tobin | 8/10/09 3:56 PM
Holy shit, I imdb’d (yes, it’s a verb) when he died but for some reason stopped scrolling down in the process to see his complete body of work. Looking at it now, he was underrated for the movies that didn’t reach critical acclaim. Curly Sue (with Jim Belushi), Dutch (the most underrated Christmas movie ever), Mr. Mom (classic with a great message), the first vacation and x-mas vacation, Career Opportunities (with the beautiful Jennifer Connelly), Some Kind of Wonderful (my favorite 80s romance movie), the still underrated Plains, Trains and Automobiles (Steve Martin’s best movie–better than The Jerk) and Dennis the Menace (love Walter Matheau). Now John, I guarentee you probably haven’t seen all of those. Those are what I’ll remember him for even though Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris and Home Alone always take precedence. And i recognize I wasn’t born in the 70s or in the true era of Hughes’ “best work,” as a kid, his movies (listed above with Uncle Buck, The Great Outdoors, etc) all made me smile. I don’t think there will ever be a screen writer with his influence or resume.# Posted By Seth Stringer | 8/14/09 8:13 PM
Admittedly, I have to see more movies written by Hughes. I’m looking forward to it.# Posted By John Hansen | 8/14/09 8:50 PM