Customer Reviews

You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried: The Brat Pack, John Hughes, and Their Impact on a Generation

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4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Other reivews of this book convinced me to buy it and they're very on target. It's not full or pictures and the interviews prove that hindsight is 20/20, but there is a gossip-feel to it. It's not a serious film text and it's not People magazine but somewhere in between. For someone like me who saw the films a million times it's interesting to hear about how the characters were formed and the filming and how it all came together. A really enjoyable read and each chapter stands on its own.

This was a truly addictive read. Author Gora has broken down the fascination that we had and continue to have for movies directed at the teen audiences of the '80's. While providing running synopsises of the movies that captured audiences when they were made, Gora has interviewed the actors, writers, and directors and assorted key players that made the movies inordinately popular box office blockbusters.
Reading this book helped me to revisit the movies themselves. I think that a certain amount of distance enhanced the experience of reading this book. Gora informs her reader that John Hughes extracted a lot of what went into his scripts from real life experiences that happened to himself and his friends. One occured when a friend of his took Hughes and their girl friends to the Union League Club in Chicago because the friend's father had a membership there. I roared because anyone who has ever been there would know that the Union League Club is one of the stodgiest exclusive clubs west of Boston. And so it goes that Ferris Buehler became the sausage king of Chicago.
The term 'brat pack' was bandied about a lot when these films were made, but there seemed to be solid evidence from the actors that there was an extended family of sorts forged and many of these relationships exist in one form or another today.
While it wasn't all love and kisses while these films were being made, for the most part these productions became classic examples of really good ensemble acting and it all worked amazingly well.
The major suprise that the book had for me was that this book was not all about John Hughes who died in 2009. This book looked at other popular teen movies made in that era. One film analyzed was a critical failure SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL. I really liked that one quite a bit and thought it has held up well.
Another element included in this book were short bios of many of the key actors who have managed to have solid adult careers. It gave me a sense of who they were and the process they used to make these parts work from their perspective.
This book was thoroughly researched and well-written. If you are interested in film criticism, teen movies, or the cinema of John Hughes and his contemporaries, I think you would find this book a good choice.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Susannah clearly has an enormous appreciation for John Hughes and his work as shown by the depth of her information. It was amazing to hear stories from the actors about things I had no idea about and found their insights throughly fascinating. The movies are timeless and although John Hughes is no longer with us (RIP) his work continues to live on through his fans and their love for his movies which represent a time and a place (the 80's) like no one else.

Ok, sorry for the bad pun, but I couldn't resist, and it really is a great book. I'm a child of the 80's, so this book was especially interesting for me. I was surprised to learn that the term "Brat Pack" was actually meant in a derogatory way, it was the result of a mean spirited article in The New Yorker. At the time, I just thought it was a clever way to refer to young actors, just a play on words, because of the "Rat Pack." I was probably a naive kid, but I actually thought of it as a compliment. I could be wrong, but I don't think much of the general public knew of the article at the time, or had any negative feelings toward this talented bunch of actors. The internet wasn't around yet, and no one I knew read The New Yorker, but that article had a real and lasting impact on these actors. Hollywood producers knew about it, and the actors felt branded. It's a shame, because a lot of these actors were so talented, if that article really did have something to do with them not getting as much work as they should have, I would really like to punch the "journalist" that wrote it in the face! We lost out on decades of great performances because some hack writer was jealous (he admits as much in the book) of some young actors having a good time.

This book goes into great detail about the creative process behind all of the John Hughes teen films from the 80's. It really is a treasure trove of information, we are let in on the casting process, who was considered for what turned out to be iconic roles (John Cusack as Bender! Anthony Michael Hall as Duckie! Molly Ringwald as Watts! And a real head scratcher, Rick Moranis as Carl the janitor, with a goofy Russian accent! Boy, we dodged a bullet on that last one!).

If there's one thing I didn't like about the book, it's that I'll probably never be able to see John Hughes in quite the same way again. In many ways, he was an affable and charming man, but it also appears he could be petty and vindictive when he didn't get his way, unnecessarily so. But if that's what happened, it needed to be reported, warts and all. Even if he sold out to Hollywood in the 90's, and just produced lousy family films, his 80's work more than makes up for it.

If there's still any lingering doubt about these actors because of that ridiculous article, I hope it can be put aside and these actors be given another chance. I, and I would wager, many gen X'rs would happily pay to see Molly Ringwald headlining a movie. I agree with what Ally Sheedy was quoted in the book as saying, "Hollywood is really missing the boat with me." So true Ally, so true.

Ah, the 80s. Never was there a better time to be a little kid growing up. Also, there was never a better time for teenage/high school movies. John Hughes, his films, and the few others this book talks about, came along at the right time, with the right actors, the right messages, the right music, the right pop culture. This genre of movie has never been as classic or impactful since, so it was only a matter of time that we would get the ultiimate book on the 80s teen movie/John Hughes craze, and boy did we get it!

