It's interesting what people say when a famous person dies. Knee-jerk reactions, non sequiturs, unexpected memories. And it's all there in the comments sections online.
The following comment appeared on the New York Times' ArtsBeat blog upon the death of director John Hughes today, and wins some kind of prize for combining heartfelt eulogy with out-of-left-field slam:
he was a great light, with an artisic vision that is unmatched. his way of seeing this has influenced not only how a generation of americans saw itself and society, but also continues to inspire film makers today.
plus, he never denounced any of his collegues as communists in a bitter moment of vengence, like some directors who died this week.
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2009.