Top 5: Films Directed by John Hughes
Back in the early to mid 2000s, I created a blog site called “All Things 80s”, and people enjoyed what I was doing. The posts were short and direct reviews and didn’t really go into too much depth - other sites were more capable of writing more in-depth reviews than I could ever do. It was more of a reminder to people and to jog their memories about stuff that happened back in the 80s.
Anyway, I really enjoyed writing for myself and revisiting old films and experiences from that time, and I thought it might be a good idea to create something like that again for My Dead Robot.
So…for my first blog post/article, I’m going to give my top 5 films directed by John Hughes - one of my favourite directors of all time!
John Hughes directed 8 feature films. There are some other films connected to this legendary filmmaker, but for this “top 5”, it’s purely films directed by the great man himself. So here we go…
1. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Saturdays for detention? That was my first thought back then, when I watched it. Great cast, one location.
Teens are going through a whole host of problems that teens go through and it's here they talk it out by mocking, belittling and then understanding. All the while being interrupted by Mr Vernon, the teacher looking after the mob for the day, played by the brilliant Paul Gleason...who mocks, belittles and tries to understand.
Divided at the start, together at the end, with film finishing with Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me” in one of the most iconic cinematic images of the 80s as John Bender (Judd Nelson) raises his fist to the heavens as he walks off the football pitch.
Fun fact: The script was written in 2 days
2. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Ferris Bueller was the first film I ever watched by John Hughes. Thinking about acting ill on a school day to try and get the day off was something most kids thought about - Ferris Bueller gave you a taste of the ridiculous if you went to the extreme and left the house, if you were lucky to get the day off ill.
Ed Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is the villain of the piece and his hunting of Ferris in the background of the main story makes for a glorious finale.
Every cast member is iconic and funny, and the soundtrack is fantastic. We’ve all watched this film, right?
Fun fact: The parents in the film actually married in real life after shooting! (Cindy Pickett and Lyman Ward)
3. Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)
I’m pretty sure I saw this film without knowing John Hughes was involved and without much knowledge of what Thanksgiving was (I’m in the UK), so I assumed Neal Page (Steve Martin) was trying to get home for Christmas.
What is an incredibly funny film, with Del Griffith (John Candy), seemingly at the centre of every futile attempt to get Neal back to his wife and kids, turns on its head and ends up being incredibly sad. John Candy is amazing as Del as he goes from happy and hapless to vulnerable and sad as he finally explains his reasons for not going home.
Fun fact: The film was inspired by director John Hughes’ real-life 3-day, 5-state, hellish trip from New York City to Chicago.
4. Uncle Buck (1989)
John Candy excels in this film. Thrown in the deep end, he’s got his nieces and nephew to take care of while their parents look after a sick relative, Buck is barely able to look after himself! There are so many wonderful moments; visiting the Principal, Buck dancing with Marice, Buck’s run-ins with Bug…there’s more for sure.
This is the John Hughes film I’ve watched the most over the years. It’s funny, and it’s like a warm blanket that feels warm and cosy. We’d all love a Buck in our family. Wouldn’t we?
Fun fact: Almost all interior scenes, including the massive two-storey Russell home, were filmed inside a vacant gymnasium at New Trier High School in Northfield, Illinois.
5. Sixteen Candles (1984)
I watched this film probably around the mid 90s on late-night UK television. I thought this film was bonkers. Samantha’s (Molly Ringwald) family forget her birthday (16th, hence the film title).
We see how she celebrates that day, especially her relationship with her heartthrob Jake via Anthony Michael Hall’s character, Ted, often referred to as “The Geek” or “Farmer Ted”. Personally Ted has the best scene in the film when at the school disco he tries it on with Samantha on the dancefloor with a brilliant dance to impress Bryce and Cliff (John Cusack and Dareen Harris). Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) deserves a special mention for his heroics with sport girl “Lumberjack” (Debbie Pollack)
Fun fact: The license plate “21850” on Jake’s car refers to John Hughes’ birthday, February 18, 1950.
*The other films directed by John Hughes were: Weird Science (1985), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Curly Sue (1991)