Essence of the '80s: The 10 Best Movies John Hughes Ever Wrote
For anyone who grew up during that singular era of the 1980s, filmmaker John Hughes was damn near a prophet. He didn't talk down or pander to teenagers; he didn't have to because he understood them so well. At times, he understood them better than they understood themselves. It was as if his films, although fictional, were deep-cover documentaries about who we are and how we interact.
Hughes directed eight features in his heyday, and wrote and produced many more classics along the way—movies that defined the time in which they were crafted. Tragically, Hughes—only 59 years old—died yesterday of a heart attack. To pay tribute to this talented filmmaker, we have compiled the following list, which ranks the finest movies he ever wrote.
(1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
Classic Quote: “Sweets, you couldn't ignore me if you tried. So... so. Are you guys like boyfriend-girlfriend? Steady dates? Lovers? Come on, sporto, level with me. Do you slip her the hot beef injection?”
(1986)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer Grey, Edie McClurg, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein
Most Memorable Songs: “Danke Schoen” - Wayne Newton; “Twist & Shout” - The Beatles; “Oh Yeah” - Yello
Classic Quote: “Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
(1983)
Director: Harold Ramis
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Christie Brinkley
Classic Quote: “I think you're all fucked in the head. We're 10 hours from the fucking fun park and you want to bail out. Well I'll tell you something. This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest. It's a quest for fun. I'm gonna have fun and you're gonna have fun. We're all gonna have so much fucking fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our godamn smiles. You'll be whistling 'Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah' out of you're assholes! I gotta be crazy! I'm on a pilgrimage to see a moose. Praise Marty Moose! Holy Shit!”
(1984)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Justin Henry, Michael Schoeffling, Haviland Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Anthony Michael Hall, John Cusack, Paul Dooley, Blanche Baker, Carole Cook, Max Showalter, Liane Alexandra Curtis, Deborah Pollack
Most Memorable Songs: "If You Were Here" - Thompson Twins; “Sixteen Candles” - Stray Cats
Classic Quote: “No more yankie my wankie. The Donger need food.”
(1987)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy
Classic Quote: “Those aren’t pillows!”
(1989)
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, Randy Quaid
Most Memorable Song: “Here Comes Santa Claus” - Gene Autry
Classic Quote: “Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer…”
(1985)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Kelly LeBrock, Bill Paxton, Judy Aronson, Robert Downey Jr.
Most Memorable Song: “Weird Science” - Oingo Boingo
Classic Quote: “So, what would you little maniacs like to do first?”
(1989)
Director: John Hughes
Starring: John Candy, Jean Louisa Kelly, Gaby Hoffman, Macaulay Culkin, Amy Madigan
Most Memorable Song: “Bust a Move” - Young MC
Classic Quote: “Do I have to talk dirty to you? Come on! Open up for daddy! I'm gonna shove a load into you! Here we go! Come on, it's nice and easy. Come on, here we go! Take that! Take that! Come on! You don't want the crowbar, do you? Come on! OPEN UP! I'm gonna shove my load into you whether you like it or not!”
(1986)
Director: Howard Deutch
Starring: Molly Ringwald, Harry Dean Stanton, Jon Cryer, Annie Potts, James Spader, Andrew Dice Clay
Most Memorable Song: “If You Leave” - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Classic Quote: "We don't have none of this stuff in the boy's room! Wait a minute! We don't got none of this... we don't got doors on the stalls in the boy's room, we don't have, what is this? What's this? We don't have a candy machine in the boy's room!"
(1988)
Director: Howard Deutch
Starring: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening
Classic Quote: “Why do you think we have these sharp things for? To scratch our asses with?”
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