Thursday, August 6, 2009

John Hughes helped me grow up. . .

I'm a child of the eighties--and with the death of movie maker, John Hughes, I'm thinking about what an impact his films had on my development.  He gave a voice to teens, but not just the "popular  kids". . . to the teens on the edge in detention in Breakfast Club, and to the less fortunate artists in Pretty in Pink, and to the geeks and nerds in Sixteen Candles.  The way he portrayed their lives seemed so real, and not just in a funny over the top way, but real--with feeling.  And also gave the kids on the edge a path that became something to aspire to, or atleast relate to. . . how I wanted to sew pieces of scrappy fabric together to create a fabulous "volcanic ensemble" just like Molly Ringwald in Pretty in Pink.  I wanted to get driven away to the dance by a hot guy in a sweater and porche like Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles.  Oh!  The joy and angst. . . it just made you realize all kids from all walks of life go through the same excruciating excitement of being a teenager.  And that you can accept eachother, on some level in the least, and learn something.

RIP John Hughes.