Did any filmmaker better capture middle class 1980's suburban America in look and feel than director, producer and writer, John Hughes? In memory of his passing today, we look back at some of our favourite films from our childhood era by Hughes, all which perfectly recreated the suburban aesthetic of living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms and stores recognizable all across America as suburban America (LA suburban households looked remarkably similar to homes in Weird Science, Pretty in Pink and She's Having a Baby despite their Midwestern settings)...
What was most remarkable about John Hughes films from a set perspective was how natural all his movies looked to the eyes of a middle class preteen/teen movie goers from all parts of the nation. Though the angst and romance may have been dramatic, the settings felt authentic, down to the pillows on the couch and the towels in the bathrooms. There was very little exaggeration from a decorative perspective; the homes characters lived in, the places they worked, the businesses they frequented all remained believably suburban, if only highlighted by the once again popular 80's fashion that punctuated the films. Suburban viewers from all across the nation recognized themselves and their lives in the hodge podge decor of the Griswald's home in Vacation, vibrantly portraying the 80's new wave decor in Pretty in Pink, or the newly grown-up furnishings of yuppie life belonging to Jake and Kristy in She's Having a Baby. If anyone understood the power of reconstructing the rooms we moped in, the places we hungout with friends at, or the often unremarkably normal spot we shared our first kiss at...it was John Hughes. 
Amazing, and thank you for sharing. I feel strangely sad about the loss of someone I obviously didn't know. "The Breakfast Club" was one of the first Western pop culture movies I saw, right at the moment I needed adolescent guidance, and it's sort of funny in retrospect that the environment of that film, and pretty much every other of his, had absolutely nothing to do with my own in NYC. I still took my cues from the film, for better and worse!
view visualingual's profile
I've enjoyed all of his movies. He really captured the teenage genre of the 80's not with the usual silly, fratboy-type humor, but with intelligent wit and a touch of humanity. That is why his movies have remained classics today. Recently, I watched 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and it was just as fun as when I first saw it. John Hughes was a true talent.
view junklover's profile
I remember loving the room in pretty in pink. not Andy's room but Iona the lady from the record shop.
view witchbaby's profile
very nice post. RIP John Hughes!
view timmy jr.'s profile
Pretty in Pink was the reason I wanted to work in a record shop... Never happened, but still one of my favorites. I think the Breakfast Club will go down in history as one of the best movies ever.
view pseudodesigns's profile
Sigh. I miss Habitat(bed in first pic...)...when are they going to bring it back to the US?
view Bridget212323's profile
I just watched "Animal House" for the first time yesterday. Can't believe I made it through college without seeing it. Good ole 80's! Love em, hate the shoulder pads!
view MODERnestS's profile
I loved John Huges films. I was a baby of the 80's but my mom introduced me to his films in high school and I fell in love. I still watch 16 Candles on a regular basis! The house from Ferris Beullers Day off is actually in my home town Of Long Beach CA and a friend of mine lived there. Exact same kitchen and wallpaper that appears in the movie was in the house in the house the last time I was there. I still get a kick out of driving by it!
view nabeegle's profile
I wore out my vhs tape of Pretty in Pink by watching it so much - these movies are both brilliant and iconic - he will be sadly missed.
view Violetsrose's profile
Uncle Buck is hilarious. Hughes made some truly sweet films. The set decor really was an influence--I had the same Squeeze poster that Samantha did in 16 Candles and totally wanted to live in a Chinatown walk-up like Iona's in Pretty in Pink. So many memories.
RIP
view dash's profile
Thanks nabeegle for giving props to my town of Long Beach.
The house in Weird Science is also on Country Club Drive in LBC.
view lbc's profile
Oh, I wanted Molly Ringwald's "Pretty in Pink" bedroom. And Andrew McCarthy. Together, preferably. Yep.
view dianalily's profile
I actually briefly met John Hughes many years ago. Some film school friends and I were strolling around Westwood and we spotted him standing outside of one of the theaters. It turned out that there was an audience preview screening of "The Breakfast Club" going on inside and he was waiting nervously for the outcome. He was truly surprised that anyone recognized him (of course, at that point he'd only released "Sixteen Candles" 9 months before. It took film school geeks to spot a director with only one directing credit to his name.) We pummeled him with questions and he was very polite and candid in his answers (apparently Universal had not been particularly enthusiastic about his take on "The Breakfast Club" and had expressed to him rather bluntly that they had no faith in it.) We all spoke for 15 minutes and then left him to await the audience verdict on his movie. My overall impression was that he was a down to earth, nice guy.
view RichardinLA's profile
my teenage years were bearable, in part because of john hughes. his films define my adolescence. they will always be classic.
view formosagirl's profile