JOHN HUGHES- IL-BASED PRODUCTION COMPANY REFLECTS ON DEATH OF DIRECTOR & FELLOW CHICAGOAN

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(Free-Press-Release.com) August 11, 2009 -- John Hughes was idolized by some, and looked upon as a comedian by others.

For Illinois-based film producer Naveen Chathappuram, Hughes became an aspiration on the set of the upcoming film CA$H.

“I had some senior crew members working on the set of our film CA$H. These guys were in the industry for 30 to 40 years and, residing in Chicago, had worked for many of John Hughes’ films,” Chathappuram said.

Hughes’ Chicago-based films carried a large benefit for these crew members; they were able to stay at home while playing a big role in the film industry—a task that typically required a move to Hollywood. Their advice to Chathappuram was straightforward: continue bringing movies to Chicago.

“They told me, ‘When you get famous, you have to remember to keep bringing movies to Chicago. You have to become the next John Hughes,’” recalled Chathappuram, 31.

Hughes, 59, lived in Illinois and set many of his films in the Chicago area. Refusing to move to Los Angeles, Hughes preferred to bring his young talent to film in Chicago in order to “keep them out of trouble” and “focus on their work,” a tidbit he once shared with Chicago-based film critic Roger Ebert.

Chathappuram himself is CEO of Immortal Thoughts, a Northfield-based production house that aims to place Chicago on the film map. Chathappuram’s upcoming motion picture CA$H, starring Sean Bean (LORD OF THE RINGS, FLIGHTPLAN) and Chris Hemsworth (STAR TREK, A CABIN IN THE WOODS), is filmed entirely in Chicago and features the city’s skyline prominently on all promotional materials. The movie is represented by Media 8 Entertainment, which produced and distributed the Academy Award-winning MONSTER.

Chathappuram, who was fittingly in high school when flicks like HOME ALONE debuted on the big screen, credits Hughes for peaking his interest in film. While Chathappuram is saddened by the iconic director’s death, he feels proud that Hughes is a Chicagoan. Immortal Thoughts issued the following statement:

“Movie lovers around the world are saddened by the unexpected death of film writer, director and producer John Hughes. With classic films like HOME ALONE, THE BREAKFAST CLUB and FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF, John Hughes proudly showcased Chicago and its neighboring suburbs. This tragedy especially hits home for us here at Immortal Thoughts because, like John Hughes, we are committed to filming in Illinois. Upon hearing the devastating news, we were immediately reminded of the truisms in many of his films. As Ferris Bueller said, ‘Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it.’ John Hughes will be missed.”

Hughes is survived by his wife of 39 years, two sons and four grandchildren. He died August 6th of a heart attack during an early-morning walk while visiting family in New York, according to his publicist.

CA$H is directed and written by Stephen Milburn Anderson (SOUTH CENTRAL). It will release later this year. www.thefilmcash.com

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