Dear John Hughes:

[heidi]

You gave me James Spader and Jon Cryer and a litle bit of Robert Downey, New Order songs and Suzanne Vega's Left Of Center, which I played on a cassette tape far too often my sophomore year of high school, and at my sister's bat mitzvah. You gave me something to say back in 2005 when my mom and sister really did forget my birthday, and made me try hats, and see pink as occasionally transgressive, and really well-matched with Doc Martens. You got me to look at La Grande Jatte as closely as I could, but I never got up the nerve to stand in a window and look down from such a great height. I already had Matthew Broderick, but you brought him, and Charlie Sheen and Jennifer Grey to everyone, and you gave me something to say when I'm calling my kids and they're not coming and I monotone "Buehller? Bueller?" and while they don't yet know exactly what that means, someday they will. You're why I just downloaded "Molly" and why I am rereading jlh's Duckie Dale/Cameron Frye fic, Sensoria as soon as I post this. You penned "demented and sad, but social" and it all got a little twitchy sometime after 1989, but that's ok because what you did between 1983 and 1988 created my teenagerhood, and we've wondered what happened to make you lose your edge after that, but really, we just thank you so much for what you gave us that made the 80s what they were.

Earlier today, I was thinking about making a hashtag on twitter for Songs That Kids These Days Wouldn't Really Get, and I was thinking about 'Hang Up the Phone' which Annie Goldin* sang on the 16 Candles soundtrack (and which someone was nice enough to upload to YouTube) because it's all about getting a busy signal when trying to call That Special Boy. And for those of you who didn't live through 1983, check out the vid for a very Seventeen Magazine view on what was fashionable back then - yes, I wore a neon blue shirt over a white tee, and rolled the sleeves, and paired them with acid-washed-to-almost-white jeans. And jazz shoes.

I enjoyed Michael Jackson songs well enough most of the time back in 1983 and 1985 and 1987, but I loved John Hughes movies - enough that I actually watched Career Opportunities when I was in college because he was John Hughes.

Tip of the cute fedora to you, sir, to the tune of an Echo & the Bunnymen tune. You'll be missed, but your works will live on.


* who played Squeaky Fromme in Assassins, who is going to be released from a CA prison shortly [random]

Comments

[imaginarycircus.livejournal.com]

Damn. He was only 59 years old.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Fucking sad. Am wearing pink with boots tomorrow.

[tartpants.livejournal.com]

I actually like Career Opportunities. Jim Dodge FTW!

[roguebitch.livejournal.com]

Amen. Amen, amen, amen.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I can't decide what film to watch tonight. I'm leaning towards Pretty In Pink but may go for Ferris instead.

[dream-wia-dream.livejournal.com]

I've been feeling bereft getting this piece of news today. And I think you completely summed up why. For all these little pieces of my childhood that were inspired and encouraged by the things John Hughes wrote and directed.

What a week.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Oh, your icon!

Hey, do you remember hearing about the original ending to Pretty In Pink? The one where Stef and Duckie get caught snogging behind the gym Where Andi and Duckie dance and Blaise watches and feels like a dick?

I need to try and find the novelization because IIRC it's in there...

[ladyrelaynie.livejournal.com]

It is (I have it too).

Poor John Hughes. I think I'll dig some of my old videocassettes out and have a marathon.

[tiburons.livejournal.com]

I heard about this and I am saddened. I wasn't born until 1985 so I was just a baby but I watched these movies as teenager and enjoyed just as much. I mean Ducky and his song and dance at the record store to Otis Redding is still a favorite. I love Jon Cryer.

I just wanted to write that I would love to see a list of songs "That Kids These Days Wouldn't Really Get". Even if I wouldn't know half of them I am sure I would enjoy it. :)

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

I think I am going to have to do it - in part because I know I'm not thinking of everything, and in part because there are things in songs from the 50s and 60s that my parents had to explain to me.

But even answering machines! Those were only known, really, for about ten years of human existence, before being replaced by voicemail! And there are songs about them!

[chickadilly.livejournal.com]

God. His movies pretty much were my teenaged years.

So sad.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Yes, so out of the blue!

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

This, this, THIS.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

Thanks. And even with everything I mentioned, I didn't even remember to namecheck the Cusacks, who were both in 16 Candles.

[misscake]

Such a loss for those of us who came of age in the '80s. My entire childhood is shaped by his films.

[heidi8.livejournal.com]

It absolutely is. What would the world have been like without him?

Sixteen candles, down the drain...

[rivers-bend.livejournal.com]

So much of my teenage years shaped by those movies. I remember DESPERATELY wanting a flowered pencil skirt to go off to high school in after watching Pretty in Pink the summer before my freshman year. And i got a pair of lace-up boots at a thrift store.

I actually still have all my 17 magazines from that era in my mom's attic. round about 83-90. I should dig some out and do some scans.

[karaokegal.livejournal.com]

I'm a long way from high school, but I still identify myself and other people by which Breakfast Club character they were. (I was Ally Sheedy.)

[americonedream.livejournal.com]

Am so very sad at his passing - the 80s would never have been as good as they were without him.