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Evincing a greater affinity for the studied "cool" of a Quentin Tarantino than the overt social messages of fellow African-American filmmakers Spike Lee and John Singleton, Hughes transcended the pitfalls of a troubled home life, divorce and welfare to make a striking feature debut as a producer-director, along with his partner and twin brother Albert, with the hyper-realistic morality tale "Menace II Society" (1993). A bit more outspoken than his brother in interviews, Allen is also the more actor-oriented half of the team. Born on April Fool's Day in Detroit to an African American father and a white Armenian mother, the Hughes twins moved to Pomona, California with their mother when they were aged nine. They became interested in filmmaking as 12-year-olds when their mother lent them a video camera. They never returned the gadget but immediately began churning out their own little movies. When a teacher suggested that they make a "how to" film for an assignment, they complied with "How to Be a Burglar".
The Hughes brothers eventually had their films aired on public access cable where one effort, "The Drive By", snared them an agent. The duo subsequently found themselves directing music videos for such rap artists as Tupac Shakur, Tone-Loc and Digital Underground. They subsequently raised $2.5 million to make their first feature which had its world premiere at the Directors Fortnight in Cannes in 1993. Set in the grim surroundings of South Central Los Angeles and informed by the percussive rhythms and worldview of "gangsta" rap, the gritty, downbeat yet somehow poetic contemporary gangster film went on to earn both respectful reviews and nearly $30 million in domestic box-office receipts. This surprising success allowed them to negotiate themselves out of their commitment to New Line Cinema--which had produced "Menace II Society"--so as to sign a two-picture, three-year deal with Disney's Caravan Productions.
The Hughes brothers were granted a waiver by the Directors Guild of America to take co-credit for directing--the first "brother act" to do so since Jerry and David Zucker (who formed a co-directing trio with Jim Abrahams). Duties were split fairly evenly: Albert dealt with the director of photography, production designer, costume designer and the like while Allen focused on the actors--especially during rehearsals--and the business aspects. They also make a formidable team when facing the media, shocking and delighting journalists with their playfully irreverent "no-holds-barred" remarks about the state of contemporary Hollywood. (For example, they blithely dismissed Singleton's 1991 feature "Boyz N the Hood" as "an "Afterschool Special" with cussin'.")
The brothers share a love for the work of stylish genre filmmakers like Sergio Leone, Martin Scorsese and Brian De Palma, all of whom are noted for their representations of violence. The Hugheses have endeavored to depict violence in a realistic manner designed to disturb rather than titillate their viewers. Not surprisingly, they were forced to make a number of cuts to "Menace II Society" to avoid the commercially dreaded NC-17 rating.
The Hughes brothers have demonstrated an unusually high concern about the aural qualities of their work, paying great attention to sound design, background scoring and song selection. New Line profited handsomely from the soundtrack for "Menace II Society" while the brothers--who executive produced the album--received nothing extra for the platinum disc. With this slight in mind, they set up Underworld Records, their own rap/rhythm & blues label, at Capitol Records in 1993. Their second feature, the early 1970s-set "Dead Presidents" (1995), also boasted a powerhouse soundtrack of classic rhythm & blues hits from the period.
Though misleadingly marketed by Disney as a Black heist picture, "Dead Presidents" was more concerned with the traumas faced by African American veterans returning home from Vietnam to few economic opportunities. Larenz Tate, so memorable as the murderously nihilistic O-Dog in "Menace", here plays a clean cut, hard-working kid who goes off to war and comes home disillusioned and underemployed. He spirals downward and ends up taking part a poorly planned armored car robbery. The film opened to mixed reviews and disappointing box office.
Also Credited As: 'The Hughes Brothers', The Hughes BrothersBorn: April 1, 1972 in Detroit, Michigan, USAJob Titles: Director, ProducerFamily
Brother: Albert Hughes. Twin brother; co-directs and produces with Allen
Mother: Aida Hughes. Armenian; took children and left husband when the boys were two; raised her sons alone while putting herself through school and starting her own business, a vocational rehabilitation company; gave her sons their first video camera at age 12
Milestones
1981 Moved with mother and brother to Pomona, CA, when they were nine
1984 Received first video camera at age 12 and began making short films with his brother
1993 Made feature debut as director, producer and story writer (all shared with brother Albert), Menace II Society ; earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Feature
1993 With brother Albert, co-founded a the Rap/R&B record label, Underworld Records
1995 Co-directed second film with brother Albert, Dead Presidents
1999 Co-directed with brother Albert, the documentary film American Pimp, about the underground pimp culture and exploitation of women; premiered at Sundance
2001 Co-directed the film adaptation of Alan Moore s graphic novel, From Hell, about the Jack the Ripper murders in England; starred Johnny Depp and Heather Graham
2004 Made solo directing debut with several episodes of the American version of Touching Evil on the USA Network; brother Albert was an executive producer
2005 Directed the A&E TV-movie, Knights of the South Bronx
2010 Re-teamed with brother Allen to direct the post-apocalyptic drama, Book of Eli, starring Denzel Washington
Co-directed (with brother Albert) music videos for rap artists Tone Loc and Tupac Shakur
When asked to make a How To film for a school assignment, they complied the short film, How to Be a Burglar
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