Great review Joe! I hadn't realized how quickly Hughes wrote all those scripts, or how much of his own unique vision was responsible for getting these actors started in such roles. Amazing how much influence one person can have on the field, or at least, could have back then.
Thanks, Joy! Yes, the claim that John Hughes could write a script in two days of binge typing was not something I believed the first time I read it, but when you look at his output and multiple people co-sign on his work ethic, it no longer remains legend. Along with nicotine, it might also be why we lost him at 59, unfortunately.
When Lorne Michaels returned to produce "Saturday Night Live" in 1985, he chose four new cast members who'd broken out or been featured in Hughes' scripts: Anthony Michael Hall, Randy Quaid, Joan Cusack and Robert Downey Jr. That should give you an idea of Hughes' influence on comedy the five years Michaels was away.
A fast pace of work like that can take a toll, it's true. I can believe someone with a good grasp of story structure and what makes characters relatable throwing together a script pretty quickly. For me, first drafts tend to flow so much faster -- at least at first -- and with a script I'm assuming an awful lot gets changed and cleaned up in the next couple steps.
Great review Joe! I hadn't realized how quickly Hughes wrote all those scripts, or how much of his own unique vision was responsible for getting these actors started in such roles. Amazing how much influence one person can have on the field, or at least, could have back then.
Thanks, Joy! Yes, the claim that John Hughes could write a script in two days of binge typing was not something I believed the first time I read it, but when you look at his output and multiple people co-sign on his work ethic, it no longer remains legend. Along with nicotine, it might also be why we lost him at 59, unfortunately.
When Lorne Michaels returned to produce "Saturday Night Live" in 1985, he chose four new cast members who'd broken out or been featured in Hughes' scripts: Anthony Michael Hall, Randy Quaid, Joan Cusack and Robert Downey Jr. That should give you an idea of Hughes' influence on comedy the five years Michaels was away.
A fast pace of work like that can take a toll, it's true. I can believe someone with a good grasp of story structure and what makes characters relatable throwing together a script pretty quickly. For me, first drafts tend to flow so much faster -- at least at first -- and with a script I'm assuming an awful lot gets changed and cleaned up in the next couple steps.
I'm definitely in awe of his productivity, especially with a wife and kids. I'm assuming his wife was a huge lever in him having the time to write.