Now Read This: "You Couldn't Ignore Me if You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation"

Like any self-respecting child of the 80s, I have a great and lasting affection for John Hughes and the movies that made him mega-famous for bringing the teenage experience to the big screen.  When I first heard about this book nearly a year ago, I knew I had to have it and immediately hopped on Amazon.com and ordered it.  And then I finally finished reading it tonight. Nearly a year later.


For someone soooo excited about this book, it took me forever to read it and I'm still not sure why. The book was very interesting and engaging, but I could only manage about a chapter a month.  Maybe it was because I really wanted to concentrate on each chapter. Or maybe it's because I'm a slacker and slow reader. LOL Either way, I'm glad I finally finished.

Me, circa...maybe 1987?

While some chapters do touch on John Hughes himself and his movies after the "Brat Pack" years, it's those teen films that I was most interested in reading about.  Each film has a chapter of its own.  My personal favorite is Some Kind of Wonderful, in no small part I am sure to the fact that when it was released during my sophomore year of high school, many people at my school thought that I looked like Mary Stuart Masteron's character "Watts". I still say it was mostly about the short, blond hair, but hey, it was a compliment, so I'll take it!

My doppleganger?

What I want to do now is go back and watch each of the movies and then re-read the chapter about it to see what new information and insight I can pick up.  A tidbit that I found interesting while reading the chapter on Say Anything involves actor Eric Stoltz.  He was/is apparently friends with writer/director Cameron Crowe and wanted to work on this film in some way and offered to be a production assistant. So even after having starred in films, he was happily running around fetching coffee and such for the folks on set.   The reason that stood out to me is that now Eric Stoltz seems to be directing more than acting.  He's done guest spots on Grey's Anatomy, but I see his name pop up as a director there more frequently, as well as on the other Shonda Rhimes shows Private Practice and Off the Map.  It just shows the connection and development of his career path. Or maybe I just like to read into the minutia of things!

I definitely recommend this book to any child of the 80s or any fan of the teen movie genre that hit its stride back in the 80s.  It was fun to read the thoughts of various actors who were in the films and to learn about the genesis of the "Brat Pack" nickname.  I remember it being used back in the day, but I never knew just how it came about (read the book and find out for yourself!!).  Now I just hope it doesn't take me another year to watch the movies and do a re-read.