So yes, I watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off again and found that not only was there a lot of dialogue I didn't remember, but it was still really enjoyable! Seeing this movie in the context of today taught me about the art of film making, and revealed more about where our society is going, than John Hughes may have had in mind when he wrote and directed it 21 years ago.

In the DVD extras they say Hughes wrote this movie in just six days. Does this mean the script was tossed off, or was it so inspired it wrote itself? I tend to think the latter, and I think current film students could learn from this. The movie was so easily written and is so widely enjoyed today because it's a simple, universal premise: people getting out from under "authority" and having fun.

Young people dreaming of getting into film often miss the beauty of simplicity. For example lately I've caught a couple of episodes of this On the Lot show, an American Idol for aspiring directors. The contestants turn out just the kind of stuff I figured film students would produce: overly-artsy, obtuse, abstract ideas that are not going to fetch the interest of the average filmgoer. Ferris Bueller is about ordinary people doing things ordinary people want to do but rarely get to. A lamp post doesn't attack a meter maid, there's no non-sequitir final line in a non-linear story that we have to decipher meaning from. Instead we see relatable characters in relatable situations, but inhabiting a world a bit more exciting than our own reality. So stop going for the oddball and go for the, "Yeah, I know a guy like that...," film students.

At work I was telling Grossman I had bought this, and he said he was surprised to see it on the Family Channel recently. It was?! Now that is unusual. In 1986 I can remember one of the AJC critics writing that this movie was awful because all of the kids were wiseasses and all of the adults were buffoons; what kind of message was this sending the youth? Ferris Bueller was not quite as edgy as Porky's for 1986 but not vanilla Disney fare, either. But think about it: when Edwin Rooney confronts Ferris at his back door, Ferris does not reach in his sweater vest and pull out a knife and gut Mr. Rooney, and for that I guess this is considered wholesome family fare today.

But anyhow...this movie is still a treasure trove of great lines. My favorite is, "Relax! You fellas have nothing to worry about. I'm a professional." So many more.

So yes, not only is the elemental premise timeless, but when you see Ferris, Cameron and Sloan appearing on family TV today, you've got to wonder if Porky's is next; maybe Best Little Whorehouse in Texas?

Next Saturday I think it might be Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I won't spoil how it goes in case you haven't seen it.

2 Comments:

 Sarah said...

how about a review of Adrianna and who do you think will win OTL?:-)

1:35 PM, August 02, 2007  

 Art said...

I haven't followed it closely enough to surmise who will win, but...Adrianna just does NOT have pizzaz, outside of showing off her B-cups. Those are nice, but that raspy voice just doesn't work. I think she's going to really, really regret leaving CNN for this show. On the other hand, maybe she had no choice.

She's done Access Hollywood, the E! Channel, CNN and now this show. Unless she gets Entertainment Tonight she's kinda done the circuit for television entertainment reporters. Guess she'd better learn computers.

1:02 PM, August 05, 2007  

Post a Comment

<< Home