▁other ▁contributions ▁to ▁the ▁Lam po on , ▁the ▁April ▁F ools ' ▁Day ▁stories ▁" My ▁Pen is " ▁and ▁" My ▁V ag ina " ▁gave ▁an ▁early ▁indic ation ▁of ▁Hugh es ' s ▁ear ▁for ▁the ▁particular ▁rh ythm ▁of ▁te en ▁speak , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁for ▁the ▁various ▁ind ign ities ▁of ▁te en age ▁life ▁in ▁general . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁cred ited ▁screen play , ▁National ▁Lam po on ' s ▁Class ▁Re union , ▁was ▁written ▁while ▁still ▁on ▁staff ▁at ▁the ▁magazine . ▁The ▁resulting ▁film ▁became ▁the ▁second ▁dis astr ous ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁flags hip ▁to ▁duplicate ▁the ▁run away ▁success ▁of ▁National ▁Lam po on ' s ▁Animal ▁House . ▁Hugh es ' s ▁next ▁screen play ▁for ▁the ▁im print , ▁however , ▁National ▁Lam po on ' s ▁V ac ation , ▁would ▁become ▁a ▁major ▁hit ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁This , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁another ▁Hugh es ▁script ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁Mr . ▁M om , ▁earned ▁him ▁a ▁three - film ▁deal ▁with ▁Universal ▁Pictures . ▁ ▁Te en ▁mov ies ▁Hugh es ' s ▁director ial ▁debut ▁Six teen ▁Cand les ▁won ▁almost ▁un anim ous ▁pra ise ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁released ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁due ▁in ▁no ▁small ▁part ▁to ▁its ▁more ▁honest ▁dep iction ▁of ▁navig ating ▁ad oles c ence ▁and ▁the ▁social ▁dynamics ▁of ▁high ▁school ▁life ▁in ▁stark ▁contrast