I really hope that, by 2074, we in the United States will have advanced enough as a society that we would have abandoned abstinence-only sex ed programs (because they’re silly and ineffective), that we would readily provide contraceptives to teens without shaming them about sex, and that angry parents wouldn’t disappear their teenage daughters when they turn up pregnant.
Basically, I hope 2074 is more like the 1990s.
In Mothership, by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal, 2074 isn’t like the 1990s. The main character, Elvie, gets pregnant while still a junior in high school and gets shipped off-world to a school for expectant teen mothers.
The press materials describe the novel as Juno meets Pretty in Pink in space. And the bright, cheerful cover art indicates that Mothership is a lighthearted, possibly comedic story, in the spirit of John Hughes.
However, me being me, I can’t help getting a little ragey about our current climate toward such things.
But, hey! There’s free stuff to win!
One (1) winner will receive:
- A copy of Mothership
- $25 VISA gift card
- A John Hughes DVD box set
TO ENTER TO WIN:
Answer the following question in the comments below:
You’ve been tasked with re-imagining a John Hughes movie as a sci-fi tale. Which Hughes movie do you re-imagine? When and where do you set it? Which character will be recast as an alien?
Related Stuff:
Lisa Fary's earliest influences are Princess Leia, Rainbow Bright, Astronaut Barbie, and her 6th grade teacher, Ms. Palmer. She's angry that it's 2011 and she still doesn't have a hovercraft, but will accept a jetpack as consolation. That jetpack had better be pink with a rhinestone monogram. 
I would re-imagine Sixteen Candles, probably still set in the 1980s because that was an awesome decade, and Long Duk Dong would have to be the alien!
I’d do The Breakfast Club but with the reboot Dr Who companions:
The Athlete – Captain Jack Harkness (a little muscle, a little homo-erotic, far more attractive than Emelio Estevez)
The Basketcase – Amy (“12 years and 4 psychiatrists!”)
The Princess – Donna (she is damn well the most princessy of the bunch, and my favorite)
The Brain – Martha (she is a doctor herself after all)
The Criminal – River (with fabulous red pumps and hallucinogenic lipstick to boot!)
Principal – Rose (she is def looking down her nose at everyone else, but mainly because I never really liked her much)
The janitor would be the alien and he would be a Raxacoricofallapatorian (family Slitheen). When River is crawling through the air ducts she sees, hears and smells him needing to unzip his far too small human skin and let it all out.
On a side note (and spin off) – I almost named my son Jack. I also considered Ianto (against my life long rule about naming my children anything weird, which I broke anyway, but not with Ianto).
I would remake The Great Outdoors. Chet’s family has saved for years to visit the pleasure planet designed to look like pre-human Earth. Roman, the alien, who married Chet’s wife’s sister brings his spooky twin daughters to the cabin for an unannounced visit. Much comedy ensues as the twins use their spooky powers to all but destroy what was supposed to be a perfect family vacation. Also, Chet’s oldest son falls for a blue local girl who chain smokes. They know the relationship is doomed but go for it anyway.
i would re imagine Planes, Trains and Automobiles ….I would cast it in the the future, and i would recasst Steve MArtin as the alien!
I would recast Sixteen Candles. Samantha would be the alien.
family74014 at gmail dot com
Weird Science! At the end you would find out that the reason that Gary and Wyatt couldn’t recreate the experiment is because they didn’t actual create Lisa but because she is actually an alien that is granting their wishes in order to study human behavior. I would keep it in tha same time period because there is something so deliciously 80′s about that flick and I would hate to see it updated or set in the future
I would also do The Breakfast Club (Jennifer – I would watch your reboot over & over).
Each character would be an alien from a different planet. So on top of all the teen angst you’ll also have the fish out of water Hitchhikers vibe.
I’m really enjoying reading all of these ideas!
I’m gonna go with The Breakfast Club but set it in the Ender’s Game universe at Battle School. Not sure if it would be better with Allison, Brian or Assistant Principal Vernon as the alien. With Vernon as the Alien…somehow a formic in a human body? The kids could band together to defeat him…but that doesn’t seem to have quite the right tone. I like either Allison or Brian as the part alien, scared to reveal their real identity for fear of being killed/studied/ostracized by the rest of the students.
Thanks for playing, everyone! Our winner is Jennifer!
Congratulations Jennifer. It was obvious that you put a lot of thought into your answer.
I would so go to see your reboot and I think Ianto is a fabulous name.