“The Creative Producer”: John Hughes, Synergy and Late 1980S Hollywood
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A University of Sussex DPhil thesis Available online via Sussex Research Online: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/ This thesis is protected by copyright which belongs to the author. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Please visit Sussex Research Online for more information and further details 1 MAINSTREAM MAVERICK? JOHN HUGHES AND NEW HOLLYWOOD CINEMA HOLLY CHARD SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX MAY 2014 2 I hereby declare that this thesis has not been and will not be, submitted in whole or in part to another university for the award of any other degree. Signature:……………………………………… 3 UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX HOLLY CHARD SUBMITTED FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY MAINSTREAM MAVERICK? JOHN HUGHES AND NEW HOLLYWOOD CINEMA SUMMARY My thesis explores debates on the commercial and textual priorities of New Hollywood cinema through examination of the career of John Hughes. I argue that scrutiny of Hughes’ career and the products associated with him expose the inadequacy of established approaches to cinematic authorship and New Hollywood cinema. By mounting a historically grounded investigation of Hughes’ career, his status within the cinema industry, and his work as a commercially successful and agenda-setting filmmaker, I aim to reevaluate existing perspectives on post-1970s mainstream popular U.S. media. Drawing on an extensive array of previously unexamined primary materials, the thesis focuses on Hughes’ shifting status as a “creative producer” within the U.S. film industry, as well as on the construction of the John Hughes “brand” during the 1980s and 1990s. I explore how Hughes secured considerable industrial power by exploiting opportunities presented by expanding ancillary markets and changing production agendas. I argue that established models for conceptualising industrial trends, such as Justin Wyatt’s “high concept”, fail to capture the complexities of Hollywood’s commercial strategies in this period. I conclude that historical research can challenge previous assumptions and contribute to a more detailed and precise understanding of the operations of the U.S. film industry in this period. By scrutinizing the films that Hughes wrote, produced and/or directed, I consider how Hughes’ films are complexly determined industrial productions that are shaped both by a set of radically fluctuating commercial imperatives, as well as by Hollywood’s standardized formats and frameworks. The production of Hollywood cinema may be a collaborative enterprise, but I argue that certain individuals and institutions can exert greater control over aspects of the process. In conclusion, I suggest that such a historical methodology can illuminate not just the work of one particular filmmaker but can shed new light on the broader operations of Hollywood as a commercial culture industry. 4 Acknowledgments I am grateful to the following people for their support, feedback and encouragement: my supervisors, Dr Frank Krutnik and Dr Thomas Austin; my colleagues in the School of Media, Film and Music, especially Kate Lacey, Nick Till, Andy Medhurst and Sarah Maddox; my colleagues and friends at Worthing Theatres; staff at the University of Sussex library, the British Library and the BFI; the International Association for Media and History; and, finally, to Steve Neale and Niall Richardson, for giving their time to examining this project. Particular thanks go to my family and friends for helping me to stay the course, especially: Ben for our lengthy conversations and collaborations on popular cultural histories; Sinead who has always been interested this project and has accompanied me to many film screenings; Jack for keeping me sane during the last few months of writing; and, most of all, my longsuffering parents, who have supported me in countless ways. This research was partially funded by an Arts and Humanities Research Council studentship and a University of Sussex Doctoral Award. 5 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................................9 RESEARCHING NEW HOLLYWOOD CINEMA..................................................9 GENRE, AUTHORSHIP, AND “BI-POLAR” HISTORIES NEW HOLLYWOOD CINEMA ............. 15 RESEARCHING HISTORIES OF “HOLLYWOOD”............................................................................ 23 ARCHIVAL WORK AND THE CHALLENGES OF PRIMARY MATERIALS RESEARCH.................. 29 PRESENTATION OF FINDINGS AND THE USE OF ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORKS ...................... 36 CHAPTER ONE ...................................................................................................... 41 JOHN HUGHES’ EARLY CAREER....................................................................... 41 UNIVERSAL PICTURES ....................................................................................................................... 45 MCA, HOME VIDEO AND YOUTH AUDIENCES ............................................................................ 58 RECORDED MUSIC, SYNERGY AND MTV....................................................................................... 68 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 95 CHAPTER TWO ......................................................................................................98 “THE CREATIVE PRODUCER”:..........................................................................98 JOHN HUGHES, SYNERGY AND LATE 1980S HOLLYWOOD........................98 PRODUCER AS BRAND: CONTROL AND COLLABORATION........................................................103 PRETTY IN PINK AND THE ART OF CROSS-PROMOTION.........................................................107 FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF .....................................................................................................124 SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL AND HUGHES MUSIC ...............................................................133 COMEDIANS AND THE FAMILY AUDIENCE .................................................................................139 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................... 145 1990S: FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT AND THE JOHN HUGHES BRAND .. 145 JOHN HUGHES’ POSITION WITHIN THE U.S. FILM INDUSTRY..............................................147 THEATRICAL RELEASES OF HUGHES’ FAMILY FILMS ...............................................................153 “YOU CAN TAKE THE WHOLE FAMILY”: MAKING CINEMA A FAMILY EXPERIENCE ............156 THE HUGHES BRAND AND ANCILLARY MARKETS ....................................................................160 “WOW! WHAT A DIFFERENCE!”: SELLING HOME VIDEO TO FAMILIES ...............................161 “NECESSARILY ELEMENTS FOR THE FILM”: TOY TIE-INS AND HOME ALONE 2 ..............168 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................................179 CHAPTER FOUR .................................................................................................. 183 MOVIES ABOUT “ORDINARY KIDS”: .............................................................. 183 6 TEEN ROMANCE, GENRE AND NARRATIVE............................................... 183 SCHOLARLY APPROACHES TO THE TEEN FILM .........................................................................187 THE BREAKFAST CLUB (1985) ........................................................................................................190 SIXTEEN CANDLES (1984) ...............................................................................................................193 PRETTY IN PINK (1986)....................................................................................................................200 SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL (1987) .............................................................................................208 TEENAGE SUBJECTIVITIES AND NEGOTIATIONS OF IDEOLOGY..............................................215 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................................219 CHAPTER FIVE .................................................................................................... 221 DOMESTICATING THE COMEDIAN:.............................................................. 221 COMIC PERFORMANCE, NARRATIVE AND THE FAMILY IN JOHN HUGHES’ 1980S COMEDIAN FILMS.................................................................. 221 COMEDIAN COMEDY IN THE 1980S ...............................................................................................222 CHEVY CHASE IN NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION (1983) ............................................225 STEVE MARTIN AND JOHN CANDY IN PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES (1987)....232 JOHN CANDY IN UNCLE BUCK .....................................................................................................242 NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION.................................................................244 CONCLUSIONS ...................................................................................................................................248