re: Most Influential: John Hughes or Harold Ramis?

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So, is it fair to compare the two and if so who do you think had the biggest cinematic influence?

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I think it is fair - they're probably the "twin towers" of 1980s comedy directors.

Certainly Hughes influenced other filmmakers - look no further than Kevin Smith.

However, Ramis' films had a more broad appeal, in my opinion. Hughes films were targeted at my generation, specifically, as I was born in the late 60s and graduated from high school in the mid-80s.

There were fewer than 6 years separating them in age, they were both from the Upper Midwest and both had an affiliation with Chicago.

Both filmmakers produced popular comedy films, with, generally, a core group of actors we saw over and over.

For me - Ramis' films are funnier and stand the test of time, while I identify more with the characters in Hughes' films. I hear both men's films quoted on a regular basis by casual and more serious film fans. It is difficult to answer the question as to which man is/was more influential. Probably close, and probably Ramis.

Their significant interaction was National Lampoon's Vacation - a classic Hughes script, based on his real life experience going to Disneyland as a kid in the late 1950s, and was directed by Harold Ramis. One of the best comedies of all time.