DVD Review: Ferris Bueller's Day Off
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::Movie review
During the 1980's, John Hughes found box office gold with his teen-themed movies. Regardless of how down-to-earth they were (The Breakfast Club), or how outlandish they were (Weird Science), his films always contained elements of truth and honesty that resonated with audiences.
It could be argued that Hughes' most famous (or is that "infamous") creation is Ferris Bueller. More than any of his other characters or films, Ferris Bueller has managed to break free of the 80's and still lives within the heart and mind of popular culture today.
I think the reason Ferris Bueller's Day Off works so phenomenally well is because Ferris is the idealization of the adolescent experience. He is the teenager we all wish we could be. Ferris, played to perfection by Matthew Broderick, is a prankster, a hooligan, and a troublemaker, but he wears all of these hats in a harmless, innocent way. Ferris just wants to have fun and because he is never genuinely mean or cruel, his antics are endearing.
Sure, Ferris manipulates and uses people, but if you asked him, he would tell you it was for their own good. Obviously he benefits, but his friends benefit, too, because they would never have nearly as much fun if they didn't follow Ferris on his adventures.
The premise of Ferris Bueller's Day Off is extremely simple: Ferris wakes up one beautiful Spring morning and decides that it's just too nice of day to waste it in school. So, he fakes being ill so that his parents will allow him to stay home. Of course, staying home from school on a perfect day isn't any fun if you actually have to stay home. Ferris' solution is to enlist the help of his friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck), who is home genuinely sick. More important than being sick however, is the fact that Cameron has a car.
Together, Cameron and Ferris concoct an elaborate plot to free Ferris' girlfriend from the confines of school, and then the three of them spend the day roaming Chicago (and where, exactly, the come up with the finances to partake in some of their adventures is left up to the imagination of
the viewer).
There are two people with the potential to spoil Ferris' day. The first is Principal Rooney (Jeffery Jones). He suspects that Ferris is playing hookie and he has made it his life's ambition to catch the kid in the act. The second person is Ferris' own sister (Jennifer Grey), who is nearly insane with jealousy over everything that Ferris is able to get away with.
As with many of John Hughes' films, Ferris Bueller works because of all of the little details that it gets right. Of course everyone remembers Ben Stein's droning voice as the Most Boring Teacher On Earth ("Bueller....Bueller....Bueller"), but there are other details that are equally perfect. For example, there is a scene where Rooney is sprinting down a school hallway. Notice how he stops to walk in front of every door. Why? Because the doors have windows and everyone knows you're not supposed to run in the halls.
::Video
Ferris Bueller's Day Off definitely looks like a film made in the 80's. It lacks the slick production values found in more modern films and because of this, the DVD presentation doesn't quite stand up to the ideals we're used to. Even so, this film probably looks about as good as it has ever looked and for what it is, the transfer is pretty darn good. Having said that, however, there are a few troublesome digital artifacts, and some grain and scratches marring the image.
::Audio
I honestly couldn't tell you what the original sound mix of this film was like, but I think it's a pretty safe bet that the surround sound enhancement was minimal at best. So, too, is the case with this DVD. Although technically a 5.1 track, there is very little activity in the surrounds to speak of. Still the track is serviceable and serves the material well.
::Special Features
The problem with adapting any film more than 15 years old into a full-blown special edition is simply the fact that, more often than not, there are limited materials available. On the surface, there is a lot of material presented on this disc, but I was kind of underwhelmed by it all. Still, there are some decent moments.
Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller runs about a half hour and features both new and vintange interviews with the cast and crew. This is a fairly in-depth examanation and reflection on what it was like to bring everyone together for this film and this is easily the most interesting extra on the disc (if for no other reason than for how much John Hughes looks exactly like Ducky from Pretty in Pink with his mullet and circle sunglasses).
The Making of Ferris Bueller's Day Off clocks in at about 15 minutes and again, features both new and archival interview footage.
Who Is Ferris Bueller is an amusing examination of both the character and the actor who brought him to life.
I feel fairly confident in saying that no one, and I mean no one, would have ever predicted that 3 little words would have ever been the fuel that propelled a boring braniac into the celebrity spotlight, but who out there can't picture Ben Stein uttering, "Bueller...Bueller....Bueller?" The World According to Ben Stein takes a look at the phenomenon that is Ben Stein and how his career (and life) changed following his breakout role in this little film.
Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes runs abou 10 minutes and, as you might guess, includes all vintage footage shot during the production. It's entertaining, if ultimately not very insightful.
Finishing things off is Class Album, a series of production photos.
::Bottom Line
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is one of those films that hits so many right notes that it's able to find a brand new audience with every generation of teenagers. Broderick's performance turns a relatively obnoxious kid into someone we'd all want to have as a best friend. This is one of John Hughes' best films and one of the greatest comedies to come out of the 80's.
Buy Ferris Bueller's Day Off at Amazon.com
| Movie |  |
4.5 / 5 |
| Video | |
3.5 / 5 |
| Audio | |
3 / 5 |
| Extras | |
3.5 / 5 |
| Family Friendly | |
2 / 5 |
| There are a few moments of questionable language, but overall, Ferris Bueller is fairly harmless. | ||
| Overall | |
4 / 5 |
- Robert Wurth, ©2006
::Technical Specs
Studio:
Paramount Home Entertainment
Year of Theatrical Release:
1986
Disc Format:
1 single-sided, Dual Layer
Image Format:
Anamorphic Widescreen
Aspect Ratio:
2.35:1
Region Encoding:
1 (North America)
Sound Format:
Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 (pro logic)
Running Time:
102 minutes
Director:
John Hughes
Stars:
Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Jeffery Jones, Mia Sara, Jennifer Gray
MPAA Rating:
PG-13
Disc Supplements:
- Getting the Class Together: The Cast of Ferris Bueller featurette
- The Making of Ferris Bueller's Day Off: Production Stories featurette
- Who is Ferris Beuller? featurette
- The World According to Ben Stein featurette
- Vintage Ferris Bueller: The Lost Tapes
- Class Album production photos
