John Hughes III, eldest son of legendary Chicago filmmaker John Hughes, is set to produce a documentary about his father’s life and career. The project is said to draw from a previously unseen family archive of photos and behind-the-scenes footage. Hughes III is set to produce alongside Chris Smith, Jack Turner, and Jack Whigham.
The film is described as “A deep dive into the life of an influential filmmaker through rare photos and footage, revealing how his work captured and transformed American youth culture during the ’80s and ’90s.“
John Hughes left an indelible imprint on American cinema with quintessential ‘80s and early-’90s films such as Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes Trains and Automobiles, and Home Alone. What made Hughes special wasn’t just box-office success, but his ability to channel the adolescent voice and suburban anxieties of teen culture with both humor and heartfelt honesty.
The yet-untitled documentary will mark the first time the Hughes family has publicly collaborated on a documentary about the late director. Hughes III, who co-founded the production company Blue Cuckoo Pictures, has been active in documentary development and independent film. Given Hughes’ relative reclusiveness in his later years, the involvement of his son assures a personal insight into his father’s creative process.
John Hughes was born on February 18, 1950, in Lansing, Michigan. The family later settled in Northbrook, Illinois, where Hughes attended Grove Middle School and then Glenbrook North High School, the backdrop and inspiration for many of the films that would later define his career. A career that began in advertising with an entry-level job at Needham, Harper & Steers and later at Leo Burnett. His sharp sense of humor and knack for storytelling led him to contribute essays and short pieces to National Lampoon, a move that opened the door to screenwriting. From there, Hughes began crafting scripts and setting the stage for a filmmaking career that would redefine the American teen movie.
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