Friday, August 07, 2009

RIP John Hughes

I have known for about an hour now that John Hughes passed away from a heart attack at the age of 59. What I didn't know was how freaked out it would make me.

I was already tender from losing such icons from my childhood as Michael Jackson, Ed McMahon, and Farrah Fawcett.

But John Hughes?

My childhood has been decimated. I am sure in the coming days, people will expound upon what he contributed to our culture. How he captured the essence of being a teenager in the 80s as well as trying to keep it together in the suburbs in the 80s as a child, teen, and parent. To me, he encapsulated how hard it is to balance the parts of us that never want to grow up (Ferris Bueller) against the adults we must become (Clark W. Griswold). He managed to mix enough raunchy fun with equal shares of big heart to endear my generation as teens so much that when we became the grown ups, we shared his movies with our own kids.

And I don't think a day goes by when I don't quote one of his scripts.

So, Mr. Hughes, thank you. Thank you for the fun and the tears. Thank you for contributing to my family's holiday tradition (Christmas Vacation on Thanksgiving every year). Thank you for inspiring me to write real YA characters with faults and heart. Thanks for that God awful dress Andie wore to Prom.

And, thanks for understanding that as a teen, I wanted her to end up with Blane, but now that I'm grown up, I know it should have been Duckie.

I hope in your next life, you get to be a fry cook on Venus.

12 comments:

  1. Dude, this is just heart breaking. He was so very young.

    I just sat with my MP3 player and had DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME on replay for like... an hour.

    I want to watch Breakfast Club but I'm afraid I'll cry.

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  2. i was so upset when i found out... his movies are and will always continue to be an inspirtation to us all

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  3. Great movies! They really take me back to my high school years. So sad.

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  4. Anonymous8:54 AM

    I about lost it when I told Mr. Brice of Hughes' death and he said "who's John Hughes?"

    *jaw drops*

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  5. Jennifer Russell9:10 AM

    Oh my gosh, Amanda! Was he serious?!

    This was sad news. His films remain some of the most quotable. And, just think of the number of people who started their careers (or became famous) because of John Hughes.

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  6. Amanda Brice10:24 AM

    No kidding, Jennifer.

    As one of my writer friends put it yesterday, John Hughes practically invented the Brat Pack. He will sorely be missed.

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  7. My husband had to be reminded of who John Hughes is too. I was like, "Your favorite movies? He wrote them."

    (his fave is Home Alone)

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  8. Amanda Brice11:41 AM

    Once I told him what movies he made, Mr. Brice knew who it was. He just didn't know the name offhand.

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  9. I totally loved John Hughes and I'm just appreciative he gave so much to 'us' as teens. It's nice to be able to laugh with him and I think that we'll always take with us those memories. I still quote some of his movies because it makes me happy.

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  10. It makes me want to write something set in the 80s.

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  11. I was so sad when I heard this. The man created so many wonderful and amazing movies that impacted our lives and we continue to enjoy. My kids love so many of his movies.

    We just watched Pretty in Pink last night and I had the same thoughts about Duckie. I am planning on watching Some Kind of Wonderful tonight!

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  12. SO sad. He will definitely be missed by legions.

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