Refocus: the Films of John Hughes

A collection of critical essays about the noted filmmaker John Hughes Offers an examination of films from diverse academic perspectives Explores topics such as his depictions of youth and his assessment of gender, class, and race issues Provides an evaluation of the filmmaker with attention to cultural and industrial concerns The films of John Hughes (1950 2009) have enjoyed popular and critical success alike, from his first scripts in the early 1980s through to his celebrated work later in the decade and into the 1990s. While Hughes is best remembered for his stories about teenagers, such as Sixteen Candles (1984), The Breakfast Club (1985) and Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), almost all of his films deal with comical conflicts within everyday American families. He directed eight films and wrote over thirty in a career spanning a quarter of a century, and is fondly remembered for influencing American perceptions of and appreciation for the daily lives of (primarily) common citizens. This wide-ranging collection examines the films of John Hughes from diverse angles, considering how he depicted young characters, how he revealed the humour of family life, and how his films subtly critiqued social issues such as class, race, gender, education and domestic relationships.