John Hughes - a Director for the 80's Generation

Film director John Hughes died on Thursday, August 6 2009 while walking down the street in New York City while there visiting family. His death was quite a shock because his films were the definition of the 80's generation.

His first major screenplay for Hollywood was National Lampoon's Vacation in 1983. It is hard to believe that he was only in his early twenties when he wrote about the quintessential family vacation. Even today, anyone who has taken any kind of family road trip can identify with Clark Griswold and the insanity of his journey. If you have not seen it, you should. You'll never look at a road trip vacation the same again.

His directorial debut was Sixteen Candles in 1984 and his depiction of teen life really hit home for those of us still in high school. He identified with a generation. My husband can still make me laugh by quoting this movie "What's happening Hot Stuff!"

The success of Sixteen Candles set off a series of youth films that took a generation's imagination to fun and humor. The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Weird Science, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off will always be identified with the 80's generation. Their creative fun has never been seen in film since. Today, we are so afraid of people becoming offended we've lost our sense of humor and have forgotten to laugh at ourselves. John Hughes could laugh at himself and he wasn't afraid to poke fun at middle America. It is hard to believe that he created the majority of these films before he was 30 years old.

To this day, my husband and I still watch Ferris Bueller's Day Off when we wish to escape our cares and go back to a simpler time. John Hughes made a number of films aimed at a more adult audience in the late 80's that were successful such as Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Home Alone, but to this 80's teen I will always thank him for the humor he brought to my youth. John taught me to laugh at myself.