John Hughes

Started by NEON MERCURY, December 13, 2003, 08:12:27 PM

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Gold Trumpet

Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 11:43:49 AM
Quote from: SiliasRuby on August 11, 2009, 11:16:11 AM
Quote from: Gold Trumpet on August 11, 2009, 01:56:08 AM
I enjoy John Hughes, but he's no ornamnent in my film memory. I think Ferris Bueller's Day Off is very charming, but I hate Breakfast Club with a passion. I can't stand its conformity philosophy and cheap little melodramatics.

Movie of his I like more is She's Having a Baby. The movie is sincere and relevant with its ideas of the idealist having to deal with life after college, but the film cheapens itself with the music video odes everywhere. If those were gone I think the film could garner more public praise. Still, it's the film of his I like most which probably says I don't like Hughes very much.
And that's why you are such a unique badass here GT, you disliked 'There Will Be Blood' AND some of the most beloved films talked about here.

Without getting too intense, let me here this fucking hate for Breakfast club. Where does it cross the line, and were you home schooled?  How old are you?  and why would such a light hearted film with great depth about children, get your passion of hatred involved.  There might be better things to be passionate about than hating the breakfast club with a passion.  I think silias is correct, i value your opinions on this board regarding film, but i'd love to know how this film doesn't work.  Kind of reminds me of that Klosterman piece where he talks about how toby keith.  I'm just interested in the so called " conformity philosophy and cheap little melodramatics."  Are you sure too many people didn't like it? and when was the last time you watched it?  Let me have it, I can't wait to hear assertions on a film, that floats like a feather, and doesn't claim to be much in 2009, but an amazing look back.

She's having a baby kicks fucking ass too, in my top 5 hughes


Hey Neil, I never knew personally offending you was saying a few choice words about a teen movie. I also am obviously very young. I turned 16 the other day and I gave high school a shot, but dropped out for home schooling because I missed my mother's nipples for suckling. Obviously.

I last saw Breakfast Club two years ago on TV. The conformity philosophy relates mainly to Ally Sheedy's character. She is the real outcast of the group with her odd eating habits and little quircks that puzzle everyone else. She is also the character who is most portrayed by John Hughes in caricature fashion. We get to understand a lot about the other characters in their defeats and problems, but she continues on mostly as an image of poverty to true socialization in high school which obviously means the only transformation she needs (according to the film) to be normal is a beauty make over. Not just clean her up her looks to make her more clean, but a total makeover where she is now featuring a 1950s hairdo and even a fucking pearl necklace (if I remember correctly). It's insulting because those kids who dressed offbeat and lived by their quircks were represented more than by their physical appearances. Behind most of them are interests, hobbies and feelings that refused years before to dress according to social norms. When they are older they will most likely realize they don't need to dress so despairly and maybe they will lighten the image, but it doesn't mean they will just become a fucking version of Donna Reed and become ready to date a wrestler. It doesn't happen that way and John Hughes idea of this large group of people is ridiculous.

I think the film is melodramatic because it tries to fit in numerous end-of-movie touching moments into one film. You can argue it needs to do that because there are many high school characters, but is the film better because it tries to touch base on every social clique? I don't think so. The film could have touched a lot of high school experiences by focusing sincerely on one or two characters and how they dealt with all of high school life, but the form of the drama where every clique representative is summed up in conveniant fashions for soap opera effect is ridiculous to me. He could have focused on one or two characters and showed that there are multiple levels to every higher schooler's problem with high school, but instead he goes for the easiest problem in every high school clique. It's not revelatory because he defines every character by the problems you already assume they would have. Thus it's all cliche to me.

And I hate the film because I grew up with all my friends telling me how great it was. When I first saw it was not impressed but didn't care, but ten years of stories about its greatness can get annoying. Yes, it's me just hating a teen film in the end, but everybody hates certain films that don't deserve it for various personal reasons. To act above it is dumb.

