J. Hughes Was A Hero To Most

But he never meant shi But I only like his movies so-so.

JH was a phenomenal writer, and there was certainly a point in my life wherein I lived and died by the films bearing his name. Lately, though, I’m of the opinion that the literary world lost a formidable talent when Hughesy decided to churn out all those middle class Illinois teen-centric talking pictures. Sure, they were smarter and more sympathetic than your average Scott Baio horn dog panty raid flick, but I can’t say I can watch Dutch these days without wondering how it would have spilled across a page in short story form.

Here’s a link to the Hughes-authored Nat’l Lampoon piece that was later spun into Vacation starring Chevy Chase. Maybe I’m crazy, but I think it blows the movie out of the water (save Beverly and her yummy D’Angelos). I feel like it gives you more bang for your buck, and it also has a more authentic voice. Then again, what the hell do I know? I’m just some chump with a blog.

On a related note, I’ve been having this huge internal debate for the past few months regarding John Candy’s greatest film performance. I’ve whittled the list down to three standouts: Uncle Buck, JFK, and Planes, Trains & Automobiles. Would I be crazy if I chose Uncle Buck above those other two? Is that the film audiences generally pick as the Cand Man’s best? Is there another contender I’m forgetting? Please, I would appreciate any and all feedback.