John Hughes, Director, RIP – Ferris Bueller’s Last Day Off

06Aug09

Sad news, John Hughes, the director of several classic movies in the 1980’s (including The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Home Alone), died of a heart attack today.

Hughes started out as a copywriter. He tried writing jokes for comedians, such as Joan Rivers, and eventually moved on to script writing comedy; finding his sweet spot in writing and eventially directing and producing teen comedy movies.

My kids love the Home Alone series, whilst I’ve never got over the Ferarri 250 GT SWB California in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. John Hughes’ trademarks, arguably, were his ability to write character dialogue that sounded funny, and in capturing great performances out of young acting talent.

His visual comedy was often more slapstick or reliant on physical comedy from the actors. As he moved out of teen comedy and into family movies in the 1990’s, the slapstick was rather dialled up.

I still love Ben Stein’s role as the most uninspiring teacher in the world (‘Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?’). But the cod psychology spoken to camera by Matthew Broderick probably provides the most memorable lines in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’

The house and adjacent buiding that stored the Ferarri in the Ferris Bueller movie was recently put up for sale. Called the Ben Rose Home, it was designed by A. James Speyer and David Haid and is for sale at US$2.3m. The design is unique, the two buildings cantilevered and set in beautiful wooded surroundings.

The Ben Rose Home

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Tags: A. James Speyer and David Haid, Ben Rose Home, Ferarri 250 SWB California, Ferris Bueller, John Hughes