SiliasRuby

Not to be mean or anything-purely curious- but could you give us a list that actually move you emotionally?... Since so many of the films that usually would move a young man or woman (at least on here) you deconstruct...I don't want to burden you too much on this issue but it possibly (in doing so) will make others on this board not treat you so abusively when it comes to you destroying the films they adore....Again not pissed, just curious.
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

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tpfkabi

Quote from: SiliasRuby on August 11, 2009, 12:09:17 PM
I have listened to it, its quite good and very informative.

anything you can remember specifically?

for some reason when they made a newer edition they dropped the commentary.

if it was on the newer i would have gotten it, because i think there is some kind of visual problem with the older - incorrect Widescreen, bad transfer, or something along those lines. i can't remember any more.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: SiliasRuby on August 11, 2009, 01:01:45 PM
Not to be mean or anything-purely curious- but could you give us a list that actually move you emotionally?... Since so many of the films that usually would move a young man or woman (at least on here) you deconstruct...I don't want to burden you too much on this issue but it possibly (in doing so) will make others on this board not treat you so abusively when it comes to you destroying the films they adore....Again not pissed, just curious.

First off, it's not abusive because it doesn't really affect me. It's just stress on their part.

Second off, it doesn't matter what movies I like. All that matters is that I am going after a film someone really loves. When that happens, all bets are off about your history and whether or not you love movies. Sometimes the person will be constructive in arguing you and sometimes they have dumb ways of attacking you. But still, all that matters in that moment is that you went after their film. They could agree with you a day later on something else and make you think your opinion is valuable to them, but ultimately they want agreement on their most beloved films.


Neil

Abusive? I just asked a few questions, and trust me GT don't flatter yourself on thinking you can upset me or whatever.  I was just asking about a film that is essentially about Saturday Detention.  Now if you think high school in its entirety can be summed up on a Saturday morning by complete strangers, yes this movie is a failure in that light.  Defining the high school experience as you want.  I wasn't condescending about age like most people used to me on this board.  i'm aware that i'm one of the younger kids on here, and therefore the things i post are merely viewed as, meh.  I just finally got the guts to post after having a membership on here for 7+ years or so, i'm still way down in number of posts.  Aside from this.  I'm sorry GT but, if you in fact are my superior  then i'll sum your post up by the opener and closer. 

QuoteHey Neil, I never knew personally offending you was saying a few choice words about a teen movie. I also am obviously very young. I turned 16 the other day and I gave high school a shot, but dropped out for home schooling because I missed my mother's nipples for suckling. Obviously.

I was just wondering if you saw it not as a teeny bopper or whatever, calm it.

Mixed with a little

QuoteAnd I hate the film because I grew up with all my friends telling me how great it was. When I first saw it was not impressed but didn't care, but ten years of stories about its greatness can get annoying. Yes, it's me just hating a teen film in the end, but everybody hates certain films that don't deserve it for various personal reasons. To act above it is dumb.



I think anyone over the age of twelve can understand that it is dated, and not 100% realistic.  We all get it, but either look at is as pop or don't.  I don't think anyone here said the movie changed their life.  A bunch of people like it, and a bunch of people around you liked it, so you got annoyed,  so you've come up with your way of
Quoteit doesn't matter what movies I like. All that matters is that I am going after a film someone really loves. When that happens, all bets are off about your history and whether or not you love movies. Sometimes the person will be constructive in arguing you and sometimes they have dumb ways of attacking you. But still, all that matters in that moment is that you went after their film. They could agree with you a day later on something else and make you think your opinion is valuable to them, but ultimately they want agreement on their most beloved films.

"their film"  -  whose is it? 

If the film did change your life, chances are you were young and impressionable, and there isn't a god damn thing wrong with that
it's not the wrench, it's the plumber.

tpfkabi

I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
Abusive? I just asked a few questions... I wasn't condescending about age like most people used to me on this board.

Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
I was just wondering if you saw it not as a teeny bopper or whatever, calm it.

Yea, that makes no sense. Here is what you asked,

Where does it cross the line, and were you home schooled?  How old are you?

You aren't asking me if I saw it as a teeny bopper. You're just insinuating I am likely out of touch with the themes in the film because I must have been home schooled. Of course I was not home schooled and my age has little to do with anything, unless you want to insinuate I am young and dumb. Or old and out of touch, but I'm not sure which. But don't think your questions were innocent or have anything to do with what you are talking about in your reply.

Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
Now if you think high school in its entirety can be summed up on a Saturday morning by complete strangers, yes this movie is a failure in that light.  Defining the high school experience as you want.

I don't think the film is trying to be a monumental work on high school, but I definitely think it is trying to reach for various experiences from various kinds of high school students for a composite viewpoint of the high school experience. No work of art can be fully complete in depicting a cross section of people, but the fact that all the students in the film specifically represent different cliques and social groups is purposeful. I think the film wants to speak about a larger climate of high school life. It's not Bergman, but it's certainly more serious than most of Hughes' other movies. Considering all of this, the film does itself a disservice by just highlighting obvious and predictable high school problems. It just isn't very interesting.

Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
I think anyone over the age of twelve can understand that it is dated, and not 100% realistic.  We all get it, but either look at is as pop or don't.  I don't think anyone here said the movie changed their life. 

1.) I never took issue with it being dated. I like other movies from the time period that are equally dated, but more interesting than Breakfast Club. Diner (made 2 years before) is maybe my favorite movie ever.

2.) I can appreciate pop, but this isn't strictly pop. Hughes isn't replicating his Sixteen Candles or Ferris Bueller formula here. He's trying to extend himself by taking on more themes and changing the tone slightly, but I just think it all fails.

3.) It's changed the lives of people I know, but when did I ever say it did change anyone's life here? I just said some movies are beloved to people here. It seems like this could be one considering the response.


Quote from: Neil on August 11, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
If the film did change your life, chances are you were young and impressionable, and there isn't a god damn thing wrong with that

I never said there was. I don't care who likes the movie as long as I can hate it. Just learn to live with the disagreements but considering you are insinuating a lot of shit on my part, maybe you can't.

tpfkabi

Has anyone read where John really worked and worked on any screenplay?

From what I get, most were written over a weekend or very fast - or at least Steve Martin alluded to one after the death.
I am Torgo. I take care of the place while the Master is away.

SiliasRuby

'The Breakfast Club' was written in a weekend
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

My Collection

Gamblour.

According to IMDb, Weird Science was written in 2 days. I love that movie, but yeah, 2 days sounds about right.
WWPTAD?

SiliasRuby

Oh, you might be right Gamblour
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

My Collection

Neil

Sorry, i just woke up outside of that conversation. I can't accept a lot of things. But most of that is bullshit, ride it out though.  My favorite is actually weird science. (what's that tell you about me and my film ways)  Two days does seem about right, but

Do you think it was easy for him to pitch a film that was written in 2 days, for xxxxx amount of  $$$ (what was the budget of that film)?
it's not the wrench, it's the plumber.

socketlevel

Quote from: Neil on August 12, 2009, 07:26:53 AM
Sorry, i just woke up outside of that conversation. I can't accept a lot of things. But most of that is bullshit, ride it out though.  My favorite is actually weird science. (what's that tell you about me and my film ways)  Two days does seem about right, but

Do you think it was easy for him to pitch a film that was written in 2 days, for xxxxx amount of  $$$ (what was the budget of that film)?

probably didn't mention it, it's more trivia for film geeks like ourselves then a point of interest for investors.
the one last hit that spent you...

SiliasRuby

Quote from: socketlevel on August 12, 2009, 08:56:15 AM
Quote from: Neil on August 12, 2009, 07:26:53 AM
Sorry, i just woke up outside of that conversation. I can't accept a lot of things. But most of that is bullshit, ride it out though.  My favorite is actually weird science. (what's that tell you about me and my film ways)  Two days does seem about right, but

Do you think it was easy for him to pitch a film that was written in 2 days, for xxxxx amount of  $$$ (what was the budget of that film)?

probably didn't mention it, it's more trivia for film geeks like ourselves then a point of interest for investors.
You are right.
The Beatles know Jesus Christ has returned to Earth and is in Los Angeles.

When you are getting fucked by the big corporations remember to use a condom.

There was a FISH in the perkalater!!!

My Collection

Neil

I'm interested though, does anyone know the budget, and shooting length?
it's not the wrench, it's the plumber.