Bonus guest blog photo by Michael Bacall, my co-writer and Inglourious Basterd himself.
Taken from the apartment block we are staying in. Lightning is crazy right now.
“Life moves pretty fast. You don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Like many of you I’m sure, I was shocked by the death of John Hughes today. I was on set when I discovered and it floored me for the rest of the day.
Like many of you too, I grew up on his movies. I distinctly remember seeing THE BREAKFAST CLUB on BBC2 when it was first screened and it blowing my mind.
I also snuck into the 15 rated FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF at Wells Regal when I was merely 13. I am pretty sure Ferris would have done the same thing.
With these two films and many, many others including PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES, PRETTY IN PINK and NATIONAL LAMPOONS VACATION, he was one of the most influential writer directors of the last thirty years.
Many would agree on the resonance of his writing, his characters, his dialogue and his pop sensibilities.
But the more I think about it, the more I realize what a huge debt I (and many others) owe to Mister Hughes as a visual innovator. He didn’t just write great comedy, he directed great comedies. And with style to burn.
FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF is not just some 80’s time capsule, it is one of the best directed comedies of all time.
It is difficult to measure the impact of the man’s work on film and television. I can safely say Spaced would probably look a little different if it wasn’t for him. I am sure I would not be the same director without him.
As a young film fan, John Hughes was one of the first auteurs of whom I was aware. He meant just as much to me growing up as John Landis or John Carpenter.
It’s not for nothing that the night before I started shooting this film, I sat down with Michael Bacall and Michael Cera to watch FERRIS BUELLER one more time.
So long Mister Hughes. It was a pleasure knowing you.
