This is how record companies work: if you ask about getting an old movie soundtrack re-released for Rhapsody -- say, that of Pretty In Pink or The Breakfast Club -- they will tell you that it is nearly impossible to do.
Then, writer/director John Hughes passes away, and two days later the soundtrack to The Breakfast Club shows up on Rhapsody. It's amazing how a tragic death changes everything.
Hughes really did love pop music; apparently he made and passed out a number of mix tapes for cast, crew and friends back in the 1980s. When I was a kid I loved Hughes' comedy writing in the National Lampoon magazine. His first produced script -- Vacation -- was taken from a story he wrote for that lamented monthly. From there, Hughes quickly went on to direct movies as well as write them.
The theme song from The Breakfast Club, Simple Minds' "Don't You Forget About Me," went to No. 1 back in 1985 and seems to have weathered the decades pretty well. Sadly, I can't say the same for the rest of the soundtrack, which is chock full of tunes seemingly designed by a computer program that creates music for generic late 1980s teen comedies.
But there were a number of good songs in John Hughes movies, including gems by 1980s New Wave giants like the Psychedelic Furs, the Smiths, Suzanne Vega and Echo and the Bunnymen.
Here's a playlist I made of songs from John Hughes movies.
I'd say that Pretty in Pink contains the highest ratio of top-quality songs, but Sixteen Candles is the John Hughes movie that holds up the best. The nice surprise in going through his films was that a number of quality oldies and novelty tunes showed up.
- Portions of Album Content Provided by All Music Guide © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC.
Mister Hughes.....thank you for your vision.
go 4ward
Well, all I gotta' say is that it's a damn good thing that Nicks comments, especially on the "Breakfast Club" soundtrack, are not law and just comments, otherwise we'd have to kill him for being a typical politician who makes another dumb law! Sorry, but what about the great instrumentals, "I'm The Dude", "Dream Montage", and "Love Theme"? They all PERFECTLY capture that classic 80s sound I think so many of us love and miss. And what about the contribution made by the great iconic, signature 80s sound of Wang Chungs, "Fire In The Twilight"? Just for the record, that's why William Friedkin, who just so happened to direct the academy award winning film, "The French Connection", actually hand-picked Wang Chung to perform the ENTIRE soundtrack of another great 80s movie that he directed; "To Live And Die In L.A." He even went so far as to write a little blog about them on the soundtrack album jacket to explain why he really wanted them to do the soundtrack. In like, John Hughes really had a lot to do with the soundtracks of his movies. So, to love his movies but criticize his soundtracks, really doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I'm sorry Nick, but I think anyone would side with the opinion of two great directors over yours any day. Thanks for your input though!