Molly Ringwald's hair, John Hughes and me

John Hughes movies put a stamp on my teenage years during the 1980's. As an aspiring screenwriter, I feel like I must honor this talented man who passed away this week. Didn't he affect all of us with his films?

I was the Mary Stuart Masterson character in Some Kind Of Wonderful. Never the popular girl, always the outcast. Having a crush on a boy who doesn't return your feelings isn't something that goes out of style. Oh, how we can all relate even in 2009. Oh Amanda Jones.

What girl didn't swoon at the end of Sixteen Candles when Jake is standing across the street from the church waiting for Molly Ringwald? I wanted to be Molly so badly. And I wanted my own Jake. Unfortunately, I never dated a Jake during my teenage years.

My shortest haircut (and probably least flattering) came after I watched Sixteen Candles. I probably wanted to dye my hair red too.

After the Breakfast Club came out, I grew my hair into a bob, thanks to Molly's style. All the kids in my class saw the movie and talked about it. I only saw the movie posters because I wasn't allowed to see the actual film. I think it was rated R. I did see Pretty in Pink though. Again, I adored Molly. John Hughes had a major hand in her career.

Another huge hit, Ferris Bueller's Day off which remains a favorite even today. If the movie is on TV, I will sit and watch it for a while and always laugh along with Ferris. What a character! Who didn't want to skip out of school for a day of fun?

Movies like Home Alone, Uncle Buck, Planes Trains and Automobiles.. and so many more, came to us courtesy of John Hughes.

His work will live on even though he's not here with us. His movies continue to inspire as I write my own screenplays. There's a lot to learn from him and his arsenal of classic films. Films we can share with our kids even though the clothes are outdated and the hairstyles make us cringe, the basic, primal messages in his movies stand the test of time.