Susannah Gora has written one exceptional book on a subject that so many people and fans love and hold near and dear to their hearts. The impact of such 80s teen/brat pack movies such as "Sixteen Candles", "The Breakfast Club", "St. Elmo's Fire", "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Pretty In Pink", "Say Anything" and "Some Kind Of Wonderful" are all documented here in their own lengthy, well written and informative chapters that are all engrossing from start to finish and there is nary a sight of filler. Besides the movies themselves, the book also gives us a peek into who these people were. Perhaps the most fascinating is reading about John Hughes, a man who is a true genius. He is a complex and engaging character that he could of been a character in one of his own films. It truly details who this man was, where he came from, and how he thought and worked. It's very well done. Still, you get insides into Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, and all the others you know. The human side of this book is one of the many pluses here, that it's not just above the movies, but about the people who made it happen. Gora has written about them in such a way that, just like the characters you know and love and feel like you know (or feel like you are)from the classic movies, you feel like you know these people as well. It's a testament to how great these performers are, but also how well Gora has written and researched this book.

The chapters, and the details of the book, go like this: "Nothing Compares To Hughes: Teen cinema and the man who changed it forever" chronicles the upbringing of John Hughes and his rise to the business; "Eternal Flame: Sixteen Candles lights up the screen" chronicles the creation of making of that iconic film; "Breakfast Of Champions", of course, details the landmark film that is 'The Breakfast Club'; "Not Just For Breakfast Anymore: Inside The Heat St. Elmo's Fire" is pretty self explanatory; "Becoming 'The Brat Pack'" deals with how the term came to be, who created it, and the struggle the young actors had dealing with that label; "Sitting Pretty", as I'm sure you have guessed by now, is all about 'Pretty In Pink'; "We Got The Beat: Behind The Music Of The Brat Pack Films" is a subject that is just as important to the movies as anything else. All the great music! "I Love Ferris In The Springtime" is all bout Bueller, Bueller....; "Teens In Wonderland" chronicles the making of the criminally underrated 'Some Kind Of Wonderful'; There are 6 more chapters here, dealing with "Say Anything", to the brat packers moving on in the world and becoming adults, and more!

There is tons of information, gossip, and little facts all through this book that I had not known. I learned a lot of things about some of my favorite films, and that is the work of a great book. Susannah Gora has dug deep and revealed a lot of great stuff in this book that should even be unknown to the biggest of fans.

I can't imagine there being anything better written on the subject than "You Couldn't Ignore Me If You Tried". Every movie is given it's due in lengthy sections, and we are treated to a behind the scenes look at their creation with funny, surprising, and poignant moments. The second I saw this book I hoped it would be what I wanted to be. It was....and so much more. It delivers what I hoped it would. It's not magnificently long, but it's lengthy enough. If there is one drawback to this otherwise fantastic book, it's that there is not one picture in the entire thing. Not a single one. That is a major disappointment. Still, it's not enough to damage what is the essential book on the 80s and the classic teen films that it created. This is a must read book that can't be ignored, just like the movies it writes about.

Reading this book really brought me back to the 80s, not only to my 80s teenage years but the 80s of John Huges and Cameron Crowe and the other talented filmakers who made the 80s teen movies that defined my generation. A must-read for all Hughes fans and for those who've seen the movies so many times this will be like added, bonus "footage" for each and every one...

I hear it's great - I got it for my daughter. Maybe she will let me read it - we are both big fans. Heard the author interviewed on Ron & Fez - great interview.

A behind-the-scenes for many of the John Hughes' teen films, and a captivating read for most of the time. Sadly, this was written after his death, so only previous interviews were available. Well written, and I walked away with a scary revelation -- based on what I read, I am convinced that John Hughes secretly lusted after Molly Ringwald since she was 14-15... she even compares her relationship with him to that of Woody Allen and Soon-Yi. The last few chapters seemed a little awkward to me; different actors were described in one chapter with projects they had done since their last brat-pack film, then a couple of chapters later, their resumes were expanded upon a few years further into the future.

Susannah Gora has written an interesting history of the John Hughes films and I have to say that basically it works. I see the potential for a lot of controversy because it is both a history and does tend to downplay any real cinematic examination of his work. This book is more of a history of the period he dominated and an examination of the cast he chose to work with during that era. I do think Gora does a great job of demonstrating how John Hughes captured a point in time and reached out to his audience via a method hardly used before, or since.

The book does get caught up in the mystique of being young and wealthy in 1980's Hollywood. Gora does demonstrate on several occasions that she is star struck. But with the nice wrap up in the end she does show how not everyone who came of age in the 1980's was stuck there. Granted they may not be as popular now as they were then but they are still alive and kicking.

Overall this is a very decent book and if you're a fan of John Hughes or of some of his films I do think you will enjoy it a great deal. Read to like!

ive seen all the john hughes / 80's movies so many times that i probably know 90% of the lines in them all. i grew up in the 80's and those movies define pretty much define my teenage years. and molly ringwald was hot.

this book looks into the hughes movies and gives insight into the making of those 80's movies. interviews with the stars from the 80's in very interesting. i read this one quick and wished there were more chapters.

and molly ringwald back in the day was it. those lips and that red hair were sexy...

if you like the breakfast club, know who long duck dong is or are a fan of john hughes then this book is for you.

buy it. turn on simple minds 'dont you forget about me' and read it.
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then kiss jake ryan on the kitchen table and pay a buck to see a chicks panties in the bathroom.
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