# John Hughes has died. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 6, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572 "2009-08-06T21:01:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/1 "2009-08-06T21:01:17Z")
Apparant heart attack. He was 59. Breaking news on [MSNBC.com](http://MSNBC.com) right now. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/2 "2009-08-06T21:05:23Z")
Whaaaaaaaa? Whoa. Damn. His movies were such a big part of my childhood/teenagerdom. Damn… ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/3 "2009-08-06T21:05:35Z")
That’s a shocker. Fifty-nine is very young to have his body of work under one’s belt, and _Breakfast Club_ alone pretty much IS the 1980s high school experience to millions of Gen X’ers. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/4 "2009-08-06T21:17:03Z")
Wow. That is quite a shocker. Was he, by any chance…_Home Alone_? :d&r: ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/5 "2009-08-06T21:17:49Z")
> [@ArchiveGuy](#): > > Wow. That is quite a shocker. > > Was he, by any chance…_Home Alone_? :d&r: I think he was on Vacation. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/6 "2009-08-06T21:23:57Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > I think he was on Vacation. In New York? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/7 "2009-08-06T21:30:37Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > In New York? Woosh? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/8 "2009-08-06T21:33:18Z")
[Variety](http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118006975.html?categoryId=13&cs=1?ref=sharethis) has this to say: > [@](#): > > John Hughes, director of culturally significant films such as “The Breakfast Club,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” died suddenly today of a heart attack while taking a morning walk during a trip to Manhattan. He was 59. Not to disparage the guy, but I think it’s a little odd to label his films “culturally significant.” It just seems a strange thing to say about such a populist artist. When I think of _Pretty In PInk_, I think “teen film”, “goofball teen comedy”, or even “80s pop culture landmark” but…“culturally significant”? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/9 "2009-08-06T21:37:36Z")
Has there been any reports from the _Dacron Republican-Democrat_ about his death? ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/10 "2009-08-06T21:38:16Z")
I never really cared for his films, but I fully and totally understand his and his movies significance. RIP buddy, you meant a lot of things, to a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/11 "2009-08-06T21:39:18Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > Not to disparage the guy, but I think it’s a little odd to label his films “culturally significant.” It just seems a strange thing to say about such a populist artist. When I think of _Pretty In PInk_, I think “teen film”, “goofball teen comedy”, or even “80s pop culture landmark” but…“culturally significant”? Hughes set the standard for goofball teen comedies. Kind of a low bar to set, but. Besides, I would actually characterize Ferris Bueller as culturally significant. Any movie that can implant a quote into mainstream pop culture qualifies IMO. (“Bueller? Bueller?”) ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/12 "2009-08-06T21:55:59Z")
His movies were definitely culturally significant. Those were \*the \* movies of that era. John Hughes, we won’t forget about you. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/13 "2009-08-06T21:58:12Z")
> [@HelloNinja](#): > > Woosh? I thought that was a ref to yet another John Hughes (written) movie, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/14 "2009-08-06T22:12:36Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I thought that was a ref to yet another John Hughes (written) movie, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York. Ah…Well, he did die in NYC which is why I suspected the whoosh. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/15 "2009-08-06T22:19:39Z")
_Sixteen Candles_ was good. “Well, uh, let’s see, he was wearing a red argyle sweater, and tan trousers, and red shoes… NO, he’s not retarded.” ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/16 "2009-08-06T22:26:35Z")
Even as a teen I found Hughes’ whole “teens good, adults bad” mindset kind of obnoxious. Oh well. I guess now he won’t be kept awake by the thought of “these kids” taking care of him in his old age… ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/17 "2009-08-06T22:41:52Z")
Not to mention “rich people bad, poor people good.” He had a fairly typical Baby Boomer attitude: wealth is a pie, there’s only so much to go around, and if Peter has so much, he’s personally depriving Paul. Wonder how he reconciled his own wealth… ---
**Author:** ![fuzzypickles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9d8465/32.png) [@fuzzypickles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fuzzypickles)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/18 "2009-08-06T23:03:54Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > His movies were definitely culturally significant. Those were \*the \* movies of that era. Hell yeah! I still watch _The Breakfast Club_ on an annual basis. And tonight I’ll be watching [_Planes, Trains & Automobiles_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5o8DFfYHS4), as tribute. R.I.P., John – we Gen X’ers will always remember you. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/19 "2009-08-06T23:05:17Z")
“220, 221, whatever it takes.” RIP John Edit: I didn’t realize how small his body of work as a director actually is: Curly Sue (1991) Uncle Buck (1989) She’s Having a Baby (1988) Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) Weird Science (1985) The Breakfast Club (1985) Sixteen Candles (1984) That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572/20 "2009-08-06T23:27:34Z")
I much preferred the stories he wrote for the **National Lampoon** to his movies. They were by far funnier and wilder and I’m really sad that they don’t seem to be collected anywhere (I can’t even find a list of titles, other than “Vacation '58,” “My Penis,” and “My Vagina.”). He was one of the Lampoon’s best writers (and that says a lot). His films were never as outrageous as the stories, and certainly not as bawdy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-hughes-has-died/505572.md?page=2)