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Screenwriter and director John Hughes died last week of a heart attack at the age of 59. He was known for being a quiet man who did not seek out the spotlight. He was survived by his wife of 39 years, Nancy, and their two sons. His body of work, including National Lampoon’s Vacation, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Mr. Mom, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Home Alone, were some of the most successful movies of the 80s and 90s.
If you were a preteen or teen during the heyday of John Hughes’s movies starring Molly Ringwald, then you can probably attest to the power of movies like Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club. Ringwald’s roles in each were memorable and iconic. In particular, her role as Andie Walsh in Pretty in Pink (1986) may have set the stage for budding fashion designers the world over.
In Pretty in Pink, Andie Walsh is a teenager whose mother died when she was young. She is struggling with her father, an alcoholic, as they are poor and Andie is clearly from the “wrong side of the tracks” in high school. Her best friend, Duckie (Jon Cryer) is a quirky individualist who secretly (or not so secretly) has a crush on Andie. Andie, however, falls for a popular guy at school, Blane (Andrew McCarthy) and they plan to go to the prom together. Of course, Andie cannot really afford a dress, and with her creative touch and can-do attitude, she takes a friend’s old dress and whips up something unique – and pink. I see it as the early precursor of the weekly challenges imparted on contestants on Project Runway.
The film puts an 80s spin on the classic Cinderella story, which has been brought to us over and over and never seems to tire. The focus on Andie’s ability to create something special out of nothing grabbed our attention, and her ability to design clothing (also known as sewing!) made Home Ec seem cool. Creating an individual look as Andie and Duckie both pull off so memorably, gave us all a feeling that it was okay to be outside of the “in” crowd. It’s a message I know I continue to impart on my children.
To learn more about John Hughes and his films, visit www.IMDB.com.
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Posted November 11, 2009 9:40 PM