John Hughes' movies are some of the best pieces of 1980s nostalgia, but one of his films from 1987 is basically a remake of a classic from the year before. The prolific comedy writer penned a host of amazing adult comedies like National Lampoon's Vacation and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but it was his coming-of-age stories that made him a household name. Teen movies existed before the 1980s, but most were either raunchy sex comedies that were actually aimed at adults, or were preachy dramas about the dangers that teens pose to the world.

Hughes captured the zeitgeist of teenagers in the 1980s, and told complex stories that both glorified youth and offered a few lessons about growing up. John Hughes' movies often featured contemporary soundtracks and fashions, and helped to create the hyperstylized image of 1980s popular culture that still persists. Though he didn't direct most of his best films, Hughes' storytelling shines through even when he isn't behind the camera, and he sometimes borrowed from himself when crafting new stories. Some of Hughes' ideas were so strong that they were worth repeating, and one of his '80s classics is practically a remake.

Some Kind Of Wonderful Hits All The Same Beats As Pretty In Pink

The 1987 Movie Borrows A Lot From The 1986 Cult Classic

Pretty in Pink is one of John Hughes' best movies, and it encapsulates his ability to tell a simple-but-effective coming-of-age story about young people. The film essentially revolves around a love triangle, with Molly Ringwald's Andie stuck in the middle. Duckie (Jon Cryer) is one of her closest friends, and he also has had feelings for her for years. Meanwhile, she's after Blane (Andrew McCarthy), who is initially oblivious of her. The year after Pretty in Pink, John Hughes penned Some Kind of Wonderful, which was also directed by Howard Deutch.

they tell that story without preaching to teen viewers or negating the complexity of their feelings

The second film reverses the genders, but is also about a love triangle. Keith (Eric Stoltz) and Amanda (Lea Thompson) begin a new relationship, but Keith's close friend Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) secretly has feelings for him. Though some small details are changed, the basic concept remains the same throughout both films. Both Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful are about how painful young love can be, but they tell that story without preaching to teen viewers or negating the complexity of their feelings. They also make their trios likable, so there are no villains in the situation.

Pretty in Pink outgrossed Some Kind of Wonderful with the former scoring $40 million and the latter only $18 million (via Box Office Mojo).

To further link the films together, Pretty in Pink originally had a different ending, and Andie ended up with Duckie in a finale that was reviled by test audiences. It was eventually changed so that Andie ended up with Blane, but Hughes would recycle the original ending for Some Kind of Wonderful. In that way, the two films are both the same and different simultaneously. They are essentially explorations of the same idea, but they offer conflicting outcomes to match whatever situation the viewer may have lived through in their real lives.

Some Kind Of Wonderful Is More Complex Than Pretty In Pink

Some Kind Of Wonderful Is A Little Rougher Around The Edges

Though the films are quite similar, it's the tone that really sets the two movies apart. Pretty in Pink has the quintessential John Hughes cheer, even when dealing with heartbreak. On the other hand, Some Kind of Wonderful is a bit more muted and dour, though it still has many of the '80s teen movie hallmarks too. In Pretty in Pink, Andie only has eyes for Blane, and her loyalty to Duckie is more out of friendship than any legitimate romantic connection. Meanwhile, Keith falls for Amanda, but is unaware that it's Watts that he really wants in the end.

This makes the conflict even more effective, because it presents a love triangle that is actually a triangle and not so one-sided. No matter what happens in Some Kind of Wonderful, heartbreak is inevitable, and the movie doesn't give anyone any out. To soften the blow of Duckie's rejection at the end of Pretty in Pink, a quick shot was added that shows another girl expressing interest in him. Conversely, Amanda wisely sees that Keith belongs with Watts and chooses to let him go so that he will be happier despite her own sadness.

While Some Kind of Wonderful is less light-hearted than Pretty in Pink, its ending is actually sweeter because it pays off what the viewer has been waiting for. Duckie and Andie are clearly not right for each other romantically, so his rejection is less painful. Meanwhile, Amanda and Keith had great chemistry, so pain is inevitable no matter who he chooses. Watts is also more ive of Keith throughout the film, so when he chooses her, it's clear that he made the right choice. John Hughes used both movies to teach a different lesson, even though the stories are similar.