Garbage Day, Version 10.0:  Some Kind of Wonderful Writer/Director/Producer

I missed touching on Michael, Farrah, Ed McMahon, and so many others we’ve lost recently  and it’s not that their deaths are any less important or noteworthy, but (just as with the first three I mentioned and many others), John Hughes has touched my life for years to come, in his case with his entertaining movies, notable characters, and well, showcasing the gingers…

Having not personally known the man, I still feel the same sadness that comes about whenever the world loses someone amazing, be it an Entertainer, Politician, “Average Joe”, “Average Jane”, or “Average Jamiroquai”.

Every person might not like each and every John Hughes movie, but I figure at least one of them has made you laugh, lovingly or jokingly reminded you of an experience in your life, or been the source of a quote (butchered or “right on the money) you still use to this day.  Anyone… anyone… Bueller…?  We’re talking about gems like “The Breakfast Club”, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, Chevy Chase-Filled “National Lampoon’s … Vacation” movies, “Weird Science”, “Curly Sue”, “Uncle Buck”, “Home Alone”, “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” and many more (my favorite of which I didn’t even mention)…

To make a long story short, which the people who read this know is hard for me, he wrote/directed/produced some films that influenced who I am today – not as much as my parents, but in a different way.  The best way to sum how I feel about John Hughes’ contribution to Cinema was in a conversation I had with STC’s own Carlisle, while 4 of us were on our way to my brother’s wedding.  In the midst of mocking Voletta Wallace for choosing Angela Bassett to play her in “Notorious”, we started playing this silly game of “who would we choose to play us/family/friends in a movie about ourselves”, and it spiraled into many other questions.  When “who would you choose to direct the movie about your life” came up, surprisingly it wasn’t me, but Carlisle who knew:

Me: Okay, now, who would you choose to direct a movie about yourself?

Passenger 1: Malcolm D. Lee

Passenger 57: Tim Burton

Me: Um… I don’t know, someone creepy like Hitchcock, or maybe I’ll choose John Woo so I can have some white doves during my Mother-In-Law fight scene!

Carlisle: I would’ve expected you to pick John Hughes…

Me: Uh, yeah – that’s what I said. *looks around sheepishly*

So when it comes to 28-year old Winnie, John Hughes – you ARE the Director.  May we meet in the Anthony Michael Foyer (the greeting place of pop-culture randomness) when I get done typing this.  I’ll be the one who’s Pretty In Pink holding a box of Sixteen Candles…

Thanks for reading,

Winnie

P.S. – I still love you, Duckie!  I got your mix tape…