I’m going to start this post with one of my favourite videos on the internet, which is simply a mash-up of all different teen movies from the 80s, because I think it helps me to understand my need to incorporate Hughes’ style into my final project. If someone was to ask me what I like so much about this video, I wouldn’t exactly know what to tell them. I haven’t even seen all of the movies presented, and I think some of the clips shine more in this context than they do in their original source (Footloose particularly…), it’s more just a love for how all the characters look and behave. And I think this is what I want to take from this style for own project. Filming and editing will be more focussed around Edgar Wright’s style of production, but the character in question will owe more to the 80s teen aesthetic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYJgCp_9h48&list=FL-1KI9SnXMOLiomb2f–xVA
Yes, not all the movies in the clip are John Hughes, but its a great source as far as exploring character possibilities go.
After writing about the Scott Pilgrim clip in my last post, I was reminded of the opening scene in footloose, since this reveals a little about different characters simply by showing their shoes, and is a similar shot to one of the close ups I would possibly use in my final piece:
With the 80s teen fashion typically shown in John Hughes/80s teen movies, it’s also good to have this as a reference for ideas. It may not be a Hughes movie, but I think by now it’s pretty clear that’s its more the look I’m going for, and not a specific director’s vision. With that said though, I’m going to post some pictures from two of my favourite Hughes movies, Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club for reference as well, remembering that the focus is on costume/character. I think The Breakfast Club is a particularly good example, because the characters personalities are all expressed through the way they dress, stand, behave, etc. yet it all belongs to the era and aesthetic . I think there is so much consider when representing a character through how they look to the viewer. Maybe I could explore more than one character in my final piece?
