John Hughes Oscar Tribute Sort of Reunites The Brat Pack
By Krystal Clark
Last night at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, the producers of the show decided to put together a solo tribute for director John Hughes, who passed away last year at the young age of 59. In the eighties, the director was known for making films that centered on teenage angst, and he used a core group of actors to bring those stories to life. They were called the “Brat Pack” and they ruled the decade thanks to Hughes frequent use of them in his movies. They all showed up last night to…wait, scratch that, all of them didn’t show up! There were several people missing from the tribute and it pissed me off royally…
The Hughes tribute started with Ms. Pretty in Pink herself Molly Ringwald and Matthew Broderick aka Ferris Bueller giving an introduction to a video package that would feature key scenes and stars from the late director’s films. It was a great way to kick everything off and after showing all those faces who got their early start with Hughes I was amped to see who else would come out and pay their respects.
After the video was over, a group of actors descended upon the stage in the form of Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Macaulay Culkin, Anthony Michael Hall, and Jon Cryer. It was awesome, it was the original members of the Brat Pack together again, but then I realized someone was missing. Where the hell was Emilio Estevez?! We could have had a complete reunion on our hands but he had to be M.I.A.?
Also, it would have been great if all the faces in the Hughes montage that were actually in attendance got on stage to give his family some acknowledgement. I’m not saying they had to each give a lengthy monologue but their presence would have been nice. Alec Baldwin hosted the show for Godsake, and Robert Downey Jr was a presenter but they couldn’t have gone out there? What’s Jennifer Grey busy doing? What about Joan and John Cusack? I take it that James Spader had a more important event to attend that evening. We all know Charlie Sheen is dealing with some legal troubles right now but come on.
Check it out for yourself, exclude the beginning with The Hurt Locker winning Best Original Screenplay. The tribute is broken into two parts and in the first video it starts at 1:30.
Part 2
Further Reading:
- List of Oscar Winning Films – Best Director Winners
- List of Oscar Winning Films – Best Picture Winners
- List of Oscar Winning Films – Best Original Screenplay
- List of Oscar Winning Films – Best Adapted Screenplay
What did you think of the John Hughes Tribute? Did you notice key people missing?
Monday, March 8, 2010 6:34PM
James Spader is currently on Broadway in a play called RACE. As far as I know, he was only in one Hughes film anyway-PIP.
Monday, March 8, 2010 8:36PM
Rob Lowe and Demi Moore,Mare Winningham,Andrew Mccartney would have been nice to see them all together!!!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 2:17AM
Judd Nelson was there. He had the goatee and the tinted glasses. He looks different but that was him. Demi was in attendance, she actually introduced the in memoriam segment. Not sure about everybody else.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 2:58PM
Spader is amazing in Mamet's RACE…good show and a really REALLY great performance by the one and only James Spader!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 6:09PM
James Spader was on Regis & Kelly the day after the Oscar's and Kelly told him about the tribute and he seemed to have had no idea and did make the comment that it was onlyone film and was amazed that he had such an impact on 80's movies. I think a lot of the issues with this years awards ceremony was bad planning by ignorant people. They must have a staff that was on way too cocaine in the 80's and do not remember, or the y have left it all up to a generation who has no idea of what went on. How sad. and now with the death of Corey Haim, I feel like my childhood and teen years are rapidly dying too.
The Academy needs to issue an apology to those they omitted from the memorial because they screwed up and do not want to admit it. Farrah was huge and they snubbed her, what a mess up.